Dr. Simpson shares how a woman can advocate for her health if she thinks she has obsessive compulsive disorder/OCD.
Dr. Simpson:
I would find in your area someone who is an OCD expert, who has a good reputation of being really good with patients, and being also well-trained. You really want both, and I would seek a consultation and go and see what that person says.
In addition, there are some wonderful educational campaigns. For example, the Anxiety Disorders Association of America has a "treat it, don’t repeat it" campaign, which is really a whole educational campaign geared towards people who think they might have OCD. It’s also information for families; it’s also information for clinicians. So there’s a lot of information on the Web.
The only thing I would recommend though is go to a true good source. Don’t go anywhere on the Web because there’s also a lot of misinformation. So, seeking a consultation with an expert in your area and/or educate yourself.
About Dr. Simpson, M.D., Ph.D.:
Helen Blair Simpson, M.D., Ph.D., an expert on obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), is an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University, New York City, where she directs the Anxiety Disorders Clinic and OCD Research Program at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She was a member of the work group that developed the first “Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Patients With OCD” for the American Psychiatric Association.
Through her research, Dr. Simpson is working to trace the brain circuits believed to play a major role in the development of obsessions and compulsions, and she has developed novel approaches to treatment. Her research has been supported by a NARSAD Young Investigator grant.
Visit Dr. Simpson at Columbia University Medical Center