How to Find an Intensive OCD Treatment Program?

Updated 01/20/2022

Occasionally, everyone has some obsessive thoughts or concerns about their safety or that of their loved ones. However, if a person has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), these thoughts can feel so overwhelming that they interfere with normal daily work and responsibilities. So, how to find the right intensive OCD treatment program?

What is Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common mental disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions). Often the person carries out the behaviors to get rid of the obsessive thoughts, but this only provides temporary relief. Not performing obsessive rituals can cause great anxiety. A person’s level of OCD can be anywhere from mild to severe, but if severe and left untreated, it can destroy a person’s capacity to function at work, at school, or even to lead a comfortable existence in the home.

OCD SYMPTOMS

OCD includes a wide range of signs and symptoms. Most of them are in the form of obsessive fear and repeated actions. Some common symptoms include:

The fear of:

• Contacting disease through germs
• Unclean environments or substances
• Injuring oneself or others
• A loved one getting harmed
• Becoming sick
• Losing precious possessions
• Committing a religious offense

Other symptoms include an obsession with:

• Superstitious beliefs about specific numbers
• Counting things
• Symmetry in objects
• Sexual words or images

Some of the repetitive, compulsive actions in people with OCD include:

• Showering and tooth-brushing
• Cleaning the home or office
• Placing things in a particular order based on size or color
• Looking over work for mistakes
• Checking the skin or hair for flaws
• Keeping items that have no value to anyone

Whether these fears are real or not, they consume a great deal of mental and physical energy. If you notice that you or your loved one has any of these symptoms, then you need to persuade them to seek obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment immediately.

What is Intensive Outpatient treatment programs?

Many effective medical and psychological treatments are available for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), although, not all OCD treatments work for everybody. The main feature of intensive treatment programs is interdisciplinary care that incorporates the joint expertise of physicians, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, and other health professionals to design individualized treatment plans aimed at managing OCD symptoms that have proven difficult to treat using standard therapies.

Available Intensive Treatment Programs

There are two types of intensive treatment programs available, inpatient and residential:

• Inpatient treatment programs are for people who may be in danger of harming themselves or others and need immediate care. Admission to the hospital for a select period of time helps keep the person safe, addresses the crisis, and gets the patient on the right track and on to the next step of treatment. In this phase of treatment, actively addressing the OCD symptoms is not generally attempted. Overland Intensive Outpatient in Los Angeles offers inpatient treatment programs.
• Residential treatment programs are for people who are not a risk to themselves or others, but have not responded well to typical OCD treatments and need extra help. Residential programs typically take place in a home-like environment where a person stays for a prescribed period of time and receives 24-hour care. The program typically lasts around 60 days but can vary from person to person.

When to look for an Intensive OCD Treatment Program?

If medication and outpatient psychotherapy haven’t worked for you or your loved one, and OCD symptoms are taking over your life and making it difficult to function, it might be time to look into an intensive OCD treatment program. Having suicidal thoughts despite treatment should prompt you to consider this option. Unfortunately, suicide among people with OCD is far too common, and addressing issues such as worsening symptoms may be thought of as a medical emergency, not just a problem that is lowering your quality of life.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.