“OCD is like having a bully stuck inside your head, and nobody else can see it.” - Krissy McDermott
Understanding Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental health condition characterised by intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) performed to alleviate the distress caused by these thoughts. OCD can manifest in various forms, significantly impacting an individual’s emotions, personal life, work life, and relationships. My clients who are experiencing the often confusing, debilitating and distressing impact of OCD, will often say that they are scared that their thoughts are true, or that they have repeated the same thoughts so many times they don't trust what is a real memory of an actual event. Not all OCD experiences follow the same path, but the impacts do. My own experiences with living with OCD lend my approach a deeply compassionate and completely non-judgemental space. You will be heard, validated and guided in how to regain a peacefulness from the often relentless machinations of your mind.
Manifestation and Impact of OCD
OCD manifests through a combination of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are persistent, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that cause significant anxiety. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, often to prevent a feared event or to reduce anxiety.
This disorder can profoundly affect emotions, leading to feelings of frustration, shame, and isolation. On a personal level, OCD can dominate daily routines, making simple tasks time-consuming and stressful. In the workplace, the need to perform rituals can interfere with productivity and job performance. Relationships are also strained, as loved ones may struggle to understand the compulsions or the intensity of the anxiety driving them.
The Subconscious Dynamics of OCD
The subconscious mind plays a significant role in OCD. It holds deep-seated fears and beliefs that fuel the obsessions and compulsions. For instance, an individual might subconsciously believe that performing certain rituals will prevent harm from befalling their loved ones, even though logically they know this isn’t true. I often frame it as a door in everyones mind which usually remains closed. Its a door that leads to the thoughts that are irrational and a nuisance to everyday thinking. With OCD this door is open and flood us with irrational thoughts. which ultimately confuse us deeply as our mind cannot tell the difference between the rational thoughts and the irrational. so it responds rather unhelpfully as if every thought is a rational one.
Trauma often weaves through OCD, embedding itself in the subconscious. Past experiences, especially those involving control or safety, can shape the fears and compulsions characteristic of OCD. The subconscious mind, in its effort to protect, creates these patterns as a misguided attempt to manage anxiety and prevent perceived threats.
Five Signs of OCD
Intrusive Thoughts: Persistent, unwanted thoughts that cause significant anxiety or distress.
Compulsive Behaviors: Repetitive actions performed to reduce the anxiety associated with obsessions, such as excessive cleaning, checking, or counting.
Avoidance: Avoiding places, people, or situations that trigger obsessions or compulsions.
Need for Reassurance: Frequently seeking reassurance from others to alleviate anxiety about obsessions.
Impact on Daily Life: Significant time spent on obsessions and compulsions, interfering with daily activities, responsibilities, and relationships.
Approaching OCD With Integrative Hypnotherapy
My approach to treating OCD focuses on addressing the underlying issues within the subconscious mind and breaking the cycle of obsessions and compulsions. By repairing traumatic wounds the subconscious is able to create new ways of 'creating space' to rationalise, slow down and manage the deluge. Hypnotherapy offers a powerful tool for this journey, helping individuals to understand and heal the root causes of their OCD.
Hypnotherapy for OCD includes:
Identifying Root Causes: Exploring the subconscious to uncover and address the fears and beliefs fueling obsessions and compulsions.
Healing the held negative belief and feelings. Healing the shame, guilt, panic and trauma created by previous patterns of OCD thoughts and behaviours.
Creating space for non judgmental reflection and discussion. Bringing out into the open the parts of us which hold onto what we have previously hidden.
Processing and integrating. Returning ourselves to a feeling of wholeness and harmony.
Reducing Anxiety: Providing techniques to manage and reduce anxiety, breaking the cycle of compulsive behaviors.
Building Resilience: Equipping individuals with strategies to handle stress and triggers without resorting to compulsions.
Empowering Self-Healing: Encouraging individuals to reclaim control over their thoughts and behaviors, fostering a sense of empowerment and autonomy.
Living with OCD can feel like an overwhelming battle against one’s own mind. However, understanding the underlying mechanisms of OCD and addressing them through compassionate and effective therapeutic approaches can pave the way to healing.
Embrace the journey towards understanding and healing OCD, where each step forward brings you closer to a life free from the constraints of obsessions and compulsions. Through hypnotherapy and a compassionate approach, we can transform the impact of OCD, allowing you to reclaim your life and find peace within yourself.
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