How to Treat OCD Without Medication: Practical Tips and Strategies

OCD, medically known as obsessive-compulsive disorder, can hijack your life. Seriously. OCD is considered an anxiety disorder because it is usually triggered by stress and anxiety. Although OCD is often the punchline of jokes or comedic relief in sitcoms and movies, this condition is no laughing matter. Unwanted thoughts, feelings, urges, fears, and images (obsessions) that are intrusive in nature, along with repetitive and excessive rituals and routines (compulsions) are the hallmark symptoms of OCD.

OCD is often triggered by stress and anxiety, and the result of it. Regardless, obsessions and/or compulsions can require a lot of effort and take up a lot of time. What many people do not know about OCD is that there are many different types of it, ranging from transgender OCD and racist OCD to contamination OCD and hoarding OCD. Even more shocking is that some people with OCD only experience obsessions, while others only experience compulsions. Still, most experience obsessions and compulsions. OCD treatment typically involves a combination of psychotherapy and medications.

Many OCD sufferers also turn to natural remedies like hypnosis, art therapy, CBD, and/or other alternative or holistic treatments to manage their OCD symptoms. Because medications often take longer to work and come with a host of serious side effects and complications, OCD sufferers are increasingly turning to self-help options, like Impulse Therapy, an online OCD recovery treatment program, to help them gain control of their obsessions and/or compulsions.

If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired because of the side effects and complications of your SSRI, SNRI or tricyclic antidepressants, or antipsychotics, or if you are simply looking for a more “natural” or “holistic” way to treat your OCD, you have come to the right place. With this article, you will learn how to treat OCD without medication.

What Are Some Ways to Treat OCD Without Medications?

Just like any other medication, some OCD sufferers are unable to get relief from anti-anxiety medications like SSRI antidepressants. When medications are ineffective, this condition is referred to as “treatment-resistant OCD.” When this occurs, an OCD therapist is tasked with finding alternative treatments for their client or patient.

What may work for one person with OCD may not work for another, so while the first-line treatment approach is typically psychotherapy and medication, sometimes, other treatment avenues must be explored for the sufferer to get relief from their symptoms. In some cases, such as with mild OCD, natural remedies and alternative treatments may prove to be safer and more effective than traditional OCD treatment protocols.

Listed below are practical tips and strategies that can help you manage your OCD without medication:

Eat

Yes, eating can help you manage your OCD symptoms without medication. However, this does not give your permission to eat pizza, cookies, fries, burgers, and other “junk foods” all day every day. No, only healthy foods can help you get a grip on your obsessions and/or compulsions. “Junk foods” aka sugary, salty, and processed foods can actually make your OCD symptoms worse!

“Junk foods” can trigger inflammation in the mind and body, and inflammation is linked to OCD symptoms. So, to prevent or ease OCD symptoms, it is important to stay away from these foods as much as possible. Also, do not allow yourself to become “hangry” (hungry + angry) if you can help it. Why? Because your blood sugar can drop if you become too hungry or “hangry,” causing you to become stressed, anxious, moody, tired, and irritable.

Low blood sugar can also worsen OCD symptoms, which is not a good prognosis for OCD sufferers. So, try to eat several small, healthy meals throughout the day. If you become hungry in-between meals, munch on almonds or walnuts, or sunflower or pumpkin seeds (sans the salt). Nuts and seeds are jam-packed with zinc and iron, nutrients that can protect you against brain fogginess, irritability, and emotional distress.

Try to also add eggs, whole grains, low-fat dairy, dark chocolate, and turkey into your diet. Why? Because these foods contain healthy amounts of tryptophan, an amino acid, that “regulates” or “balances” the amount of serotonin, a hormone/neurotransmitter in the brain.

Researchers have found that OCD sufferers tend to have a serotonin imbalance or a serotonin deficiency in their brains, which could be a possible cause of the condition. Also, avoid caffeine – i.e., black tea, milk chocolate, soda, coffee, and energy drinks because they can actually worsen your anxiety, causing your OCD symptoms to spiral out of control.

