OCD is a mental health condition defined by a cycle of obsessions (unwanted, intrusive thoughts) and compulsions (behaviors or mental rituals performed to relieve the anxiety the obsessive thoughts cause).
This cycle can be exhausting and disruptive. It can affect your relationships, sleep, work, and self-esteem. And while it often begins in childhood or adolescence, many people don’t get diagnosed until adulthood. It’s often not until OCD becomes so disruptive that it can no longer be ignored or minimized that people seek out a diagnosis and treatment.
Many people may be living with OCD without recognizing it because their symptoms don’t match the stereotypes of OCD, like excessive hand washing or lock checking. Here are some more subtle signs you may have OCD:
Lesser-Known Symptoms of OCD
While OCD can cause compulsive hand washing or similar rituals, OCD doesn’t always look like excessive cleaning or repeatedly checking the stove. In fact, many symptoms are internal and less visible. Here are a few lesser-known signs you might be living with OCD:
1. Mental Compulsions
Not all compulsions are physical. Some happen entirely in your head, like silently repeating phrases, counting, or mentally reviewing past conversations to make sure you didn’t say something wrong.
2. Intrusive Thoughts
Everyone has random, unwanted thoughts. But if your thoughts are violent, sexual, or morally disturbing, especially if they cause intense fear or shame, you might be dealing with OCD. The key difference is that OCD sufferers don’t want these thoughts and are distressed by them.
3. Hair Pulling (Trichotillomania) and Skin Picking (Excoriation)
Hair pulling and skin picking are repetitive behaviors that often occur alongside OCD. People may pull out their hair or pick at their skin repeatedly, even causing pain or injury, because it temporarily relieves tension or anxiety.
4. Order and Symmetry Obsessions
Obsessive order goes beyond liking things neat. With OCD, the need for symmetry or order isn’t a mere preference, it’s a way to prevent a sense of doom that something bad will happen if things aren’t arranged just right.
5. Relationship Obsessions
Constant doubt about your partner can be a symptom of OCD. People with relationship obsessions obsess over whether they truly love their partner, whether their partner is “the one”, or whether their partner is being faithful.
How Ketamine Therapy at KetaKlarity Helps With OCD
If you have been diagnosed with OCD – or suspect you may have OCD based on the above symptoms – ketamine therapy can be an excellent treatment option. Ketamine therapy, administered as an IV infusion, targets the glutamate system in the brain. This creates a window of neuroplasticity, a state where the brain is more adaptable to change.
For OCD treatment, this is crucial. OCD is characterized by rigid neural circuits that drive repetitive thoughts and behaviors. These obsessions and compulsions are essentially “locked in”. Ketamine’s ability to disrupt and remodel these circuits offers a unique way to “unlock” the brain and deliver real relief.
How Ketamine Helps Rewire the OCD Brain
1. Disrupts Intrusive Thought Patterns
Ketamine induces a brief dissociative state, providing mental distance from obsessive thoughts. Many patients describe it as feeling “the weight of OCD lift”. This mental relief opens the door for meaningful change
2. Boosting Glutamate Signaling and Neuroplasticity
Ketamine blocks glutamate receptors, which prompts a surge in glutamate release and activation of downstream pathways that drive synaptic growth. This state of neuroplasticity lasts about 48 to 72 hours after treatment and enhances the brain’s capacity to form healthier circuits, thus driving long-term improvement.
3. Restoring Balance in Brain Chemistry
Research shows ketamine raises GABA levels as well, helping calm hyperactive brain regions that are associated with OCD.
What Research Says about Ketamine Therapy and OCD
· Ketamine therapy has been shown to deliver rapid relief from OCD symptoms. In a 2013 trial, subjects reported dramatic reductions in OCD symptoms mid-infusion, with half still improved one week later. One said, “I tried to have OCD thoughts, but I couldn’t.” Source
· Patients with OCD report good tolerance of ketamine therapy, even in individuals with severe OCD. This is important because a well-tolerated procedure ensures patients are able to continue the full course of ketamine infusions and receive the full benefit. Source
· Although ketamine therapy for OCD treatment is considered an off-label treatment, it is a safe and effective treatment, with faster symptom reduction than other available treatment methods. Source
Why Choose KetaKlarity for OCD Treatment in Indiana?
At KetaKlarity in Greencastle, Indiana, we provide ketamine infusion therapy to treat mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and OCD. As one of the first ketamine clinics in Indiana, we’ve helped many, many patients find deep relief from their symptoms.
Here are some reasons why patients choose KetaKlarity for their ketamine therapy:
· Personalized Care: Dr. Sheffler personally attends every patient during treatment, with consultations and follow-up care before and after. As a small, local clinic, we can be more flexible and tailor your care plan specifically for you. It’s not one-size-fit-all.
· Highest Safety Standards: We pride ourselves on always prioritizing patient comfort and safety, with continuous monitoring of vital signs or any side effects during your infusion. We feel so strongly about this that Dr. Sheffler administers every infusion – you are not handed off to another staff member for your treatment. That’s part of what makes KetaKlarity so different from other ketamine clinics.
· Local Access: No need to travel! Our clinic location in Greencastle, Indiana, means you don’t have to travel to Indianapolis for treatment. We founded KetaKlarity for that reason – to be able to offer the same top-notch mental health care to residents of rural west Indiana as they would find in the city.
Your Local Ketamine Clinic in Indiana
KetaKlarity is one of the longest operating ketamine clinics in Indiana. We have deep expertise helping patients achieve rapid relief from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and OCD through ketamine therapy.
We invite you to come see the KetaKlarity difference for yourself. We are located in Greencastle, Indiana – west of Indianapolis – and serve patients from Terre Haute, Bloomington, Greencastle, and communities on the west side of Indianapolis. Because we are centrally located, we are less than a half-hour drive for most patients.
If you are struggling with OCD and wondering if ketamine therapy is right for you, schedule a consultation with us to get started. We can help you learn more about ketamine therapy and determine if you are an appropriate candidate.
To schedule your consultation, please call 765-630-8315 or request an appointment online.