Treatment for OCPD normally involves a combination of both psychotherapy and drug medications. It takes a significant amount of time to control the symptoms of OCPD when first starting to take the prescribed medication. For this reason, it is important to continue the prescribed treatment.
Psychotherapy
Behavior therapy – Talking with a psychotherapist about ways to change compulsions into healthier, productive actions.
Psychotherapy – Talking with a trained counselor or psychotherapist who understands the condition.
Medication
All drugs can be grouped together by how they work (ie, their specific mode of action). Approved drugs include: Monamine Oxidase (Inhibitors (MAOIs)) – Increas levels of the neurotransmitters known to influence behavioral patterns in the brain (eg, serotonin). This helps control the obsessions and compulsions.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) – Increase levels of serotonin in the brain, a chemical “messenger” known to influence the obsessions and compulsions.
Other drugs, like Anxiolytics are useful for treating the symptoms of anxiety commonly associated with OCPD.
Other treatments
Electroconvulsive Therapy – Involves the administration of brief electrical impulses to the head while under general anesthesia, which may help to reduce obsessive and compulsive behavior (for the severely ill).
Neurosurgery – In special cases, surgery on the specific part of the brain that is involved with OCPD may help to alleviate the obsessions and compulsions (for severe, intractable OPCD).
Self Help
Educating family and friends about the condition will help them to manage behavioral problems more sympathetically, and to watch out for the warning signs.
Support groups may also be helpful in accepting and changing Obsessive-Compulsive behaviors.
Relaxation, meditation, physical exercise, regular sleep, and a balanced diet are all important factors in maintaining this focus.
Consult your healthcare provider if you are having difficulty sleeping and/or you are experiencing problems that prevent you taking regular exercise.
Keeping a diary may help the individual to identify those stressful situations that help to trigger compulsive reactions, enabling them to focus on more constructive activities.
Lisa Angelettie, M.S.W., is a psychotherapist, author, and life coach. She has been helping people make smarter life choices since 1998. Get more free tips like this when you subscribe to the GirlShrink newsletter .
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This site appears to be confusing OCD — obsessive compulsive disorder — with OCPD, Obsessive Compulsive PERSONALITY disorder. The two are markedly different. Medications are generally not recommended for the treatment of OCPD. OCPD (Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder) does not generally include the compulsive behaviors characteristic of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. People coming to this site for information should move on, because the information given here seems directed to people with OCD, not to people with OCPD.
While psychotherapy is the primary treatment option for people with OCPD, the other treatment recommendations in this article are specifically from the DSM-IV and are recommended as alternative treatments for OCPD especially if there is a dual diagnosis (which is common) such as anxiety disorder or depression.