Dr. Ananya Rao
Adult Psychiatry
MD Psychiatry
Leads the inpatient psychiatric team, with a focus on mood and anxiety disorders.
Conditions · OCD & related disorders
OCD & related disorders
OCD is a neurobiological condition — not a quirk or a character flaw. Unwanted thoughts trigger intense anxiety, and rituals bring short-term relief that strengthens the loop. It responds very well to the right treatment.
OCDBody dysmorphic disorderHoarding
What it can look like
Signs of ocd & related disorders
Not everyone experiences every sign, and intensity varies. If several of these sound familiar, an assessment is worth having.
- Intrusive, repetitive thoughts or images that feel disturbing
- Fear of contamination and excessive washing or cleaning
- Repeated checking — locks, switches, appliances
- Need for order, symmetry or things to feel 'just right'
- Mental rituals such as counting, praying or reviewing
- Seeking reassurance repeatedly from family
- Spending an hour or more a day on thoughts and rituals
Free self-check
Unsure what you are experiencing?
Take a two-minute reflection based on the signs above. It is private, and it is not a diagnosis.
7 short questions
A two-minute check-in on ocd & related disorders
You will see one question at a time. There are no right or wrong answers, and nothing is saved.
Understanding it
Types & presentations of ocd & related disorders
Contamination & washing
Fear of germs or dirt with cleaning rituals.
Checking & doubt
Repeated verification to prevent harm.
Symmetry & order
Need for exactness or arrangement.
Taboo or intrusive thoughts
Unwanted harmful, sexual or religious thoughts, with mental rituals.
Related disorders
Body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding and skin-picking.
The Sakura approach
How we treat ocd & related disorders
Every plan is individual, but care generally moves through these stages.
- 01
Map the cycle
We chart your obsessions, rituals and triggers and rate severity using a standard scale.
- 02
Exposure & response prevention
ERP, the front-line therapy: gradual, planned exposure without performing the ritual.
- 03
Medication when appropriate
SSRIs for moderate to severe OCD, usually showing effect over 10–12 weeks.
- 04
Family accommodation
Coaching families to step back from rituals and reassurance.
Care pathways
Care pathways for OCD
Your pathway is matched to severity — mapped using a standard rating scale at your first assessment.
Mild to moderate OCD
ERP-focused therapy
Exposure and response prevention targets the fear–ritual cycle directly, with gradual, planned practice.
Rituals bring brief relief but strengthen the loop. Exposure and response prevention breaks that link by practising the feared situation without the ritual until anxiety falls naturally.
- Symptom mapping and severity rating
- Graded exposure with response prevention
- Home practice and distress tracking
- Family guidance to reduce accommodation
People with mild to moderate OCD, or anyone motivated to start with the front-line therapy.
Reduced time spent on rituals, less distress from intrusive thoughts and growing freedom in everyday life.
Moderate to severe or long-standing OCD
Medication + therapy
SSRI medication lowers the intensity so exposure work becomes manageable, with both reviewed together.
Medication reduces the intensity of obsessions and anxiety so exposure feels achievable. Together, the two address both the biology and the behaviour.
- Psychiatric assessment and SSRI optimisation
- ERP alongside medication
- Add-on options considered for resistant cases
- Relapse-prevention and booster sessions
People with moderate to severe or long-standing OCD, or a partial response to a single treatment.
Meaningful relief for many, with ongoing review, booster sessions and a plan for setbacks.
Helping yourself between sessions
- Notice a thought as 'an OCD thought' without engaging
- Delay a ritual by a few minutes, then a few more
- Practise planned exposures between sessions
- Reduce reassurance-seeking, from people and from Google
If you are supporting someone you love
- Do not join in rituals or give repeated reassurance
- Be kind but consistent — agree a plan to reduce accommodation
- Praise effort, not just results
- Join family sessions to learn what helps
Where care happens
Choose the level of care that fits
Meet the specialists
The clinicians who will look after you
A named psychiatrist and therapist from day one.
Questions answered
Your questions about ocd & related disorders
Straight answers to what people and families ask us most.
Our care team is happy to talk it through — no obligation.
Treatment makes OCD very manageable. The goal is control and freedom from the cycle, not necessarily never having an intrusive thought again.
Many people notice change within 10–12 weeks, though more complex cases take longer.
Yes, but gradually. Exposures are planned together and paced to what you can tolerate.
That is expected. Plans are adjusted — a difficult week is information, not failure.
Setbacks are common. Relapse-prevention planning and booster sessions are part of care.
No. OCD is distressing, time-consuming and often unwanted, regardless of tidiness.
When to seek help
If thoughts and rituals take around an hour a day, or you are avoiding places and people because of them, treatment will help.
In an emergency or if you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest hospital. In India, the Tele MANAS helpline is 1-800-891-4416.