I was helped greatly by medication; my problem was more obsessive worrying, but med’s work well for both the compulsive and obsessive behavior. Meds can literally change a person’s life around. It might take a while to find the best medication for any given person, but a competent psychiatrist will find it. Med’s should be combined with psychotherapy (cognitive behavioral therapy) since the combination of both offers better imrpovement than either one alone).
What are the concerns – why does the person feel reluctant to take meds? Is money a problem or fear of stigma? No one should be left untreated because of lack of money – although I unfortunately do not know how to find financial assistance for treatment.