Taking medication for OCD can greatly improve your quality of life, but it's not a decision to be made lightly. As you now know, some medications are powerful and can have a strong effect on you. Make sure you discuss all possibilities in depth with your doctor. Also, be sure to keep your doctor up to speed on your progress. If you're having trouble with one drug, she can guide you toward another one to try. If you're having success, she can monitor you and make sure you don't backslide or experience other difficulties down the road.

Your Doctor and You

Don't be afraid of looking foolish or taking up your doctor's time. If you don't understand something, ask for clarification. Make sure you understand dosages, potential side effects, and procedures for changing medications should you want or need to. (Your pharmacist is also a potential source of excellent information about your medications; don't hesitate to call and ask questions.)

If you do not feel as if you enjoy good communication or rapport with your doctor, don't be afraid to make a change. You may be concerned about hurting your doctor's feelings, or reluctant to “start all over again” with someone new. Or you might fear that your new doctor will understand you even less. Any of these is possible, of course, but you may also find better compatibility with your new health care provider. (And you should never stay with the wrong doctor out of concern for hurting her feelings. That isn't your responsibility. In any case, a good doctor should know that not all patients respond to the same personal style.)

Occasional-Use Medications

You and your health care professional may decide that you would benefit from a medication that you take “as needed” instead of every day. It's important to keep in mind that these drugs will not get rid of your OCD. However, they might be able to help you to calm down when you're particularly stressed, or to sleep when you otherwise could not.

Such medications can carry a risk of dependency or even addiction. You might also notice that they become less effective the more often they are used. These drugs include: Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam). Given the sedative nature of these medications (which are known as benzodiazepines), drowsiness may be expected. Pay serious attention to package information about driving and other physical activities in conjunction with these medications, and remember that alcohol use may increase their effects or even prove harmful.

In some cases, benzodiazepines can make users, especially those unaccustomed to taking them, a little “high.” Taking them with food, or lowering the dosage, can help mitigate this effect.

Better Together

Many patients have found that medication or CBT alone are not as effective as both together. Medication can help you to achieve your CBT goals faster, and behavior therapy can enhance the value of your medicine. You will, of course, need to stay in close touch with the doctor who administers your medication, even if you are also working with a cognitive behavioral therapist. Another advantage of working with a therapist is that you should be able to keep better track of your progress. Therapy sessions generally run longer than doctor visits and are held more often (usually at least once a week).

In some cases, patients stay on medication after completing a course of CBT. In others, they are able to stop or to use a lower dosage to maintain their progress. It all depends on your personal desires and needs as the patient.