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Is compulsive behaviour interfering with your life?
Many of us are anxious or afraid of specific activities or things in our lives. We might find ourselves reluctant to go to certain places or take part in specific activities. We might be carrying out detailed rituals in order to protect ourselves from imagined dangers. We probably know these behaviours are not rational but our level of fear is so high that we feel unable to stop.
This is when we need to take action.
How do I know if I have obsessive behaviour?
You know that you have obsessive behaviour when you have to do something, regardless of the inconvenience this causes to you or others, in order to prevent something of which you are afraid. For example, you might need to wash your hands over and over because you are afraid that you will spread germs to someone you love causing them to fall ill; you may find it impossible to drive in case you run someone over; you may feel that the only way you can keep your parents alive is by stealing something from every shop you enter. You will be aware that these are not rational beliefs but find yourself unable to block them or alter them.
Often the thing of which we are afraid and the activity we have to perform seem unrelated, but we have a compulsion to carry them out anyway. For example you may feel that if you donít line your shoes up in a particular order your children will be killed.
Sometimes we donít know what the fear is that underlies our action, but we feel a sense of dread around the idea of not doing the activity.
The anxiety and fear is so pervasive that you find yourself thinking about your obsession an unreasonable amount of the time. It may even seem to dominate your life. You can be so frightened of encountering the cause of your fear that you are monitoring for it all the time.
What are typical fears leading to obsessive behaviour?
- Fear about dying
- Fear of vomiting, or illness
- Fear of losing someone - jealousy
- Fear of gaining weight or looking unattractive, including serious eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia
- Fear of driving
- Fear of going out - agoraphobia
- Fear of enclosed spaces - claustrophobia
Why do I do these obsessive things?
Obsessive compulsive behaviours are associated with a seriously high level of anxiety. They are a signal that you feel you have lost control over your life. Your subconscious mind therefore seeks to reassert control over small areas.
Once you begin to feel that you are regaining control over the rest of your life, you will find it increasingly easy to let go of your compulsions.
Is my behavior really that serious?
Some obsessive behaviors are relatively mild and may go unnoticed by other people, for example, checking your keys several times before leaving the house or needing to carry a phone with you before going out.
Only you know how serious this is for you. Does it interfere with you carrying out other tasks? Are you worrying about it a significant amount of the time?
Even relatively mild obsessive behaviours are a sign if high levels of stress and anxiety and hypnotherapy would help to relieve this, so check out our page on Stress and Anxiety.
Hypnotherapy can be used to treat OCD symptoms. Hypnotherapy can offer a form of psychological treatment for OCD symptoms as it can help OCD sufferers to control OCD symptoms, rather than vice versa.
How Can Hypnotherapy Treat OCD?
Hypnotherapy aims to change your thinking so that you can take control of your OCD. This is significant, as many OCD sufferers feel that they are being controlled by OCD. In this sense, hypnotherapy can be seen as a psychological treatment for OCD. It can help to make the distinction between what OCD sufferers feel is true (for example, the oven has been left on) and what is actually true (for example, the oven is off). This can be done in two ways. Firstly, hypnotherapy can encourage you to consciously think in a different way. Secondly, it can change your thoughts and feelings on an unconscious level. Both of these can help you to take control of your OCD. In this sense, it is similar to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (albeit on an unconscious basis).
From the website "OCD symptoms"
Chew Valley Hypnotherapy can help with obsessive compulsive behaviours
As a Solution-focused hypnotherapist, I would first be working to relieve and lower your levels of stress, bringing relief from that constant internal anxiety and dread.
This would be followed with a series of sessions aimed at helping you to regain control of your life, getting you back on the path you want to be travelling and bringing the colour back into your life.
During this process the obsessive compulsive behaviours will gradually reduce. Your subconscious mind has been forcing you into these behaviours because it perceives you as being in danger. It can take a while to convince it that you are now safe.
Chew Valley Hypnotherapy offers a full package of support for OCD difficulties
I am a fully qualified hypnotherapist, with positive experience of helping people move on from obsessive thinking and behaviours. You can be confident that I will be using my skills to help you remove your fears and reclaim control of your life.
I am trained in solution-focused hypnotherapy which means that I will be helping you to look for positive change in your life. This will result in you regaining control and actually enjoying the experience of change.
Even after the initial interview you will begin to feel your level of stress and anxiety reducing and will start to see improvements in your life.
Chew Valley Hypnotherapy is based in Stanton Drew and is easily accessible from anywhere in the Chew Valley, Bristol or Bath, with safe off-road parking.
I also practice from Whitchurch Health Centre, Bristol
Fulcrum House, North Bristol
And the Daisy Healing Centre, Glastonbury
Ring or e-mail now to discuss how I can help you personally.
Or book a half-price initial consultation.