OCD counselling (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

What is OCD counselling and how will it help me?

OCD is recognised as a common mental health condition. It affects adults and children, most often experienced in adulthood but has also been recognised in teenage years. An individual may experience obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours occur. It can be very worrying and can affect your everyday life.

There are several reasons OCD may occur it may be as a result of life events being neglected, bullied or an abused. There has also been evidence to suggest that it has occurred as a result of trauma in childbirth or a bereavement. It has been also been noted that an individual with low levels of serotonin or someone with a family member who also has OCD has a higher possibility. A generally anxious individual or someone who is meticulous may also develop OCD traits too.

Obsessive thoughts or images that can repeatedly occur and create anxiety and can be very obtrusive. As a result of the obsessive thoughts an individual develops compulsive behaviours to alleviate the feelings brought on by the obsessive thoughts.

An example may be an individual who is concerned about a fire occurring in their house. As a result they may therefore feel the need to check that they have turned off all sources that could potentially cause a fire. They will continually check and turn off and check again and again. The obsessive thought is a fire is going to occur and the compulsive behaviour of checking is then perpetuated. 

In OCD counselling we can work with some cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This help you to face the fears you may have without feeling perpetuated to act with a compulsive behaviour. Sometimes CBT is successful alone. Alternatively a GP may prescribe an antidepressant to change the balance of chemicals in the brain alongside your therapy.