About John Expertise I am only too familiar with the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) formerly neurosis. I understand the various treatments available and medication therapies being used and other co-existent problems along side OCD. I can help you identify it in yourself and in others and where to get help.
Experience I correctly identified it in a family member when it was still though to be a rare illness. I later identified it in my daughters classmate and some co-workers. One of which kept being fired because of it. I have watched the progression of the disease and the areas it creeps into and the effect of medications on it on a person. If you see it in a person especially a child you need to intervene quickly. I did and now the one child just graduated magna cum laude at a state university.
Publications I would suggest a separate heading for this disorder under the heading of Obessive Compulsive Disorder.
Question Dear John,
I know someone who was recently prescribed to Zoloft for anxiety, but I also know people who take the medicine for OCD and depression. Do you know anything about how the medicine would be able to effectively treat each of the disorders? Would you recommend Zoloft?
Answer Zoloft is often prescribed for OCD and or depression. I have not heard of it being prescribed for anxiety. I would imagine for anxiety the person would be put on Xanax or Valium. I am not in a position to recommend any antidepressant over another as they all have varying side effects and all affect people differently. Some have a minimal effect on a persons libido while others severely impair it. Zoloft may be the drug that brings about the lifting of depression and or OCD or if it is not effective another SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) may be prescribed such as Anafranil , Prozac, Effexor, Paxil among others. Some people do not want to take Valium or Xanax because they are concerned about becoming dependent. This is of course a possibility. If that is the case they should take the lowest dose they can and try to cope with the anxiety in other ways. On Zoloft it all depends if the person has a small or great reaction to any side effects. Some people cannot seem to stick with a drug or do not take it long enough to achieve an improvement. It is not uncommon to have to take an SSRI for 6 weeks until a sufficent level of the drug is in a persons blood and then a lifting of symptoms occurs.
