Understanding Paxil OCD Treatment
Obsessive compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder that affects one in 50 adults in the USA. OCD involves unwanted thoughts and obsessions about certain events occurring, leading to compulsions to try to prevent these things from happening. Symptoms of OCD can include things like obsessive hand washing, repetitive behavior, preoccupation with impulses and nervous habits. Obsessive compulsive disorder is usually diagnosed by a psychiatric screening test. The best forms of treatment for OCD include anti-depressants combined with intensive therapy to change thinking patterns and behavior. Paxil OCD treatment has shown to be effective in controlling the symptoms associated with the disorder.
Why is Paxil Prescribed?
Paxil, also known as Paroxetine, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor anti-depressant. Doctors generally prescribe Paxil for conditions like depression, anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. Paxil is prescribed to patients when they feel that they are unable to cope with their day to day life due to their disorder. This happens if a patient seeks out their doctor to help them cope with symptoms, and it may involve a psychiatric screening before medication will be prescribed.
How Paxil Works
Paxil and other SSRI medications work by increasing the brain’s level of serotonin, a feel good chemical that many people with mental health problems are low in. SSRI medications can also help to increase the brain’s levels of norepinephrine and dopamine. Studies have shown that Paxil is efficient in treating depression, anxiety and panic disorder. Paxil, combined with cognitive behavioral therapy, has been shown to help relieve the symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder.
The Benefits of Paxil for OCD Treatment
Paxil can help to relieve many of the common problems associated with OCD, such as fear, anxiety and the intrusive thoughts that lead to obsessions and compulsions. People who struggle with severe panic attacks related to their OCD find that Paxil helps to remove the thoughts and triggers and help to prevent these panic attacks. When combined with cognitive behavioral therapy, people with obsessive compulsive disorder can learn how to change their ways of thinking and control their fears and obsessions. This makes Paxil and other anti-depressants a very important part in the treatment of mental illnesses such as OCD.
Paxil OCD treatment can be a very effective way of coping with obsessive compulsive disorder, especially when combined with behavior modifying therapy such as CBT. People who are struggling with obsessive thoughts and compulsions should reach out to their family doctor to find help and treatment for these behaviors. Because studies have shown Paxil to be effective in treating OCD, patients should ask their doctor specifically about Paxil use to cope with their anxiety disorder.
References
National Alliance on Mental Illness: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - https://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=54&ContentID=23035
National Institute of Mental Health: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml
