Lexington, KY – SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky, a local rehab facility, published a blog post educating the community on how they can manage symptoms associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This condition can make people feel like they are alone despite many people going through the same things. They might see themselves as a failure or weak for asking for help, but this is furthest from the truth. Learning how to effectively manage one’s symptoms allows them to take back control of their life and live with less stress and anxiety.
“OCD is an anxiety condition that is made up of recurring and uncontrollable thoughts and repetitive behaviors. These thoughts are known as obsessions, while the behaviors are known as compulsions. The side effects of OCD are time-consuming, exhausting, and significantly hinder a person’s ability to function. The good news is that many people improve their quality of life and manage their OCD symptoms daily through different strategies. You are not alone in your journey. Coping with this disorder is possible – people do it every day,” the blog post states.
Obsessions can be about any topic, including fears of germs, misplacing things, losing control, aggressive thoughts and beliefs about themselves, or an intense desire for symmetry. Having these thoughts is not always controllable, but there are some things that people can do. One of these is making a list of all obsessions. It involves taking a piece of paper and creating 3 columns. In the first column is all of the obsessions one has. The middle column includes triggers associated with those obsessions. The last column is what happens afterward. This allows someone to visualize and adjust their life to reduce the frequency of thoughts. Other techniques include using distractions, the 3-second rule, and mindfulness.
Compulsions are actions done as a response to obsessions. Ignoring them can be challenging and result in a build-up of emotions and thoughts that overwhelm a person to the point where they feel out of control. Common compulsions include arranging things in a particular order, repeatedly checking things, excessive cleaning, or compulsive counting. Like with obsessions, there are things that help reduce the intensity of compulsions. One of these is to try and resist compulsions with practice. The best way to do this is by starting small. Creating a list of all compulsions and starting with the one that is easiest to resist and working up will eventually lessen anxiety and reduce the frequency of the actions. Other techniques for managing compulsions include delaying the start of compulsions with a time or reducing the duration of the compulsion.
There are also ways to cope with OCD as a whole, not just the individual elements of the condition. These are things that are done everyday to reduce the impact it has on one’s life, which will lessen the intensity of the individual symptoms. One of these involves talking to a trustworthy person, like a family member, friend, or therapist about one’s symptoms and experiences. Also minimizing daily stress also helps. Ways this can be achieved include having a laugh, connecting with other people, learning to say no, and being creative. Staying on top of one’s diet, exercise, and sleep schedules will also reduce stress levels resulting in less feelings of anxiety. For those who still find their symptoms difficult to manage despite the tips and tricks, OCD treatment is a valuable tool for many people when it comes to learning how to manage their symptoms for a healthier life.
“OCD treatment involves a variety of therapy and medications. During treatment, you will be introduced to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps people recognize unhelpful thoughts, like obsessions and provides specific tools and techniques that allow you to change them into healthier ways of responding to certain situations. Medication, while not a necessity in treating OCD, has been beneficial in helping make it easier to manage symptoms,” the blog post continues.
SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky Lexington solves unmet needs by offering partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient services to adults and adolescents in the community. Their no-cost care assessments allow them to work with potential patients and their doctors to design a treatment plan that will best enable healing for OCD and other behavioral health conditions.
To learn more about their services, contact them by visiting their website or calling them at 859-429-5188. SUN Behavioral Health solves unmet needs.
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For more information about SUN Behavioral Kentucky, contact the company here:
SUN Behavioral Kentucky
Cristi Mcalister
513-880-8217
info@sunkentucky.com
820 Dolwick Drive
Erlanger, Kentucky 41018
