the Price of a Psychiatrist

The doctor is trying to manage the patients OCD. The charge is $150.00 a session (45 min). The patient started being treated in October and is still ongoing.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be a disabling anxiety disorder. The person with OCD becomes entangled in repetitive and often senseless thoughts and behaviors that are very difficult to get beyond. People can be affected to different degrees of OCD. OCD can be anywhere from mild to severe, if severe and left untreated, it may well destroy a person's ability to function at work, at school or even existence at home.

Although OCD symptoms typically begin during the teen years or early adulthood, research shows that some children may even develop the illness during preschool. About 33% of cases of adult OCD began in childhood. Suffering from OCD during early stages of a child's development can cause severe problems for the child. It is important that the child receive evaluation and treatment as soon as possible to prevent the child from missing important opportunities because of this disorder.

This has been a long trying process. The psychologist can not prescribe of course so then you have to hook up with Psych-doctor to prescribe meds. Another charge for service separate from the psychologist. There is a lot of trail and too many errors.

This is very frustrating to watch as the treatment goes on the patient does NOT seems to be improving. It's a long and expensive process. Yes, the patient has health insurance but many doctors won't take it.

Do not give up, this will take over your life.

Behavior Therapy:

Traditional psychotherapy, aimed at helping the patient develop insight into his or her problem, is generally not helpful for OCD. However, a specific behavior therapy approach called "exposure and response prevention" is effective for many people with OCD.

One study provides new evidence that cognitive-behavioral therapy may prove an effective aid for those with OCD. This variant of behavior therapy emphasizes changing the OCD sufferer's beliefs and thinking patterns. Further studies are required before cognitive-behavioral therapy can be adequately evaluated.

Self-Care and Family Support:

People with OCD will do best if they attend therapy, take all prescribed medications, seek support of family, friends, and a discussion group. When a family member suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder it's helpful to be patient about their progress and acknowledge any successes, no matter how small.