OCD Psychiatrist Serving Hartford, CT

OCD isn't what most people picture. It's not about being particular about how the dishes are stacked. It's thoughts that won't leave. It's a nagging, intrusive sense that something is wrong — and a compulsion to do something, anything, to make the feeling stop. For a minute. And then it comes back. If you're somewhere in that loop right now, you know exactly what that sentence means. Sindhia Shyras, APRN — a board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with nine years of experience — works with Hartford adults through telehealth and in-person visits at our New Britain office.

How the OCD Cycle Actually Works

Here's the thing about OCD: the compulsion isn't the problem — it's the solution your brain invented to deal with the obsession. A thought arrives. Anxiety spikes. You do something to relieve it. It works. Temporarily. And because it worked, the brain learns to lean on it harder next time. So the ritual grows. The threshold for relief drops. What used to take one check now takes ten. This isn't weakness — it's how anxiety-based cycles function. Understanding the loop is the first real step toward breaking it, and it's where care starts.

What Treatment Actually Looks Like

For Hartford residents ready to get a handle on OCD, the path usually involves two things working together: medication and therapy. SSRIs — the same class used for depression — are the most studied medications for OCD, but they work differently here. The doses are often higher, and it can take a few weeks to feel the full effect. Alongside medication, Exposure and Response Prevention therapy (ERP) is the gold-standard approach. Sindhia doesn't do ERP directly, but she coordinates care and can discuss referrals. Your first visit is a full psychiatric evaluation — unhurried, thorough, no forms-and-out. She accepts Aetna, Cigna, Husky Health, Medicaid, United Healthcare, Anthem, ConnectiCare, and self-pay.

Frequently Asked Questions