OCD and medication

Along with a host of learning disorders and aspergers I recently got diagnosed with OCD which apparently was only a great big surprise to me. This diagnosis has come as a kind of package with no real information as to what to do next.

Reading this forum I notice that there's apparently some medication that can alleviate the symptoms. What I would like to know is how severe should OCD be before considering medication. Most of what I experience are frustrating to me and others but I don't know if the risk of taking pills is worth the gain of not having obsessive thoughts and actions. Can you give me the pro's and cons and if possible typical actions they suppress please?

Example actions I do are: There are two identical computer game shops in a shopping centre we go to. I think the only difference is the layout is mirrored. But I cannot go into one of them without seriously freaking out, ie shrieking and almost crying and causing a scene while the other one I can enter no problems. This is only an issue when the 'bad store' has something that the 'good store' doesn't.

I walk along corridors touching walls which makes people look at me strangely and ask if I've been drinking.

I spend hours alphabetising DVDs and sectioning books while tidying so that where I live is still messy but the DVDs are in alphabetical order. This is of a particular issue because I have dyslexia so I have to go through the alphabet for each DVD and it takes ages.

I compulsively collect DVDs, partworks and video games, not a financial problem but a space problem. Most of these DVDs are unwatched. The majority of the video games are not completed because they have been taken away from me in order for me to continue with something else.

I sometimes scrub myself raw with a pumice stone in the bath because I get stuck doing it and just can't stop. Even though it's beginning to hurt, I still screech if the stone is taken away.

There's others but that's all I can think of atm. Basically I was wondering if there was a method of relief mainly for my husband's sake who has to put up with all of this.

Traxia, I'm glad that you have come here to ask this question. My answer is that a person should seek medication for OCD at the first sign of it. Why? - because, with OCD, the symptoms become gradually more pronounced until the OCD has taken-over the person's entire life. While saying this, you already appear to be at quite an advanced stage.

I was diagnosed with OCD a few years agao and was prescribed Lexapro, which is primarily an anti-depressant. However, my doctor said that anti-depressants are typically used for when treating OCD too. I subsequently had therapy and that helped alleviate my OCD symptoms. So, you should definately go to your doctor. This problem may become worse if left untouched.

Regards,
Kevin

yes, I agree--go to the doc as soon as possible to work out methods of dealing.

i was also put on lexapro, and was pretty amazed when it helped out my ocd. frankly, i wasn't put on lexapro for ocd, but for depression. I just happened to notice that it helped with both so there's definitely help in certain meds if you need it.