Fluvoxamine is prescribed for obsessive-compulsive disorder. An obsession is marked by continual, unwanted thoughts that prevent proper functioning in everyday living. Compulsive behavior is typified by ritualistic actions such as repetitious washing, repeating certain phrases, completing steps in a process over and over, counting and recounting, checking and rechecking to make sure that something has not been forgotten, excessive neatness, and hoarding of useless items.
Fluvoxamine is thought to work by increasing levels of serotonin, a brain chemical associated with mood and thinking. It belongs to a class of drugs known as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which also includes antidepressants such as Paxil and Prozac.