The Use of Clonidine in the Treatment of Debilitating Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors Comorbid With Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Report

Abstract

Clonidine is an alpha-2 agonist traditionally used as an antihypertensive, and more recently in the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), tic disorders such as Tourette’s syndrome, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there are scarce data in the literature about the use of clonidine in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In this report, we present the case of a 16-year-old female suffering from OCD. The first-line treatment with sertraline was not very efficacious in improving her symptoms and even led to worsening of the same. However, subsequent treatment with clonidine resulted in rapid and significant improvement in her condition. We postulate that further research is required to gain more insight into the therapeutic potential of clonidine in OCD patients.