10 Ways Hypnosis Can Help OCD (“Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”)

We all second-guess ourselves occasionally, and wonder if we indeed did turn off that oven or blow out that candle, but if you have OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder),  obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors become so overwhelming that they disrupt daily life.

OCD is an anxiety disorder can be managed. The hallmark symptoms are seemingly uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and/or repetitive, ritualized behaviors one feels compelled to carry out. People who have OCD usually acknowledge that their obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are irrational, yet they powerless to stop them.

As pictured in the diagram below, it becomes a vicious cycle. The more anxious you become, the more the compulsion drives you to get relief, which in turn increases your obsession, which in turn increases your anxiety, and on and on.

In much the same way a stylus gets stuck on a groove in a record, OCD causes the brain to get stuck on a particular set of thoughts or behaviors.   Without intervention, these distractions generally increase, taking on a life of their own, if you will.

But the good news is, there is help.  Medications are quite effective, especially in conjunction with CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy). Hypnosis is a CBT technique, is drug-free, and a natural way to free yourself from intrusive thoughts and unwanted behaviors and regain control.

Every human behavior has a positive intent, and OCD-ers are no exception. They did not choose to have this condition; at some point they felt unsafe, out of control in their environment, and developed this coping mechanism to simply feel safe and reduce anxiety.  There are several common, yet non-exclusive, categories of how OCD is expressed:

• “Washers” constantly feel dirty. They are petrified of germs, bacteria, and/or being contaminated. They may use a tissue to turn a doorknob, refuse to shake hands with you, shower multiple times a day, wash their hands to the point of rawness, and more. In extreme cases, some wear gloves to handle money and other objects are touched by numerous others.
• “Checkers” repeatedly check to see if the door is locked, the stove turned off, etc.  Potential underlying psychology driving this behavior is lack of safety or perpetual feeling of impending doom.
• “Perfectionists” feel there is one and only one way to do things. Perfectly. If not, then they are “bad” or something bad will happen to them.  Perfection, they feel, safeguards them.
• “Aligners/Arrangers/Counters” need order (numerical, alphabetical, color) and/or balance. They may have a rigid insistence on a specific number, color or arrangement of objects (dishes, canned goods, shoes, etc).
• “Hoarders” as many have seen in the reality TV show by the same name, need ‘stuff” surrounding them. They fear open spaces, and probably deep down feel empty. Having stuff fills them up, they think.  Even if they never use their stuff, they feel safe knowing it is there.

Again, we all have obsessive thoughts and perhaps some irrational urges occasionally. To actually be diagnosed with OCD, however, these unwanted thoughts and behaviors create enormous distress to the one afflicted with OCD and his/her loved ones, disrupt daily life and relationships, and steal a great deal of time.

Hypnosis can help one manage symptoms by:

1. Refocusing attention on rational thoughts and activities.
2. Reducing life’s normal stress and anxiety in healthy ways (exercise, music, reading, playing with a pet or a child, playing a musical instrument or a video game, calling a friend, painting, knitting, building a model airplane…something enjoyable that is self-soothing.)
3. Employing self-hypnosis, mindfulness, or meditation.
4. Slowing down the brain waves to increase resistance to any unwanted thoughts and compulsions.
5. Honoring one’s feelings. Many OCD-ers are disconnected from their feelings, and make all negative feelings “wrong.” They can learn how to accept that these feelings do occur, but they can be managed versus denied/escaped/masked/avoided.
6. Committing to healthier food choices. Unhealthy foods, excessive amounts caffeine, nicotine and alcohol increase anxiety and prevent the brain from operating optimally.
7. Embracing a regimen of physical fitness. The brain is part of the body, and naturally responds to movement, releasing “happy chemicals” to enhance mood.
8. Learning to anticipate obsessive thoughts and urges, thereby offsetting or decreasing them.
9. Finding more sources of leisure and joy in life to allow the brain muscles to relax.
10. Sleeping consistently and deeply. A good night’s sleep does wonders to restore the body and mind and keep undue anxiety at bay.

Hypnosis can also help one to create a strong support system of friends and family.  A positive, supportive structure will allow one to have a healthy sense of humor, when appropriate, to manage this disorder with levity versus catastrophic thinking.

Again, know that OCD can be managed. There are many extremely successful people who are OCD-ers: Beethoven, Albert Einstein, Howard Hughes, Nikola Tesla, Michaelangelo, Charles Darwin, Woody Allen, David Bechham, Roseanne Barr, Howie Mandel, Billy Bob Thornton, Charles Dickens, Charlize Theron, Justin Timberlake, and more are alleged to be OCD.  If they “made it work for them,” so can you!