An OCD treatment program can make a huge difference in the quality of your life or your loved one’s life if they are experiencing the disorder. Today, it’s recognized that there is much that can be accomplished with helping people manage their OCD through the right anxiety treatment program.

What Is OCD?

OCD stands for obsessive-compulsive disorder. It’s an anxiety disorder that’s marked by the person having ideas, thoughts, and/or sensations that are both unwanted and recurring. These become obsessions that then spur the person to do things repetitively and compulsively.

These obsessions and/or compulsions need to cause the person significant distress and they have to consume more than one hour each day. In addition, the person must find it difficult to carry on with their daily lives including school, work, and other important social functions.

There is no one way that everyone with OCD thinks. Some people think that their obsessions are true. This is known as poor insight. Others, though, realize that their obsessions are not true or else they suspect as much. Regardless of how they feel about their obsessions, a person with OCD experiences persistent thoughts. Their behaviors and routines are rigid and must be performed a certain way each time. Not doing so causes the person extreme distress.

Just over one percent of Americans have been diagnosed with OCD. There are slightly more adult women who have this mental condition than men. OCD often begins in childhood, early adulthood, or adolescence.

Is There A Link Between OCD And Substance Use Disorder?

Any kind of mental condition increases the chances of a person also having a substance use disorder. These substances are often used as a method of coping with their mental health condition because it’s not being treated. The same holds true for people who have OCD.

There are estimates that as many as 30 percent of those people who have OCD also have a substance use disorder. There is some question about whether a mental illness or substance use disorder came first. In the case of OCD, most people experienced symptoms at an early age and long before they experienced a substance use disorder.

How Can An OCD Treatment Program Help?

An OCD treatment program in Laguna Beach, CA can help those people who have turned to a substance as a form of self-medication. Often a person does so in an effort to reduce the anxiety and distress that is a result of living with OCD. In other instances, a person might try to self medicate so that they can reduce the severity of their compulsions and/or obsessions.

It can seem like substance use is a good coping strategy if you have OCD. After all, you might feel better temporarily, but your OCD symptoms are still a part of you. Your substance use disorder is likely to begin to affect your relationships, your social life, and your work and/or school responsibilities.

An OCD treatment program can provide you with the healthy coping skills you need to overcome or reduce your obsessions and compulsions. Because your substance use disorder and OCD must be treated at the same time, it’s important to search for an OCD treatment program that specializes in co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis.

Oceanfront Recovery Center provides dual diagnosis services to address both your substance use disorder and any mental health issues you might be facing. Our compassionate and supportive team also offers the following services:

• Heroin addiction rehab
• Acupuncture therapy
• CBT therapy
• Women’s’ rehab program

Contact us today at 877.279.1777 for more information.