Do you experience intrusive thoughts that cause distress, a constant doubt over whether you have checked the door is locked, or a need to undertake compulsions to reduce anxiety? Does part of you realise that these thoughts and compulsions are unhelpful, yet you struggle to stop them? Do you worry you are ‘going mad’ due to this? These are symptoms of OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder which can be treated successfully with therapy. We can work together to overcome this. Intrusive thoughts do not define you or mean you are 'bad', they are simply thoughts, and we will work to together to take away their power.
OCD often plays on your values in order to cause distress, for example, if you are religious, you may experience scrupulosity, a form of religious OCD which may lead to fear that prayers have not been said correctly, leading to excessive repetition, or distressing intrusive thoughts. Many religions are now aware of OCD and have guidelines to support this, which fit in with CBT treatment. If you would like more information on this please get in touch.
'Magical thinking' - for many, this the term may bring connotations of fairies, gnomes and toadstools, however the reality of magical thinking for people with OCD is quite different. This term relates to the belief, or feeling, that thoughts or unrelated actions have the power to cause external events, and often link to an excessive sense of responsibility. An example of this may be “if I do not count to X number, a loved one will die”. To deal with these thoughts, individuals then undertake rituals such as counting. These may be internal or external, and can cause extreme mental and physical exhaustion.