Conditions We Treat

强迫症(OCD)是一种通常始于童年或青春期的精神障碍，可能会影响人们的一生, varying from mild to severely disabling. The signs and symptoms vary from person to person, 但所有的强迫症患者要么有强迫症，要么有强迫症，要么两者兼而有之.

Obsessions

These are recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, 或者是那些被认为是侵入性的、不恰当的、引起焦虑或痛苦的图像. 它们不仅仅是对现实问题的过度担忧. The person attempts to ignore or suppress the thoughts, impulses, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action. Common obsessions include:

• Repeated thoughts about contamination (e.g., becoming contaminated by shaking hands)
• Repeated doubts (e.g.怀疑自己是否做了什么事，比如没锁门)
• A need to have things in a particular order (e.g., distress when objects are disordered or asymmetrical)
• Aggressive or horrific impulses or images (e.g.(在身体上伤害某人或在公共场合脱口而出粗话)
• Sexual imagery (e.g., recurrent images with sexual content)

Compulsions

这些是重复的行为或精神行为，人们感到被驱使去做，以应对执念, or according to rules that must be applied rigidly. The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, 它们并没有以一种现实的方式与它们被设计用来中和或预防的东西联系在一起, they are clearly excessive. Common compulsions include:

• Washing and cleaning
• Counting
• Checking
• Requesting or demanding re-assurances
• Repeating Actions
• Ordering/Arranging (e.g.(如按固定顺序穿衣或对称地摆放物品)

约翰霍普金斯医院的强迫症诊所为患有强迫症和相关疾病的个人提供全面的门诊评估和治疗. It is directed by Gerald Nestadt, MD, MPH. Dr. Nestadt是一位在强迫症临床管理方面经验丰富的精神病学家，并积极参与对这种疾病原因的研究.

有关诊所的更多信息，或安排预约，请致电410-955-5212.

General OCD Treatment Information

对每个强迫症患者有效的治疗方法各不相同，就像强迫症的症状因人而异一样. 受强迫症影响的个人及其家人和朋友可以从了解这种疾病中受益. Treatments can include one or more of the following:

Medications

找到最有效的药物是重要和有用的. 对不同药物进行一系列试验并不罕见. Psychiatrists can prescribe medications for OCD. 诚实和公开地讨论你的症状，并报告你服用药物时遇到的任何副作用是很重要的. Although medications may have side effects, 它们可以非常有效地减轻强迫症的症状，而且副作用很小. 尽可能多地了解药物是很重要的, 鉴于有些药物会与酒精产生不良反应, other medications, sunlight, certain foods, etc. 治疗强迫症的常用药物包括Anafrinal, Luvox, Paxil, Prozac, Lexapro, Celexa, Cymbalta, Zoloft, and Effexor. 还有额外的“二线”治疗方法.

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

行为疗法是目前强迫症治疗的非药物治疗选择. 经过行为治疗技术培训的临床心理学家可以与你一起有效地减轻强迫症的症状. Behavior therapy (specifically, 暴露与反应预防)通常与单独用药一样有效, 但最成功的治疗通常是药物和行为疗法的结合.

行为模型提出，强迫症会导致焦虑, and this anxiety is then reduced by compulsive behaviors. That is, 强迫性仪式之所以得到加强和维持，是因为它们通过终止引起焦虑的事件来减少焦虑. For example, some event, such as touching a doorknob, activates an obsessive thought, such as that of contamination. 强迫性的想法接下来会产生焦虑和不适的感觉, which are relieved by performance of a compulsive ritual, such as hand washing. 成功的行为疗法首先打破了强迫性思维与其产生的焦虑之间的联系，然后打破了仪式的表现与随之而来的焦虑减少之间的联系. 前者通过暴露实现，后者通过应对预防实现. 因此，基于该模型的强迫症行为治疗被称为暴露和反应预防. In exposure, patients confront (expose themselves to) the object, thought, or situation that frightens them. 暴露可以包括与恐惧物体的真实接触(体内暴露)或仅在患者的想象中(想象暴露)。. In response prevention, 能够减少强迫性思想带来的痛苦的强迫性仪式被推迟或完全阻止. 习惯化是暴露疗法被认为有效的过程. 强迫性的想法或形象会产生焦虑或痛苦的感觉，这种感觉会持续增加到非常不舒服的程度. In the absence of a neutralizing ritual, 这种痛苦最终会减少到可以忍受的程度，或者几乎完全消失. 在这一点上，仪式将消失，因为没有什么可以逃避的，它们不再因焦虑的减少而得到加强.

Hospitalization

与任何精神疾病一样，强迫症会导致一系列损害. In rare cases, 对于有严重强迫症症状的人来说，精神病住院治疗是必要的. 强迫症有时会使人衰弱，并严重影响一个人的功能.