Prozac Use for OCD
People with
obsessive-compulsive disorder (
OCD) suffer intensely from recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) or rituals (compulsions) that they feel they cannot control. Rituals such as hand washing, counting, checking something, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these rituals, however, provides only temporary relief and not performing them greatly increases
anxiety. The exact cause or
causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder are not fully known at this time.
Prozac is approved for OCD treatment in children, teens, and adults. Although
antidepressants such as Prozac are effective for treating the
symptoms of OCD, behavior therapy for OCD is often used along with medications. Ask your healthcare provider about behavior therapy for OCD.
Prozac Use for Bulimia
Bulimia nervosa, typically just called bulimia, is a type of
eating disorder. People with bulimia eat a lot of food in a short amount of time (this is called binging) and then purge in an attempt to not gain weight. Purging might be done in the following ways:
- Making oneself throw up
- Taking laxatives to lose weight.
A person with bulimia may also use these ways to prevent weight gain:
- Exercising a lot
- Eating very little or not at all
- Taking diuretic medicines to lose water weight.
There are many
bulimia causes, including anxiety and social pressure to be thin. There are many health
effects of bulimia, including damage to teeth (sometimes called "
bulimia teeth") and problems with infertility or pregnancy. Although bulimia treatment almost always involves counseling, antidepressants (like Prozac) are often helpful in treating bulimia.
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