Living with OCD can be very challenging. Intrusive thoughts coupled with compulsive behaviors make even the most mundane of tasks very difficult. For most people experiencing OCD, the most pressing of all concerns is the availability of fast-acting OCD medications.
Finding the OCD medications that work fast is the first step for those who wish to seek relief. Although medications provide the most relief as compared to other approaches when paired with therapy and lifestyle changes, they will never be a “quick fix” solution.
This article will discuss the best medications for OCD, their functions, timelines for relief, and other treatments that can offer people the control they need in their lives.
Understanding OCD and Its Challenges
OCD involves mental health symptoms that include obsessive, persistent, and intrusive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors that a person must enact in a repetitive manner. When these symptoms are present, they can have a profoundly negative impact on a person’s relationships, work, or overall quality of life.
Common Signs and Symptoms of OCD:
- Fear of Getting Contaminated by or Contracting Germs
- Hand Washing or Cleaning Excessively
- Always Checking Locks, Appliances, or Lights
- Distressing and Repeated Intrusive Thoughts
- Orderliness or Symmetry
OCD involves specific neurochemical and cognitive patterns. This explains why psychological and pharmacological interventions are targeted. During times of acute distress, those suffering from such disorders really appreciate fast-acting interventions to help minimize such distress.
What Does “Fast Relief” Mean in OCD Treatment?
Most times, people inquiring about fast-acting medications do not understand that pharmacotherapy aimed at relieving OCD symptoms is very slow. Medications aimed at easing pain or insomnia work very quickly, and that is not the case with psychiatric medications, aimed at relieving distress, because the brain has to be altered first.
Clozapine is an antipsychotic that works quickly to relieve symptoms of psychosis, and it has also been cited to rapidly relieve obsessive thoughts and anxiety for patients with OCD. In psychiatric practice, “fast” is usually defined by a 2–4 week range before symptoms start improving. Complete relief of the symptoms takes 8–12 weeks.
First-Line OCD Medications
The first line of medications prescribed for OCD are SSRIs. They work by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain, hence improving mood and reducing obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
Prescribed SSRIs Available for OCD:
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Paroxetine (Paxil)
- Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
- (Sometimes, Citalopram (Celexa) is used, but it is not the first choice)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)
It is true that some patients experience their first improvements in annoying obsessions and anxiety within a few weeks, even though it takes time for the medications to build up in the system.
Medications for the Treatment of OCD that Work in a Shorter Time Frame
Some patients report that the medications produce quicker results even though all SSRIs require time to achieve complete effectiveness for OCD. Also, some patients report that higher initial doses (when medically appropriate) produce quicker results.
- Sertraline (Zoloft): Sertraline is widely regarded as one of the most effective SSRIs for OCD. It is frequently prescribed as it is easy to tolerate and may reduce symptoms in a few weeks.
- Fluoxetine (Prozac): Fluoxetine is stimulating and may produce improvements in mood-associated obsessive thoughts earlier than other SSRIs.
- Fluvoxamine (Luvox): This SSRI is specifically approved for the treatment of OCD and is effective in a shorter period than others in reducing compulsive intrusive thoughts.
Clomipramine (Anafranil)
Clomipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant and tends to be prescribed when SSRIs do not provide sufficient relief. Although this class of medications tends to have more potential side effects, Clomipramine remains one of the most effective medications for OCD with the potential to provide relief in a shorter amount of time.
Fast-Acting Adjunctive Medications
There are some cases where SSRIs do not work adequately and in those cases, psychiatrists tend to prescribe additional medications to enhance or speed up the reduction of OCD symptoms. These are the medications most commonly prescribed:
- Antipsychotics (e.g. Risperidone, Aripiprazole): Normally prescribed to augment SSRIs in the treatment of OCD symptoms to provide relief in the more severe cases.
- Benzodiazepines: These are not a long-term solution and are primarily prescribed for short-term relief for those suffering from overwhelming OCD-related anxiety.
- Glutamate-modulating medications (e.g. Memantine, Ketamine): These are prescribed in cases where the patient is resistant to treatment and is hoping to provide the patient with faster relief.
Therapy: Essential for Lasting Results
With any OCD treatment involving medications that are fast-acting, one has to keep in mind that therapy is a crucial part of the equation for long-term relief.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), especially a form called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), is the most commonly prescribed therapy for OCD. It retrains the brain to stop the compulsive behaviors—which allows the patient to gain control of the obsessive thoughts. Combined with medication, ERP therapy will yield better results than either one on their own.
Lifestyle Changes That Aid Quick Recovery
While waiting for medication to kick in, some lifestyle changes can help ease the symptoms:
- Exercise regularly: It boosts your mood and decreases your anxiety.
- Practice mindfulness and meditation: It helps manage unwanted thoughts.
- Develop healthy sleep patterns: It restores and balances your brain chemistry.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol: They increase anxiety and restlessness.
- Develop structured routines: They reduce anxiety triggers and provide stability.
These changes can help make medication feel like it works and provide a faster route to relief.
The Importance of Professional Help
No medication can be the “fastest” option for fitting all patients, and an equitable medication with one person’s symptoms may be far slower for another. Hence, the importance of a psychiatrist or mental health professional.
They can:
- Diagnose and explain your personal health history.
- Fine-tune the dosage prescribed.
- Help manage the side effects of medication.
- Help integrate therapy with medication in your treatment plan.
Faster Relief of OCD: Research and New Innovations
New research for the treatment of OCD is being performed, some provide options for faster relief:
- Ketamine therapy: It shows early research with decreased obsessive thoughts in patients with treatment-resistant OCD.
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS): This surgery can be an option if nothing is working for severe cases.
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): A non-invasive brain therapy. TMS has been shown to improve OCD symptoms in a couple of weeks.
These options are not common first-line treatments, but they can help people who do not respond to typical treatments.
Conclusion!!
Although OCD can be difficult to cope with, there is effective treatment. We have already established that there are OCD medications that work fast or offer a great deal of relief in a matter of weeks. SSRIs (sertraline, fluoxetine, and fluvoxamine) are the medications of choice in such treatment and they are most effective paired with therapy.
The most elusive and most important part is to reach out for help. This means collaborating with a psychiatrist on a full treatment plan that combines therapy with medication.
For those that suffer with OCD and for those that love them, the first part to healing is knowing that effective treatment is available. For those that want a detailed overview of the medication, be sure to check out the complete guide to OCD medication.