If you were ever wondering what was the most popular treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), wonder no longer. It’s not psychotherapy. And it’s not some medication developed specifically for OCD.

Nope, it’s good ‘ole antidepressants.

Treatment options for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are currently dominated by antidepressants, and this trend is expected to continue for the next seven to eight years.

That is, unless drugmakers step up their future research to develop new, more effective treatments, according to a new report by business intelligence company GlobalData.

GlobalData suggests that current OCD treatments leave a lot to be desired. All current medication treatment for OCD is effective — as long as person remains on the medication. Once a person stops taking, in most cases the OCD symptoms return.

According to GlobalData:

The OCD drugs market showed low growth from 2006 to 2011, primarily due to the patent expiries of Zoloft (sertraline) and Paxil (paroxetine). GlobalData’s research also demonstrates that the developmental pipeline for OCD therapeutics is weak, with only nine molecules currently in development. Most clinical trials are small and sponsored by universities or institutes, and aim to discover a second line of therapy for OCD patients unresponsive to SSRIs. Little research seems to be taking place which could offer a revolutionary change in OCD treatment, as there are no molecules in development that offer a novel mechanism of action.

GlobalData’s analysis indicates that the presence of established treatment therapies, including generic drugs and off-label antipsychotics, may have led to the absence of research activity from pharmaceutical companies. This means that, in spite of a significant unmet need in terms of drug treatment, OCD sufferers can expect to see little change in their options in the near future.

GlobalData analysis indicates that the global OCD drug market showed a low growth rate of only about 1 percent from 2006 to 2011, accounting for a value of $317 million.

The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 5 percent, to reach $461 million by 2019.

Dr. John Grohol is the founder & CEO of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 7 Apr 2012
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.