What is OCD?
OCD stands for obsessive-compulsive disorder. This is a long-lasting psychological disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable and recurring thoughts (obsessions), engages in repetitive behaviors (compulsions), or both. Symptoms of OCD can be very time-consuming for the clients, thereby disrupting their socio-occupational functioning. However, OCD treatment in India is available to help them manage the symptoms and get back to normal functioning.
Common Symptoms of OCD
Clients with OCD may have obsessions, compulsions, or both. Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that are intrusive, unwanted, and make most people anxious. This is also why OCD is often categorized and clients with OCD may be often diagnosed with anxiety disorders as well. Common obsessions include:
- Fear of germs or contamination – which is the most common way in which OCD is described popularly.
- Unwanted, forbidden, or taboo thoughts involving sex, religion, or harm
- Desire to have things symmetrical or in perfect order
- Fear of forgetting, losing, misplacing something, etc.
- Fear of losing control over one’s behavior
- Aggressive thoughts toward others or oneself
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors a person feels the urge to do, often in response to an obsession. When compulsions go unidentified as something that is not normal, they become a part of daily life, which is very time-consuming. Not being able to complete those compulsions can make the client extremely anxious and irritated. Common compulsions include:
- Excessive cleaning or handwashing
- Ordering or arranging items in a particular, precise way
- Repeatedly checking things, such as that the door is locked or the oven is off
- Compulsive counting
- Praying or repeating words silently
While obsessions and compulsions may seem the same, it is important to note that the goal may be the same in both cases – but the difference lies in one of them recurring at a mental level – obsessions, and the other recurring at the behavioural level – compulsions.
Therapies used in OCD Treatment in India
OCD treatment in India follows many popular and widely used scientific therapeutic techniques and therapies that have been used to treat anxiety disorders, OCD, and other related symptoms of co-occurring issues. A few of them include –
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – popularly known as CBT, Cognitive Behavioural therapy is one the most researched and scientifically acclaimed therapies to help in OCD treatment in India. CBT involves identifying the repetitive and anxiety-provoking patterns within the client’s mind that cause compulsions and help reduce them through the rewiring of the mental patterns into more effective and realistic ones. CBT helps clients not only overcome the symptoms of OCD but also related issues that might be co-occurring while enabling the client to perform daily tasks without constant anxiety and interruption.
- Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) – ERP therapy is associated with successful treatment of phobias and OCD. ERP is a subpart of CBT that is often given priority in OCD treatment in India and worldwide. As the name suggests, ERP therapy revolves around providing a safe space to the client to let them have obsessive thoughts without judgment, however, helping them gradually not act on those thoughts (compulsions). ERP helps clients differentiate between obsessions and compulsions and become aware of their compulsions taking over their behaviour.
- Systematic Desensitization: OCD treatment in India often involves systematic desensitization which is a therapeutic method that includes gradually exposing the client to anxiety-provoking situations, thoughts, or behaviour and helping them confront those stimuli without acting on them. Slow exposure to such stimuli helps the clients reduce their anxiety and prevent acting on compulsions just to get past those anxiety-inducing obsessive thoughts. This particularly has been noted to work best on Phobia and OCD treatment in India.
- Relaxation Techniques – other modulations and therapeutic facilitators such as yoga and creative therapy methods have also been successful in reducing anxiety in OCD helping in curbing the symptoms and relaxing the mind and body.
Why CoachForMind?
- Experienced Psychologists: We are a team of licensed RCI-registered clinical psychologists. Our team is well-experienced in various forms of therapy such as CBT, DBT, ERP, Narrative Therapy, and other therapeutic techniques used in OCD treatment in India. We also have the facility and in-depth experience in conducting online treatment as well.
- Personalized Approach: We are dedicated to treating our clients in the best-suited way, carefully curated as per the client’s needs, and adhering to one-on-one, client-centered therapy. Therapies would be tailored according to the needs of the client diagnosed with OCD and any other related symptoms.
- Scientific Techniques: Our treatment plans and therapeutic methods are based on highly researched scientific findings such as CBT, DBT, and Narrative Therapy amongst many others used in OCD treatment in India.
- Quality service: We at CoachForMind ensure quality services in our treatment regime and therapeutic approaches. Our clients hold most value to us, so we ground our techniques in empathy while maintaining professionalism.
For more information, please visit our website or contact us directly at coachformind@gmail.com
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