Ketamine for OCD Treatment
Treating OCD with traditional treatments such as seeing psychologists and taking medications has proven to be very difficult. More recently, ketamine has become a very successful treatment option for those who suffer from OCD in Pasadena, CA.
How Does Ketamine Help With OCD?
While there is no exact reason as to how ketamine helps with OCD, given its success with treating depression and anxiety, it’s believed that ketamine helps with OCD in the same way. Ketamine helps restore damaged pathways in the brain, allowing happy and more positive thoughts to be more consistent.
Contact our Pasadena Ketamine Treatment Center today and request your free consultation.
What Is OCD?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder characterized by obsessions – unreasonable fears and intrusive thoughts – that lead you to perform repetitive, ritualistic behaviors called compulsions. Both obsessions and compulsions will interfere with every aspect of your day-to-day life and create significant stress.
You may find yourself attempting to ignore your obsessive thoughts, only to inadvertently make you more stressed and anxious. You may find yourself driven to perform these compulsive rituals to try to drive stress away, but despite these efforts, the stress stays or returns at a later time and place. This in turn leads you to have more obsessions and compulsions to act on, furthering the vicious cycle that is OCD.
For many, OCD centers around specific themes and sources of worry; for instance, a fear of being contaminated by germs and then compulsions to wash your hands until they are sore.
You may put off finding treatment for your OCD because you feel ashamed or embarrassed, but millions of people across the globe suffer from OCD and treatment can be quite effective. You are not alone, and relief from the symptoms can be found. Consider reaching out to your doctor or a mental health professional for treatment for OCD.
What are the symptoms of OCD?
Most people suffering from OCD have both obsessions and compulsions. However, some people may only have symptoms of obsessions or compulsions. You may not even realize your obsessions and compulsions are excessive, but if they are interfering with your everyday life and social or work activities, you should consider finding treatment.
Obsessions
Obsessions are characterized as persistent unwanted thoughts, urges, and images that give you stress and anxiety. You may attempt to ignore these thoughts or find yourself compelled to perform rituals to ease the anxiety. These obsessions are intrusive thoughts and will pop up when you are trying to focus on other things.
Obsessions often follow the following themes, but may come in other forms:
- Fear of contamination
- A need for things to be organized or symmetrical
- Aggressive thoughts about self-harm or harming others
- Unwanted sexual or religious thoughts
Common examples of symptoms of obsessions
- Fear of contamination after touching objects that others have also touched
- Doubting that you have locked your door or turned off the stove
- Stress when objects are not organized or symmetrical
- Intrusive images of hurting yourself or another person
- Intrusive thoughts about shouting obscenities or acting inappropriately around others
- Persistently avoiding situations that can trigger obsessions
- Distress brought on by unpleasant, intrusive sexual thoughts
What Causes OCD?
Exactly what causes OCD still is not fully understood by medical science, but there appear to be several main factors that lead to the development of this condition:
- Biology — OCD may actually be a result of natural changes in body chemistry or brain functions.
- Genetics — While specific genes have not been identified, OCD may be carried on genetically.
- Environment — Certain environmental factors appear to act as a trigger for OCD, but more research should be conducted before concluding this is true.
What Are The Risk Factors Of OCD?
In addition to the factors highlighted above, there are some factors that may put you at higher risk for developing obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Stressful Events — Going through traumatic or stressful events may trigger the intrusive thoughts so familiar to those with OCD.
Family History — Parents or other blood-related families with a history of OCD or other mental health conditions may increase your risk of developing this disorder.
Mental Health — OCD commonly co-occurs with other mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, or substance abuse disorders.
Discover How Ketamine Can Help You
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can make daily life a struggle. You feel like you’re running around in circles, doing things over and over just to try and keep those intrusive thoughts out of your head. But they keep coming back, and fighting with OCD seems to make it even worse at times. OCD is without a doubt an exhausting disorder to cope with, where peace and happiness seem unattainable.
Thankfully, Ketamine for OCD Treatment in Pasadena, CA has helped thousands of people struggling just like yourself. We are here to help. Contact our Pasadena Ketamine Treatment Clinic and schedule your consultation today.