Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Hypnosis For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - OCD
Hypnosis can be an effective treatment for obsessive compulsive disorders because essentially, the repeated patterns that have been established can slowly be unravelled through examination of previous subconscious programming.
Each time a person satisfies the urge to check the door, turn the lights on and off or wash their hands for the umpteenth time, they are inadvertently creating strong neurological pathways that solidify the unwanted behaviour.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be described as unwanted obsessive thoughts which may or may not be accompanied by compulsive rituals or activities such those I described above.
In some cases, the cause of OCD can be genetic, but in most cases it often has emotional or developmental causes.
Looking for OCD Treatment by Hypnotherapy?
By the time they get to my website, most people have been through hours of psychotherapy and counselling to try to get to the bottom of their behaviour; they may even be on a medication regime.
Yet knowing why you do what you do (or even when you get triggered) isn’t enough to change the behaviour.
This is because a person’s obsessive urges and subsequent responses are so deeply embedded in the subconscious mind that it has become an automatic response mechanism.
- What typically happens is, an uncomfortable feeling or sensation arises, usually somewhere in the body;
- The sensation is accompanied by negative emotions such as fear, agitation or frustration and is often fuelled by a belief, story or narrative in the mind about what the feelings and sensations mean;
- The feelings and thoughts are usually so uncomfortable that the person just wants to get away from them…so they run to a ‘false refuge’, which often involves some ritual or behaviour;
- This behaviour alleviates the difficult feelings for a short time, but at the same time it strengthens the habit and ultimately ensures the re-emergence of the negative feelings
How Does My Hypnotherapy Treat OCD?
Almost all clients who struggle with obsessive thinking and behaviour also have high levels of anxiety. The anxiety both causes and feeds the obsessive behaviour at the same time.
When I work with my clients using hypnotherapy, I help them to really examine their thinking and hold the obsessive urges up to the light without becoming identified with them.
When I treat clients for OCD,
- I start with information gathering, where I talk to the client and get an understanding of which factors may have caused or contributed to the obsessive behaviour;
- The sessions always involve hypnosis to address the conditions and beliefs that are causing or exacerbating the behaviour;
- I teach all my clients self-hypnosis to manage the obsessive thinking as it arises in real-time;
- And finally, I work with the client to slowly move away from the obsessive behaviour through mindfulness techniques that teach the client how to be with the uncomfortable emotions without getting lost in them or acting them out.
CASE STUDY: Laurie - Hypnosis for OCD
When my client Laurie came to my office, he had already been working with a psychologist for over 6 months, with no success.
His phobia of cancer compelled him to constantly check his body for lumps to the degree that he was forced to take a lot of time off work to attend endless doctor’s appointments.
Laurie described the relief he felt after being reassured by the doctor that he didn’t have cancer as ‘very addictive’. Thus, a good deal of his time was spent seeking that reassurance.
Secondary Gain
In Laurie’s case, a simplified approach to therapy wasn’t going to work. It became clear to me after a few sessions that he had a vested interest in hanging onto his OCD behaviour. Of course, he wasn’t aware of this consciously, which is why we needed to let the subconscious find and eliminate the cause.
A client’s inner conflicts can trigger obsessive symptoms, creating a cycle of anxiety reactions that perpetuate the OCD symptoms. A further complication of Laurie’s OCD was severe depression; Laurie would often hide away in his room and avoid life, almost allowing his anxiety about getting cancer to swallow him whole.
On some level there was a part of Laurie that was afraid to let go of this behaviour, in case he should be expected by his highly social and community-driven family to step up to the plate and participate fully in life again.
Essentially, Laurie was afraid of losing his ‘me-time’.
Once he learnt to set boundaries and ask for what he needed among his family and friends, he was able to eradicate his OCD and lead a normal, healthy life on his own terms.
If you’re looking for a safe and effective way to treat your obsessive-compulsive disorder, hypnosis is an excellent tool to treat both the symptom and the cause of your behaviour so that you can enjoy a normal, happy life.
As a Melbourne-based hypnotherapist, I am dedicated to guiding you towards a happier lifestyle through the transformative benefits of hypnosis therapy. You are most welcome to call me directly or visit my Contact Us page for more information.