An Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a disorder in which compulsive (i.e. repetitive and unwanted) thoughts or acts interfere with a person’s life.  

They may start almost as a superstition in order to protect the person from a dreaded event.  Rather like avoiding the cracks in the pavements as a child, but for some this can develop into an obsessional pattern of behaviour which is intrusive and invariably distressing.  Although, there may be a sense of relief after going through this ritual, it can create further anxiety which in turn becomes a vicious circle.  Obsessive thoughts can lead to anxiety which can lead to a person performing rituals to relieve anxiety. 

It is thought that one in forty of the population has some sort of OCD.

 

People can become obsessed with thoughts, ideas, images, and impulses which they cannot get out of their minds.  This in turn may lead to obsessional acts, based on these  constantly  recurring thoughts, which become stereotyped and repetitive behaviour patterns. This behaviour may not necessarily seem to be  purposeful  or completed at any time and can cause the person to feel so embarrassed about them that they cannot function easily in social situations.

There are various types and frequency of obsessional thoughts and acts. 

Obsessional thoughts include: Contamination, Pathological doubt, Somatic concerns, Need for symmetry, Aggression and Sexual impulses. 

Obsessional acts include: Checking, Washing, Counting, Asking/Confessing, Symmetry and Hoarding.

An OCD can be extremely detrimental in terms of a person’s everyday life, time-keeping, work and social life.  It also has a huge impact on the lives of their family and friends.
 
The onset of this condition will usually start in a person’s late teens or early  20s.  It can affect people from all walks of life.  At least a third of those people will have suffered from a stressful event, and one in three will have had a dramatic event prior to onset. Most sufferers will try and conceal this from family and friends.

Hypnotherapy, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)  and Emotional Freedom Technique ( EFT ) can help with this condition.  EFT can allow the client to substitute the tapping routine of this technique for the obsessive behaviour while helping to balance the Chi (the mind body harmony).  NLP will help the client to change the state and be able to visual a successful outcome to most situations. The Hypnotherapy will instil a feeling of calmness and tranquility and motivation and expectation to change.