Preparing for an appointment

You may start by seeing your primary doctor. Because obsessive-compulsive disorder often requires specialized care, you may be referred to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, for evaluation and treatment.

What you can do

To prepare for your appointment, think about your needs and goals for treatment. Make a list of:

• Any symptoms you've noticed, including the types of obsessions and compulsions you?ve experienced and things that you may be avoiding because of your distress
• Key personal information, including any major stresses, recent life changes and family members with similar symptoms
• All medications, vitamins, herbal remedies or other supplements, as well as the dosages
• Questions to ask your doctor or therapist

Questions to ask might include:

• Do you think I have OCD?
• How do you treat OCD?
• How can treatment help me?
• Are there medications that might help?
• Will exposure and response prevention therapy help?
• How long will treatment take?
• What can I do to help myself?
• Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can have?
• Can you recommend any websites?

Don't hesitate to ask any other questions during your appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:

• Do certain thoughts go through your mind over and over despite your attempts to ignore them?
• Do you have to have things arranged in a certain way?
• Do you have to wash your hands, count things or check things over and over?
• When did your symptoms start?
• Have symptoms been continuous or occasional?
• What, if anything, seems to improve the symptoms?
• What, if anything, appears to worsen the symptoms?
• How do the symptoms affect your daily life? Do you avoid anything because of your symptoms?
• In a typical day, how much time do you spend on obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior?
• Have any of your relatives had a mental health disorder?
• Have you experienced any trauma or major stress?

Your doctor or mental health professional will ask additional questions based on your responses, symptoms and needs. Preparing and anticipating questions will help you make the most of your appointment time.