This article reviews some of the more data on the use of SSRI antidepressants in treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The article suggests that the use of medications such as Prozac and Zoloft can bring relief up to twice as often as a placebo. However, the relief is generally modest, and must be balanced against the possible side effects of the medication.
The article briefly discusses therapy as a treatment for OCD, but simply states "results can vary." The article also notes that up to 25% of people with OCD refuse to participate in therapy. This is the area where psychologists would do well to continue asserting the positive impacts our field has to offer. Therapy for OCD does work, though of course, it appears that a combination of both medication and therapy may be the most effective treatment, depending on the circumstances (I posted about this here, with respect to depression). The efficacy of therapy needs to be constantly asserted, in order to overcome the ongoing resistance to effective techniques due to the lingering stigma (as well as other reasons for refusing therapy, ) associated with "mental health." If a combination of medication and therapy works best for a client, everything possible should be done to provide the client with what they need, including providing whatever information necessary to the client to empower them to receive said help.
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