Get Some ZZZ

Sleep is important for everyone. But it is especially important for people with health conditions like OCD. The thing is OCD-related anxiety can cause many sleepless nights. In fact, unbeknownst to many, insomnia can be a sign of OCD. Therefore, it is important to get enough sleep each night. While asleep your mind and body are busy repairing the damage from the day’s wear and tear.

If you are unable to fall and stay asleep, your mind and body are unable to complete this task. The result? Severe OCD symptoms. What should you do if you are having a hard time getting quality ZZZ at night? Develop a bedtime routine. More specifically, set a time to go to sleep each night and to awaken each morning. And, stick to it.

Take a hot bath, read a slow or boring book, listen to soft music or a sound machine, take melatonin or CBD gummies, drink hot tea or milk, meditate, shut down your electronics or turn off your television an hour before bed, adjust the temperature in your room or home, put on some comfy night clothes, snuggle up in your covers, or whatever it takes to help you wind down before bed.

Relax

A tense mind and body can make for some gnarly OCD symptoms. So, what should you do? Learn to relax. It will do your body good. Believe it or not, knowing how to relax is not an innate trait. Rather, it is a learned skill. So, research ways to relax and then try them out.

For instance, take an evening stroll around your neighborhood with your partner, spend time communing with nature, take a warm or hot bath with lots of bubbles, engage in some “unofficial’ art therapy, practice yoga, meditate, visualize a happy scene, talk to your BFF, go on a date, write in a journal or diary, dance and/or sing to your favorite songs, etc. The goal is to calm your mind and body, so you are less likely to experience OCD symptoms. Spend at least 30 minutes of the day “relaxing.”

Celebrate!

Who doesn’t like to celebrate? OCD sufferers are notorious for being hard on themselves. More specifically, many blame themselves for having OCD and being unable to control or stop it. It is frustrating and upsetting to these individuals. As a result, it is common for OCD sufferers to feel like there is very little to celebrate. That is where they are wrong. There is a lot to celebrate.

Every time you refrain from engaging in a compulsive act, it is a reason to celebrate. Every time you distract yourself from an intrusive thought, it is a reason to celebrate. It does not matter how big or small the accomplishment is, it is still an accomplishment worth celebrating.

Learning how to live with OCD can be challenging, however, you can and will do it, if you can pat yourself on the back every time you change your behavior. Will you have relapses or setbacks from time to time, it is definitely possible, but do not let that deter you from reaching your goal to be OCD-free. Use these occasions as learning lessons and keep getting back on the horse.

Practice Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness can help reduce the stress and anxiety associated with OCD symptoms (obsessions and compulsions). Mindfulness is designed to help people become fully present, and aware of where they are and what they are doing, while not being hyper-reactive or overwhelmed by what is happening around them.

In the case of OCD, mindfulness helps OCD sufferers “tune out” or be less reactive to the “external noises” triggering their OCD symptoms. With mindfulness, you are an “observer” rather than an “active participant,” which helps you stay present and aware of things in your environment or mind without being affected by them.

Supplement with Zinc

Zinc is an essential mineral needed for good health. This is especially true if you struggle with chronic stress and anxiety. Understand that many people throughout the world suffer from low levels of zinc. In fact, approximately 2 billion people worldwide do not get enough zinc from their diets – this total includes people with OCD. Studies suggest that people with OCD tend to have lower levels of zinc in their bodies as compared to people without the disorder.

According to a previous study, supplementing with zinc helped ease obsessions and compulsions without added side effects. If you are unable to take zinc supplements or simply prefer not to, you can still increase your zinc intake by eating plenty of foods that are rich in zinc. Some of these foods include chickpeas, lentils, beans, grass-fed beef, spinach, mushrooms, peanuts, eggs, whole grains, low-fat dairy, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, shrimp, oysters, and cashews.

