For Pure O OCD, is a good mental health therapist as good as a Psychiatrist?

Question

I want to talk to someone who really knows what they are talking about and not someone who will just say that everything I am thinking about is "OK" and lets set some goals etc etc.

Answer 1

I don't think if you have OCD that one or the other (psychiatrist vs therapist) is sufficient on its own. The medication is REALLY important - however the impact it has on your life is also something that needs to be dealt with. In addition, finding a good therapist with a background in behavior would be helpful. You can learn some things to help you cope and to change or lessen the severity of the symptoms. Don't be afraid to "interview" your therapist - find out what their "theoretical orientation" is. Ask them if they do behavior therapy and if they have ever worked with OCD before.

Is it really OCD? Has it been diagnosed? It's good to stick with both. What you describe sounds like a "Rogerian" type therapist and you might do better with a cognitive/behavioral therapist...look around for that.

Answer 2

I don't know if you are talking about a bad experience that you may have had in the past with an "everything is OK" therapist, or you just want to make sure that you don't get one of "those." And I don't know if YOU think you have OCD, or it has been diagnosed by a professional.

But saying all that, there are a few things to consider. First of all, a "mental health therapist" and a "psychiatrist" are two different animals. The therapist deals with "talk therapy" and the psychiatrist (who is an M.D.) deals with medications. You would need to be evaluated by a psychiatrist to see if you could benefit from medication. Typically, your first appointment is 1-1/2 hours, and subsequent appointments are about 15 minutes a month. Psychiatrists are VERY expensive and should only be utilized to monitor your medications.

Any talking that you need to do can be done with a "good mental health therapist." You could probably use help in learning how to cope with your OCD, you might want to take a look at how you use your obsessions and compulsions and what they distract you from in your own life, and you would want to establish an ongoing relationship with a professional who cares and offers you their full attention.

There is no reason to stay with a therapist you are not happy with. Typically 3-4 appointments should tell you if you "click" with this person or not. And if you don't, SAY SOMETHING to this therapist and see if you can decide what is going on between you. If that doesn't work, you need to move on and find someone with whom you can be more comfortable.

OCD can take up too much of your time and keep you from accomplishing what you need to do with your life. It is good that you want to consider getting outside help.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I'm bipolar, don't have OCD ,but a psychiatrist was giving a talk about how treatable mental illnesses are, and mentioned that OCD is not very responsive to meds, in general. So maybe you are right in thinking therapy may be a better route to go. There are websites for OCD, probably it would behoove you to go there, or get some books at the library. Some OCD is associated with Tourette's Syndrome (my brother has these problems) so there may be another avenue for you to explore. Oh, and I think OCD gets worse when you are anxious about things, so reducing your anxiety in general (turn up the heat, listen to relaxation tapes, take hot baths) may help. (Maybe I'm off the mark there, remember, I don't have what you have). Good luck!!

Answer 4

A therapist and a psychiatrist have different roles to play here. The psychiatrist can prescribe medications with a proven trackk record in helping OCD. The therapist can spend mu more time with you working on behavior paterns and helping put your life together again. As a precaution, I recommend seeing a therapist recommened bby the phyciatrist. This person will be some one they trust and can work with to priie a treatment plan for you. Good Luck.

Answer 5

It's very coincidental that you ask this question because I was just coming here to ask if anybody has the form of OCD in which they perform rituals in their head. I believe Pure O is the term for this form of OCD and I just recently started going to a psychiatrist, again, for my OCD in addition to taking prozac. I used to take effexor, and before that, a slew of other SSRI's. If you are interested, the kind of pure O I most commonly perform these days is strange to describe, but I'll try. I sort of imagine that my airways are being blocked by a large piece of glass and I have to imagine the glass cracking in three different locations at three different angles, and each successive puncture must be larger than the previous. I also have regular OCD and other types of pure O but, believe it or not, some of my other rituals are even harder to describe and/or are more personal. The disease is very crippling and I almost wish there was at least a silver lining to the suffering.

Answer 6

Great answers below. A Psychiatrist can prescribe medication a therapist even with a Phd cannot. Sometimes they work together or the therapist might refer you to a Psychiatrist. Both are equally qualified for other forms of therapy.. Sometimes all you need is someone to talk to.. even a good bartender or friend will work. good luck.

Answer 7

if youre lucky enough to find a good mental health therapist id say stick with it.. theres no rule or law that says you have to go strickly psych. or even so just because they can prescribe meds if you need them.. i was lucky to find someone after years of looking that works great with me.. not only do we set goals, as you should do in any theraputic setting, we make plans as to what and how i can do things different, drum up ideas as to what i can do in place of, talk about what ever is on my mind,, occasionnally, i'll even let her pick which direction our session should go in, we both give and take in the treatment, compromizing is good, shes wonderfull when it comes to being patient because i can be so frustrating to deal with, and shes not just always there if i need someone, but she hasnt given up on me over the past going on 7 years now... there is a dr in the same office i did see, but she and i would talk about and discuss and decided on if any meds and she would see him with me point being.. ive seen them on.. and its not whose the best out there.. but who works best for you and with you.. if your not comfortable with who your working with or if theres not somehting there that connects the two of you, you will never get any where in therapy and it will be a waste on both of your time and your money
there are alot of good therapist out there that will do more than say its going to be ok..i think "you can be ok" but first you got to believe that one day its possible... and then next you have to remember that getting to that point of being ok sometimes isnt easy.. and it takes alot of hard work.. i know im still working my @$$ off... good luck in your search..

Answer 8

I would go with the Psychiatrist. Only because they might have to prescribe medication to aide you with your OCD.Sometimes just talking isn't enough.