OCD

hello everyone.....I would appreciat anyones and everyones input on what to do for ocd. Thanks a bunch;).....Rosa

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Sannicandro on January 27, 2009 at 1:28am

I'd also like to hear the experience with this puzzling disorder.

OCd is an anxiety disorder and those that have it can usually trace it to an ISE. If they can't you usually can. I don't as yet have experience treating it with hypnosis, but I have treated it with cognitive behavioral treatment. CBT works well but is time consuming and the reliance on meds is often the issue as many are reluctant to be med compliant.

I'd try regress to cause combined with forgiveness guilt release in sessions and some self hypnosis to teach the client to increase their self efficay and manage symptoms in the real world. Medication maybe, at least for a while to increase their positive expectations.

I am interested in what experiences people have had with hypnosis with this frustrating disorder.

John
www.jslmhc.com

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Permalink Reply by Rosa Raya on January 27, 2009 at 7:32am

Hi John....Thank you sooo much for your input. I have a better direction now. I'll keep you posted on the proggress.

Rosa

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Permalink Reply by John Sannicandro on January 27, 2009 at 9:08am

Wish I had more experience with the hypnosis side of treatment. I've had a lot of experience with using CBT to treat it. I'd imagine that hypnosis could speed up the effects and benefits that CBT would have.

Many people who have OCD can trace the symptoms to one major event where they felt powerless or in some way responsible for a terrible event. Often leads to perfectiionist thinking and a need to control something. Getting to that initial sensitizing event could be a start. Using CBT skills like thought stopping, reframes and rational thinking can help. I'd assume that hypnosis could speed up the time such treatment would require for the client to internalize the changes.

There is information about CBT on my website in the FAQ section, and a tutorial in the links section about CBT and how it works. Again. I have yet to treat a OCD client with hypnosis, but I have no doubt that such treatment would be very effective.

john
www.jslmhc.com

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Permalink Reply by Laura Kay, C.Ht on January 27, 2009 at 10:07am

I have had some success with applying hypnosis to OCD and would be happy to share here!
In the interview process I discover what usually triggers the ritualistic behavior--typically anxiety--and how the rituals must be performed. I also see if the client remembers the period of time that the behaviors surfaced. Sometimes there was a trauma that was the initial trigger.
Depending on the suggestibility of the client I will work symptomatically by simply suggesting they visualize themselves in the triggering situation calm and relaxed, providing an NLP anchor to the feelings of well being in hypnosis to use as a replacement to the ritual. Systematic desensitization will sometimes be all it takes.
If the behavior started in childhood I like to do an inner child healing session using the adulthood of the client as a potent source of protection for the fearful inner child. This can work wonders as well.
Another helpful tool to give the OCD client is EFT.
I hope this helps you! I have seen much improvement in OCD clients and have found it extremely rewarding to see the relief hypnotherapy can bring them.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Lovold on January 27, 2009 at 11:40am

~ Hello Rosa, I like what everyone has said here, and I would just like to add on to what Laura has put here. What I percieve what happens when someone is dealing with (OCD) is that they are looping, i.e. in a situation of being stuck or "the broken record syndrone".

I also would utilize N.L.P., and firstly elicit their priorities, and see how or wether they are supporting in numeracy, the number one priority should be the most abstarct, like love, peace, etc.

I would like to put more down here, but I am pressed for time, so if you would like me to follow up on this dicussion , please feel free to let me know.

~ Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Michael Ellner on January 27, 2009 at 9:42pm

http://www.hypnothoughts.com/group/thealternativemedicalhealthwelln...

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Permalink Reply by Rosa Raya on January 28, 2009 at 7:41am

Your imput is appreciated. Thank you so much....Rosa

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Permalink Reply by Rosa Raya on January 28, 2009 at 7:43am

I't makes so much sense on the being stuck. You've helped me a geat deal. Thanks....Rosa

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Permalink Reply by Michael Ellner on January 28, 2009 at 7:52am

Hi Steve,

We are so on the same page-

FYI- Alan Barsky and I liked the learned behavior/Stuck State model for why people develop chronic behaviors--s00000 much, we wrote a guided self-help book called HOW TO GET UNSTUCK as an "Alternative" way to help hypnosis practitioners help clients take charge of their lives, health and careers without hypnotizing them in conventional ways...

