Use of Selective Alternative Therapies for Treatment of OCD.
Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment January 1, 2023 Iman Khan, Taimoor Asif Jaura, Alaa Tukruna et al. 5 citations
About 40% of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder do not benefit from existing treatments, which also carry side effects. This systematic review evaluated alternative drugs for OCD. Searching databases up to March 2022, 16 studies examined psilocybin, cannabis, nicotine, and morphine. Most studies showed reduced Y-BOCS scores, though some nicotine or cannabis users reported no change or worsening symptoms. All psilocybin and morphine users, 88.2% of nicotine users, and 74.1% of cannabis users reported positive effects, suggesting these drugs have potential for OCD management. Further research is needed on mechanisms, and policies to destigmatize and encourage clinical trials are crucial.