Dance

Dancing is a form of exercise that can help OCD sufferers effectively manage their OCD symptoms. Even if you do not particularly care for exercising at a gym or on your own, you probably like music or more specifically – dancing to music. The great thing about dancing is that it is free (when you do it in the shower or bedroom) and accessible 24/7. Exercising (in any form) gets those endorphins going so you feel energized and happy.

Exercising can also provide a distraction from those relentless obsessions and compulsions and help you sleep better at night. Goodbye, insomnia. Multiple studies suggest that aerobic exercise can ease OCD symptoms. In fact, one such study claims that OCD sufferers, who exercise regularly continue to experience the benefits of it (fewer obsessions and compulsions) for at least 6 months. Keep in mind that the exercises do not have to be extreme to reap their benefits.

Something as fun and easy as dancing to your favorite songs can help keep your mind relaxed (exercising relieves stress and tension), so you are not consumed with obsessions and/or compulsions. If dancing is not your “thing,” try walking around your neighborhood with a friend or partner. It will produce the same effects and make you feel good at the same time.

Add Some Light Into Your Life

Light is good for the mind, body, and soul. Light contains a healthy dose of vitamin D, and low vitamin D levels are linked to OCD, especially in children (PANDAS). Low vitamin D levels can worsen stress and anxiety, triggering or worsening OCD symptoms. Most people do not get enough sunshine, especially if they live in darker and colder climates. This can be a problem for people with OCD. In these cases, light therapy may be recommended.

According to researchers, two hours of light therapy can boost an OCD sufferer’s mood and ease their OCD symptoms, specifically their obsessions in as little as two weeks. Even more surprising is that these benefits can last up to 16 weeks, and in some cases, the effects can linger until the next year. So, if you are not getting enough “light” from sunshine, you may want to consider getting a dose of vitamin D from light therapy.

Try Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback that measures and monitors your brain activity in real time. The goal of this treatment is to teach you how to “regulate” or “control” your thoughts, emotions, and behavior, so you are not constantly plagued with obsessions and/or compulsions. During neurofeedback sessions, “sensors” or electrodes are placed on your scalp to assess your brain function. The measurements or analysis are then displayed on a computer in graph form.

Studies indicate that neurofeedback is extremely effective for anxiety and depression, and can reduce or eliminate stress in some people. This is primarily because neurofeedback works at an in-depth level of subconsciousness, thereby lessening stress and anxiety, and breaking the cycle of obsessions and compulsions.

The result? A healthier OCD-free state of mind. Researchers have found that neurofeedback is beneficial for OCD, however, more research is needed to determine its long-term effectiveness. Another study discovered that neurofeedback may “normalize” brain activity in OCD sufferers.

Invest in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

If all else fails, you may want to invest in psychotherapy, specifically cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is typically a first-line treatment for OCD. CBT involves “questioning” negative, damaging, faulty, and unhelpful thought processes that are causing challenging or inappropriate behaviors. Thus, the goal of CBT is to change how you think, so your behavior will change.

In the case of OCD, the belief is that if a person changes how they see or perceive certain situations, for instance, dirt on a door handle (as something to build immunity instead of something that could kill them), then urges to perform compulsions will lessen or go away altogether. CBT also involves teaching people with OCD how to control their emotions and develop healthy coping skills and strategies for when they become stressed and overwhelmed. According to a previous study, CBT is an effective, non-medication OCD treatment method that can reduce or eliminate OCD symptoms.

Final Thoughts

For some OCD sufferers finding an OCD treatment that actually works – without a host of side effects and complications is challenging. When medications are not an option, other methods must be considered. These options may involve a healthy diet, mindfulness, vitamin supplements, exercise, healthy foods, and/or therapy. OCD support groups, group therapy, art therapy, and OCD recovery treatment programs are also viable OCD treatments. The goal is to think outside of the box and find a treatment that works for you.

References 

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