Counseling in Palatine, IL
If you are one of many people who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, you understand that your symptoms will not go away on their own. Not only can your obsessive thoughts take over as you go about your daily routines, but they manifest into physical symptoms as well, straining professional and personal relationships. Instead of relying solely on medication, however, there are other treatment options so you can get your life under control. Psychological therapy is one of the best treatment options when looking at how you can control your OCD, and a therapist may try to manage your thoughts and compulsions through cognitive therapy or behavioral therapy.
What Is OCD?
OCD is a mental health condition that can affect anyone. It does not discriminate in age, weight, or sex. The obsessive part of this disorder is the unwanted thoughts or images in your mind that are recurring. These obsessive thoughts trigger the compulsions, which are behaviors that a person goes through to rid themselves of their obsessive thoughts or help with the anxiety and distress that their obsessive thoughts cause. For example, someone suffering from OCD may need to turn the light switch on and off before they leave the house a certain number of times. If they do not, they likely will not stop thinking about it for the rest of their day until they return home again.
Common Forms of OCD
Some of the most common forms of OCD are:
- Washing hands because of fear of germs
- Rereading something multiple times
- Doing certain activities in multiples
- Arranging things to be in a certain way
Cognitive Therapy
A therapist may recommend cognitive therapy as your form of treatment if they believe that your negative thoughts or obsessive thoughts are controlling your everyday actions. You may think that your actions can mean the difference in a catastrophic event occurring, and your compulsion is to order and reorder objects to prevent this catastrophe from happening. Your therapist would examine the thought patterns that are harmful and present better and more sustainable alternatives that are not harmful to you and more realistic.
Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy is a popular form of treating OCD, and one of the most common forms of behavior therapy is putting the patient through exposure therapy. Particularly if a patient’s obsessions have to do with a fear of certain things (flying, snakes, germs), the therapist can create a safe environment where a patient can learn that the item or situation they fear is not as scary as they believe. If the patient is afraid of snakes, a therapist may take them to a zoo and show them the different types of snakes behind glass cases, and eventually move on to presenting the patient with a real snake to touch and feel. Behavioral therapy can be hard for patients to complete because it often pushes the patient to step outside their comfort zone physically and face some of their worst fears.
Speak With a Therapist
Speaking with a therapist can help you determine which course of treatment is right for your unique needs. You do not have to feel trapped with your OCD. Talk with a therapist for counseling in Palatine, IL at Lotus Wellness Center today to start on your course of treatment.