OCD

OCD services offered in West Palm Beach, FL

If intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors wreak havoc on your daily life, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may be the cause. Whether you’re seeking a diagnosis or looking for a management plan that fits your needs and lifestyle, you can rely on psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Acelise Alexis, MSN, ARNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC. At EL Elyon Medpsych Services in West Palm Beach, Florida, she provides effective, personalized care to help you regain control and improve your quality of life. You can schedule your comprehensive telemedicine evaluation via the website today or call the EL Elyon Medpsych Services office.

OCD Q & A

What is OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that impacts millions of Americans — approximately 1 in 40 either has OCD or will struggle with it at some point in their lives. Individuals with OCD have unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and feel like they must perform certain actions (compulsions) to ease the distress triggered by the recurring thought patterns.

You may check things over and over, clean excessively, be obsessed with numbers or counting, or arrange things very precisely. Other issues might include fears about contamination, unwanted sexual thoughts, or needing constant reassurance.

If obsessive actions take up a lot of your time and resources, you can seek help without fear of judgment. While you may feel powerless to break these cycles, OCD is treatable, and EL Elyon Medpsych Services can help you establish better habits and ways to cope.

What causes OCD?

OCD can be caused by brain chemistry, genetics, and the life you live. Going through severe stress or trauma can worsen your symptoms. This is one of the reasons that your comprehensive evaluation at EL Elyon Medpsych Service is so vital — it enables Acelise to take your history as well as your mental and emotional factors into consideration when creating your OCD treatment plan.

How is OCD diagnosed and treated?

To diagnose OCD, a licensed mental health provider like Acelise first discusses your symptoms, thoughts, and behaviors. She wants to do more than confirm whether you have OCD; she wants to understand your daily life and what you go through, ensuring you feel heard, respected, and supported.

Once she completes your evaluation, she creates a care plan tailored to your needs and lifestyle. She may recommend:

Psychotherapy

You may find great value in talk therapy, particularly approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure and response prevention (ERP).

Medication management

If necessary, Acelise may also prescribe medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), to ease OCD symptoms.

Lifestyle changes

You can also bolster your improvement with stress management, lifestyle coaching, or wellness techniques.

Getting proper treatment and support can help you manage OCD symptoms and improve your quality of life. If you or a loved one struggles with OCD, book a telehealth appointment with EL Elyon Medpsych Services today. You can call the office or schedule online.