Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder characterized by obsessions (recurring, intrusive thoughts, urges, and mental images), and compulsions (repetitive behaviors and mental acts). Understanding the symptoms of OCD can lead to early detection…
How To Stop OCD Compulsions
We all have those occasional moments where you feel a strong urge to go back and check that we locked the door or turned off the stove. It's only human to want to ensure everything…
How To Help Someone With OCD
As a mental health illness, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects nearly three million people in the United States annually. Though sometimes regarded dismissively in today’s culture, its symptoms can have long-lasting consequences if ignored. But there…
New Horizons in OCD Research and the Potential Importance of Glutamate. Can We Develop Treatments That Work Better and Faster?
First-line treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) – cognitive behavior therapy drug therapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or both – are quite effective for many patients. However, approximately one-third of patients do not experience…
How Ketamine Opens a New Era for Depression Treatment
Researchers have discovered that ketamine, a drug of choice for club-goers for decades, can be used to fight severe cases of the blues. For more than three decades, patients seeking treatment for depression in the…
Ketamine: A Promising Novel Therapy for Anxiety and PTSD
Ketamine was originally approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an anesthetic, but is increasingly being used to treat mood disorders, such as treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).1,2 Several studies…