Fear - the very root of the obsessive-compulsive disorder.

OCD usually starts with a series of thoughts or images which are bothersome and intrusive. These can be thoughts about making mistakes, wanting to harm someone, disease, imagined dangers, contamination, a fear of being out of control, a fear that God will punish you if you are not perfect, and a fear of anything else you may consider that might do you some harm.

These thoughts are set off by certain triggers such as an ache or a pain which makes you believe you have cancer, even when you know that it is isn’t so. The thought enters your mind again and again, until you visit the doctor for reassurance that you are cancer free.

Obsessive thoughts have a way of sneaking into the mind, sometimes compelling you to get out of bed and make sure all the doors are locked, and that the stove is properly switched off.

This simple example illustrates the way that obsessive thinking is linked to compulsive behaviour.

The link between worry and obsessive thoughts.

Worry is an anxious concern about a possible negative event. Over time, worry has helped people to pay attention to problems that can be successfully dealt with. This is the way worry helps us to cope with the challenges of everyday life.

However, for some folk this normal process breaks down, trapping their minds in an endless process of trying to analyse everything, especially things that do not have any visible solutions.

When worriers cannot see a solution to a problem, and are unable to accept the realities of the situation, it is categorized as unhealthy worry. This type of worry, which is known as obsessive thinking, is an enormous part of the OCD problem.  

Obsessive thinking is defined as the inability to gain control over recurring, distressing thoughts and images.

The damage worry can do.

Unhealthy worry can intensify and prolong upsetting emotions creating anxiety, which just leads to more worry. You begin to believe that you have lost control, and feel that you have to do something to neutralise the obsessive thoughts like surrendering to a compulsion to keep washing your hands, or rearranging things in the home into perfect lines or squares.

This process can go on for quite a while, until you feel satisfied that you have done enough to banish the thoughts. The compulsive actions have the potential to become rituals each time you are bothered by intrusive, disturbing thoughts.

The process then becomes an eternal circle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions to obtain relief, which is at best, only short-term relief.

Trying to stop the thoughts.

If you are prone to obsessive mind patterns, obsessive thoughts will be very difficult to control. You may have tried to force thoughts out of your mind, and possibly had some success – for no more than a few minutes.

In fact, studies have shown that the forcing strategy almost never works, and may only worsen the obsessive thinking patterns, giving rise to mood disorders, depression, and anxiety.

The mind consists of the conscious mind, and the subconscious mind, which can wield great influence over the conscious mind. Troubling thoughts which are located in the subconscious mind, flood into the conscious mind, and influence your actions.

The problem is that you, and your conscious mind, don’t know what to do with these thoughts.

Only a complete mind overall, and a new mindset, will help you overcome the problem. 

How Adelaide Hypnotherapy can help you.

• Hypnosis opens the door to the subconscious mind and the therapist is able to clean up the obsessive thoughts.

• Hypnotherapy works by allowing you to change the negative mindset in control of your subconscious mind, and replace it with positive suggestions from the therapist.

• A skilled therapist will first investigate to get to the root cause of the problem, and then help you to completely change your attitude and responses in certain situations which may be triggers for obsessive thoughts.

 Hypnotherapy works quickly, is highly recommended for OCD issues. It is potentially a permanent solution for obsessive thoughts that threaten to take over your life.