This is why the American Psychiatric Association recommends fluoxetine, along with other SSRIs, as one of the first-choice medications that can be used to treat OCD.
Sertraline (Zoloft)
For OCD, sertraline is effective for treating obsessive symptoms and phobic behavior, reducing anxiety- and fear-related symptoms, physical symptoms, and avoidance behaviors.
An SSRI can help improve OCD symptoms by increasing the levels of a chemical called serotonin in your brain. You may need to take an SSRI for up to 12 weeks before you notice any benefit. Most people need treatment for at least a year.
The Comparison between two groups showed no significant differences in efficacy and safety of the drugs. Most common adverse effects were headache for Citalopram and tremor for Fluoxetine. Conclusion: The results suggest that Citalopram is as safe and effective as Fluoxetine for children and adolescents with OCD.
Is Zoloft or Prozac better for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)? Prozac and Zoloft are both effective in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults. However, Zoloft may be prescribed to children 6 years of age and older for OCD. Prozac is used in children 8 years of age and older to treat depression.
Sertraline is an antidepressant mainly used to help people recover from depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It is only available on prescription and comes as tablets. Other names for sertraline include Lustral and Serimel.
Sertraline is a type of drug called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which are commonly known as SSRIs. SSRIs increase the activity of a chemical called serotonin in the brain. This helps to reduce the symptoms of OCD, particularly when used with therapy.
Both SSRIs and CBT are first-line treatments for simple OCD. This means that one of the two is the preferred initial treatment for someone with OCD. Research has generally not shown either one to be more effective than the other. Both are effective in reducing symptoms of OCD.
CBT/ERP is a first-line treatment option for OCD. ERP is the most important component of CBT along with belief modification. When facilities are available, CBT/ERP monotherapy may be recommended in mild to moderately ill patients. In severely ill patients a combination of CBT and SSRI is recommended.
According to these guidelines, the initial pharmacological treatment in adults with OCD should be one of the following SSRIs: fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, or citalopram.
The gold standard treatment for OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) is a kind of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) called “exposure with response prevention,” or exposure therapy.
People with severe OCD have obsessions with cleanliness and germs — washing their hands, taking showers, or cleaning their homes for hours a day. Sometimes they're afraid to leave home for fear of contamination.
The first of these studies of a flexible dosing design showed that sertraline, given for eight weeks in daily dosages of 50-200 mg, was a safe and effective treatment for OCD, and superior to placebo.
Zoloft (sertraline) "For those suffering from OCD, bad thoughts, overthinking, depression, terrible headaches, give ZOLOFT a chance. First month don't expect much.
Each person responds to medication differently. However, SSRIs like paroxetine and fluoxetine are often recommended first because they are considered safe and effective with a low risk for serious side effects.
What causes OCD? Experts aren't sure of the exact cause of OCD. Genetics, brain abnormalities, and the environment are thought to play a role. It often starts in the teens or early adulthood.
A second therapeutic candidate, LYT-310 (oral cannabidiol), is expected to enter the clinic in Q4 of 2023. A second therapeutic candidate, LYT-310 (oral cannabidiol), is expected to enter the clinic in Q4 of 2023.
Sertraline is probably a safer choice than citalopram or escitalopram due to the QTc prolongation issue and their potential interactions with, for example, methadone, antipsychotics, and erythromycin, although it causes more diarrhoea.
The guidelines recommend an optimal fluoxetine dose of 40 to 60 mg daily with a minimum treatment duration of 1 to 2 years. Efficacy should not be evaluated before 8 weeks to allow for onset of the therapeutic effects.