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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic Staff

You may start by seeing your primary doctor. Because obsessive-compulsive disorder often requires specialized care, you may be referred to a mental health provider, 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 any that may seem unrelated to the reason for the appointment.
•Make a note of key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
•Take a list of all medications, vitamins, herbal remedies or other supplements, as well as the dosages.
•Make a list of questions you’d like to ask to make the most of your appointment time.

For OCD, basic questions to ask may include:
•Do you think I have OCD?
•How do you treat OCD?
•How can treatment help me?
•Are there medications that might help?
•Will talk therapy (psychotherapy) 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 websites?

Don’t hesitate to ask questions anytime you don’t understand something.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
•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?
•In a typical day, how much time do you spend on obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior?
•Have any of your relatives had a mental illness?
•Have you experienced any trauma or major stress?