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Permalink Reply by Michael Ellner on February 10, 2009 at 5:43pm

FYI-
Out of Control: Therapists working with impulse control disorders

http://www.therapytimes.com/content=0802J84C489E5C84406040441

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Permalink Reply by chris john on February 11, 2009 at 1:34pm

id say, from personal experience,
find out where and why the problem started.
it really will help.

also, find out if your client suffers any depression, as the two
are connected.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Barsky on February 20, 2009 at 10:02pm

OCD
I have treated a about a dozen people with medical doctor diagnosed OCD. First, from this forum, there seems to be at least two kinds of OCD. One is PSTD based; the other biological. I will address the latter. In addition, I have only worked with men on this.
I have noticed anthropomorphic tendencies, with emotions attached to inanimate objects. Time distortions. A section of the mind constantly revolving non-sense and often sexual or violent “films” so to speak. And, general anxiety.
One of the biggest moves forward is to use the basic Quantum Focusing exercises developed by Michael Ellner and myself. It pulls together many of these different factors into a simple solution that can be repeated throughout the day. My experience using EFT was it might help but , because of the nature of the tapping—tapping and counting being a sub-condition—just seems to duplicate the problem.
There is an almost superstitious relationship to counting or numbers or specific numbers. Not unlike many societies that see bad luck connected to 13, good luck connected to seven, or like out here in San Francisco, it is not unusual for a Chinese person to refuse phone numbers with 4’s (death) and prefer as many 8’s(Good Luck) as possible.
In OCD though, it all becomes exaggerated and personal.
So the OCD I am talking about refers to a person who absolutely needs to twirl his clothes a certain amount of times, flicks a light switch on and off or washes hands, in order to do the magic—to somehow change the world, change the future to make it better. Not to follow through with the rituals, will change the future for the worse as it creates a huge feeling that “must be obeyed” or dire consequences will result.
Labeling someone OCD has one of two effects. For some—teenagers’ notably—they say, “Oh, I can’t do that, I have OCD!” That would be not good and an example of labeling gone bad.
On the other hand, for most, knowing these thoughts are not the real person—it is the OCD talking—spinning those crazy scenes in their head, is a huge relief. They have no need to follow it. I call it the Lizard Brain, as if somehow, these brains are stuck back in time, when following a made-up evolutionary pattern, pieces of our actions remain from when we were lizards on the evolutionary scale. I sometimes stick my tongue out and in very fast, like a lizard and they laugh. I remember a couple of books from the 80’s that spoke about that. Is it true? I do not know, but it seems to make sense to my clients, as an allegory, if nothing else.
Because this OCD brain goes on and on with stuff they really want to separate themselves from. Images come and go swiftly that make no sense; such as noses or ears falling off and then back on. Or, imagining five noses on one person. Of course, they know it is not true, but they must always question how attached and responsible are they to this constant mind movie? I teach “…not at all. Let it go.” It is a film in a movie theatre that has nothing to do with your life. And clients are very ready and eager to hear this with a great deal of relief.
At the extreme end, one of my client’s told me how he felt suddenly compelled to take his baby kitten and leave it on the side of the road. He carefully chose a little travelled road to do this misdeed, and left it there. Yet, just a few minutes later, realized he could not do that and returned for the kitten.
Thoughts sprinkled with shame, guilt and self-sabotage.
There could be hundreds of these thoughts throughout the day, with physically following through in ritual, dozens of times. People with OCD have learned to do most of these rituals when others are not looking. Some hide it better than others do. They often choose occupations that allow them to get away with creative behavior or work alone. Advertising or sales work is sometimes a good choice when one’s creativity is certainly enhanced with a mind that constantly is generating new thoughts, oddness is acceptable, and much of your time can be alone. On the other hand, if your obsession is with keeping everything organized, one can find work where this is an asset.
I have discovered, or it certainly is a theory in progress of mine, that a lot of this specific anxiety is the result of moving too fast, living in an emotional world of inanimate objects. Inanimate objects like clothes, furniture, etc comes with lots of personal feelings toward that object. Not unlike in normal society treasuring an old letter from a friend. Just exaggerated. Hoarders are found in the group. Moreover, it is tied to the day-to-day movements in regular life. Such as going from one room to the next, without emotionally saying “Goodbye” to the room one just left. Feeling out of time. And then the ritual work must begin to bring one back into the right space.
I suggest that throughout the day, to slow down. Stop. Walk very, very slowly. Customize this to each individual. Perhaps return to the room they were just in. And freeze. Like in that dance position popular from the pop singer Madonna in the ‘90’s called The Vogue. Just stop in the position they are in. Or whatever way works for them personally. And let themself have a feeling of letting time catch up with them. Then they wait until they are operating back in present time once again. Bringing one into the Quantum Focusing "Zone" helps create the present tense and being into the moment again. This seems to reset the mind, and cuts down on the number of instances of the condition throughout the day.
Exercise can be helpful. Being physically fit helps the subtle body feelings to go away.
Remember certain sayings throughout the day. “Previous experience has shown this fear to be irrational.” “It is a good practice to let go of these worries and I want to practice.” (Edna Foa’s book “Stop Obsessing”).
The thoughts are random and chaotic. I know some therapists try to make meaning of these thoughts, something like dream analysis, but I have found them to have no meaning; just random and chaotic.
Sufferers are very reluctant to talk about these strange thoughts. I have gone to great lengths to invite trust before a client will open up about these and often will never share all the details.
I had a personal discussion about treating OCD clients with Carol Erickson (Milton Erikson’s daughter, and an amazing therapist in her own right), she suggested I ask the client if they ever follow through on these irrational thoughts, and assure them that if they do not, they are fine. They do not have to be concerned with the thoughts.

DO Good,
Alan