Dr Vohra's · Updated
Signs to look for
- Intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images or urges that cause distress
- Repeated behaviours or mental acts done to reduce the distress
- Checking, washing, counting, ordering, seeking reassurance
- Rituals that take more than an hour a day
- Knowing the fear is excessive but being unable to stop
At Dr Vohra's
Who to see first: a psychiatrist.
Clinicians: Dr. Sandeep Vohra
Treatments: Psychiatric consultation, Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Medication management
ICD-11: 6B20
What OCD is, and what it is not
OCD (ICD-11 6B20) affects about one to two in a hundred people. Obsessions are unwanted and distressing, not enjoyed: fears of contamination, of harming someone, of having made a mistake, of blasphemy, of sexual or violent thoughts the person finds abhorrent, or a need for exactness. Compulsions are the washing, checking, counting, repeating, ordering or mental reviewing done to reduce the anxiety, and the reassurance asked of family members. Relief is brief; the cycle strengthens.
Liking things tidy is not OCD. OCD is distressing, time-consuming and resisted.
How is OCD treated at Dr Vohra's?
A psychiatrist confirms the diagnosis and screens for depression, tics and related conditions, which are common alongside OCD. Treatment then has two arms.
Exposure and response prevention: the psychologist and patient build a ladder of triggers and work up it, facing each trigger while not performing the ritual, until the anxiety falls on its own. Family members are coached to stop giving reassurance. ERP typically takes 12 to 20 sessions and is the single most effective treatment for OCD.
Medication: SSRIs (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline, escitalopram) or clomipramine, often at doses higher than for depression, for at least 12 weeks before judging the response. Where response is partial, the psychiatrist may add a low-dose antipsychotic. Medication is continued for at least a year after response.
OCD in children and teenagers
OCD often starts in childhood or adolescence. The treatment is the same, with family-based ERP and careful medication choices, led by the clinic's child and adolescent psychiatry work.
Frequently asked questions
- Can OCD be cured?
- OCD is highly treatable. With ERP and, where needed, medication, most people reduce symptoms by half or more and many reach the point where OCD no longer dominates their day. Some need maintenance treatment to stay well.
- Is ERP available online?
- Yes. ERP can be done by video, and doing exposures at home, where the triggers are, is often an advantage.
- Will I need medication for OCD?
- Mild OCD can respond to ERP alone. Moderate to severe OCD usually does best with ERP and an SSRI together.
- How do I book an appointment at Dr Vohra's?
- Call or WhatsApp +91 99992 49223, email help@drvohras.com, or use the contact form. Appointments are in person at 29/24, East Patel Nagar, New Delhi 110008, or online by secure video or voice call across India, in English and Hindi.
- What if I am in crisis right now?
- Call Tele-MANAS 14416 or KIRAN 1800-599-0019, both 24x7 and free anywhere in India, or 112 for emergency services. Dr Vohra's is an outpatient clinic, not an emergency service.