Many of the currently available treatments for obsessive-compulsive and related
disorders (OCRDs) such as pharmacotherapy augmentation strategies, partial hospitalization
programs, deep brain stimulation, and neurosurgery are efficacious for individuals
suffering from more severe forms of these conditions. Unfortunately, the application
of these treatments in milder forms of illness and subclinical samples, which affect a
substantial portion of the population, is not justifiable by their costs (e.g. cognitivebehavioral
therapy) and/or potential for side effects (serotonin-reuptake inhibitors associated
sexual side effects). As such, there is an urgent need to develop simple yet effective
treatments, such as modifiable lifestyle interventions, that can be employed on a broader
scale. Here, we review the current state of evidence that supports or refutes the efficacy of
lifestyle approaches for OCRDs. We focus on dimensions of lifestyle that are deemed important
for cardiovascular diseases; namely, physical activity, stress, sleep, diet and eating
behaviors, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Despite the relative scarcity of welldesigned
randomized controlled trials targeting unhealthy life styles in OCRDs, we found
meditation-based therapies and interventions focusing on eliminating sedentarism to be
promising approaches. In the future, these strategies may represent valid alternative for
subjects with subthreshold symptoms or at risk for OCRDs or other “compulsive” disorders.
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