OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD) AND HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

                                                     OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

DEFINITION:-

  An obsession is a persistently recurring thought which the patient himself realizes to be foolish or absurd, yet he cannot get rid of it. Compulsive means something which one is forced to do even against his will. Obsessive compulsive neurosis is a psychoneurotic state comprising either of an obsessive compulsive thought or an obsessive compulsive act. The thought is either absurd or painful (e.g. baseless fears). The physical act is either simple or harmless (e.g. washing hands again and again for the fear of dirt or disease) or immoral and antisocial (e.g. urge to abuse anybody).

AETIOLOGY OR CAUSES:-

 An obsessive character may be inherited. It may also be acquired during childhood as a result of rigid codes of conduct enforced by unscrupulous parents on a young growing child.

Such a child learns to be rigid and perfectionist in his doings. So as to come up to the expectations of his parents. Simultaneously he develops an equally strong desire to resist this tendency.

Anxiety about health and un known fear about disease.

SYMPTOMS:-

-          Symptoms may appear even during childhood or during the period of adolescence.

-          The affected person is usually a hard working, dead honest, neat and tidy individual who always to surpass others in all spheres of activities.

-          In his attempts to overdo things, he becomes suspicious and undecisive.

-          In order to attain perfection he does a particular work again and again and becomes a victim of OCD.

-          Phobias (unusual fears).

-          Ruminations (i.e. the practice of meddling over a problem again and again).

-          Impulses (e.g. arranging some objects again and again, abusing or beating people or even murmuring at off springs).

-          Such a patient is beset with great anxiety and tension and may even be agitated.

DIAGNOSIS:-

-          Recognition of an obsessional characteristic associated with a feeling of compulsion is not difficult. The hallmark of the condition is that the patient himself realizes and resists these feelings but is helpless.

-          Thus, he always remains in touch with reality. Obsessional symptoms may be present in other mental conditions but in obsessive neurosis, it is the dominant feature and the patient is well aware of it and even tries to resist it.

TREATMENT:-

-          Psychotherapy is the only effective form of treatment, particularly when begun early.

-          Behavior therapy may be tried but results are generally poor.

-          Antidepressants may be tried when depression is coexistent.

HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT:-

1.       ARSENIC ALBUM:-

Among these the all-prevailing debility, exhaustion, and restlessness, with nightly aggravation, are most important. Great anguish and restlessness. Fears, of death, of being left alone. Thinks it useless to take medicine. Changes place continually. Chilly patient, anxiety about health, fastidious, avarice, neat and clean peoples.

2.       ANACARDIUM:-

Fixed ideas. Suspicious [Hyos.]. Very easily offended. Absent mindedness. Profound melancholy and hypochondriasis, with tendency to use violent language. Hallucinations; thinks he is possessed of two persons or wills. Anxiety when walking, as if pursued. Lack of confidence in himself or others. Clairaudient, hears voices far away or of the dead.

3.       ARGENTUM NITRICUM:-

In this drug the neurotic effects are very marked, many brain and spinal symptoms presenting; themselves which give certain indications for its homoeopathic employment. Fearful and nervous; impulse to jump out of window. Time passes slowly. [Cann. ind.]. Fears and anxieties and hidden irrational motives for actions. Impulsive; wants to do things in a hurry. [Lilium.]. Thinks his understanding will and must fail.

4.       HYOSCYAMUS:-

Disturbs the nervous system profoundly. Very talkative, and persists in stripping herself, or uncovering genitals. Very suspicious. Talkative, obscene, lascivious mania, uncovers body; jealous, foolish. Great hilarity; inclined to laugh at everything. Delirium, with attempt to run away. Low, muttering speech; constant carphologia, deep stupor.

5.       MEDORRHINUM:-

Great disturbance and irritability of nervous system. Loses the thread of conversation. Time passes too slowly. [Cannab. ind.; Arg. n.]. Hopeless of recovery. Fears going insane. [Mancinella.]. Fear in the dark and of some one behind her. Melancholy, with suicidal thoughts.

6.       NATRUM MURATICUM:-

Psychic causes of disease; ill effects of grief, fright, anger, etc. Depressed, particularly in chronic diseases. Consolation aggravates. Irritable; gets into a passion about trifles. Wants to be alone to cry. Ocd, headache < sun, animal lovers, hot patient, desires salt items, salt.

7.       PLATINA:-

Is pre-eminently a woman's remedy. Irresistible impulse to kill. Self-exaltation; contempt for others. Arrogant, proud. Everything seems changed. Mental trouble pressed menses. Dominates his own husband or male groups, hot patient, haughty peoples. Physical symptoms disappear as mental symptoms develop.

8.       VERATRUM ALBUM:-

Melancholy, with stupor and mania. Sits in a stupid manner; notices nothing; Sullen indifference. Puerperal mania. Aimless wandering from home. Mania, with desire to cut and tear things. [Tarant.]. Attacks of pain, with delirium driving to madness. Cursing, howling all night.

Some of other drugs for obsessive compulsive disorders are calc carb, carcinosin, natrum sulph, ignitia, silicea, staphysagria and thuja.