A combination of the two therapies is often an effective method of treatment for most patients. Some individuals respond best to one therapy, some to another. These drugs include fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, clomipramine and fluoxetine. If a patient does not respond well to one SRI, another SRI may give a better response. Medications are of great help in controlling the symptoms of OCD, but often, if the medication is discontinued, relapse will follow.
Most patients can benefit from a combination of medication and behavioral therapy.
In this approach, the patient is deliberately and voluntarily exposed to the feared object or idea, either directly or by imagination, and then is discouraged or prevented from carrying out the usual compulsive response. For example, a compulsive hand washer may be urged to touch an object believed to be contaminated, and then may be denied the opportunity to wash for several hours. When the treatment works well, the patient gradually experiences less anxiety from the obsessive thoughts and becomes able to do without the compulsive actions for extended periods of time. Studies of behavior therapy for OCD have found it to produce long-lasting benefits. For those patients who complete the course of treatment, the improvements can be significant.