OCD Treatment Massachusetts

Hair pulling disorder involves recurrent, irresistible urges to pull out hair from the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, or other parts of the body. This behavior can result in visible hair loss and emotional distress. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable, and early intervention can help prevent long-term psychological impact. Treatment typically includes cognitive behavioral therapy and supportive care to reduce urges and improve self-regulation.

Skin picking disorder is characterized by repetitive picking at the skin, often leading to sores, scarring, or infections. Individuals may spend hours engaging in the behavior, often as a response to stress or anxiety. Effective treatment may involve therapy, stress management techniques, and addressing any co-occurring mental health concerns.

Body dysmorphic disorder involves an obsessive focus on perceived flaws in physical appearance—flaws that are often minor or not visible to others. Patients may spend excessive time in front of mirrors, avoid social situations, or seek unnecessary cosmetic procedures. Treatment for BDD typically includes therapy and may also involve medication to manage associated anxiety or depression.

Obsessions are thoughts or mental images that are intrusive, repetitive, and unwanted. Individuals often know that these thoughts are irrational or illogical, but they cannot stop them.

Common examples of obsessions include:

• Fear of germs, dirt, or other perceived contaminated substances
• Fear of forgetting, misplacing, or losing something
• Fear of causing harm to someone, including yourself or your children, because you aren’t careful enough or lose control of your behavior
• Unwanted thoughts or mental images about sex or taboo subjects
• Fear of making a mistake
• Excessive concern with morality
• Feelings of disgust or doubt
• Excessive need for organization, symmetry, or neatness
• Need for constant reassurance

Compulsions are activities that people with OCD feel like they have to perform to ease the anxiety or discomfort that comes from obsessions. They don’t want to do these actions and don’t enjoy them.

Compulsions may include:

• Collecting or hoarding things that have no personal or financial value
• Saying certain words while doing unrelated tasks
• Constantly checking that you haven’t caused harm
• Excessive hand washing, bathing, or cleaning
• Repeatedly checking things like doors, locks, or switches
• Rituals related to numbers, like doing tasks a certain amount of times, or preferring or avoiding specific numbers
• Arranging things in a specific way
• Constantly seeking reassurance

People can also avoid situations that trigger obsessions. They might not shake hands, for example, or not touch certain objects.

Psychotherapy, which is often called “talk therapy”, can be very effective for OCD treatment. There are a number of evidence-based approaches that therapists can use in group or individual therapy. Psychotherapy is part of a personalized treatment plan tailored to your unique needs, so you get the support you need.

Some common approaches include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the most well-known talk therapy approaches. It allows you to identify unhelpful thoughts and challenge them, and then replace them with something more productive.
• Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP): ERP is a type of CBT that can be especially helpful for obsessive-compulsive disorder. ERP is a type of exposure therapy. It allows you to spend time in a safe environment and be gradually exposed to situations that trigger obsessions while not engaging in compulsions. This can cause anxiety, but experienced professionals work closely with you to ensure you have support through the process.

Mindfulness and meditation can also help you manage stress and reduce symptoms.

At Elevate, we’re proud to be a top adolescent treatment center in Massachusetts. Children and youth who are in treatment may need additional support and involvement from adults and loved ones in their lives. Depending on their age, they may need specialized treatment and other resources to manage their symptoms effectively.

There are several medications that are approved for treating OCD. Antidepressants are often the first medication tried. Many medications are approved for both adults and children, depending on their age.

Medications such as Prozac, Luvox, Zoloft, and Anafranil are used for adults and children, generally youth ages 6 to 10 and older. Paxil is a potential medication for adults only. The goal is for medication to supplement mental health treatment to help you manage stress and reduce symptoms.

Our team at Elevate Recovery Center can talk to you about what medications fit your needs. We ensure patients are aware of the effective dose and any potential side effects. It may take multiple tries to find the drug that can give you the support you need, but what’s most important is that you get effective OCD treatment.