OCD Counselling

Obsession is the pervasive existence of thoughts that occur repeatedly in the mind. Unfortunately, obsessive thinking often causes emotional distress and distracts the individual suffering from the mental illness. Obsessions in the mind then result in compulsion- compulsion drives the individual to act out repeatedly, resulting in compulsive behaviours.

Clients suffering from OCD often feel out of control and helpless. There can be a lot of environmental factors that impact our mental health and increase depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms may look like fatigue, a felt sense of numbness, decrease or increase in appetite, weight gain, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, decision fatigue, a felt sense of feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless, suicide symptoms, increased irritability, anxiety symptoms, loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, sleeping too much and still not feeling rested or not sleeping much at all, chronic and severe irritability.

Metanoia Mental Health offers face-to-face OCD counselling and online counselling for residents in Alberta, Canada

OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and is a mental disorder, categorizing it under a mental health concern. Obsessive compulsive disorder and its compulsive behaviours can occur in a number of conditions and may include the obsession with objects or intrusive thoughts, or the combination of both. OCD clients typically have obsessions or repetitive unwelcome thoughts which cause the extreme urge for repeated behaviour. Individuals feel momentary emotional release when acting on a compulsive behaviour.

What is OCD?

What Are Compulsive Behaviours?

Compulsive behaviours are repetitive ritualized acts characterized by the feeling that one has to perform them while also being aware that these acts are not in line with one's overall goal. These behaviours feel uncontrollable, as if someone was compelled to perform them. People who struggle with compulsive behaviours generally feel a sense of relief after they have engaged with the ritualistic behaviours. However, this sense of reduced anxiety only lasts for a certain period before someone feels compelled to engage in the ritual again. It is important to know that compulsive thoughts and behaviours are common and can be reduced over time.

Common Types of Compulsive Behaviour:

  • Overly checking things such as locks, curling iron is turned off, switches ect.

  • Checking in with loved ones to make sure they are safe excessively

  • Cleaning excessively

  • Arranging things to be a particular way and if they are not, this causes distress

  • Tapping, fidgeting, tics that may be in attempt to reduce anxiety

  • Contamination

  • Intrusive explicit thoughts or images

  • Fear of losing control of self or others

  • Excessive focus on a certain thought, moral idea

  • Superstitions

Common Types of Intrusive Thoughts:

Speak with an OCD Therapist and start to regain control. Book your free intake.

OCD Symptoms exist in children and adults

Compulsive behaviours may emerge in children and adults. While obsessive-compulsive disorder typically starts during teenhood, younger adults often show symptoms that appear as obsessive-compulsive disorder. Although other mental and physical disorders may appear like obsessive-compulsive disorder, they require a thorough psychological examination to determine whether a diagnosis is possible.

OCD symptoms can be caused by the obsessions or compulsions a person experiences. These problems often affect all aspects of the individual's life from schoolwork to family and relationships. How do we manage compulsive behaviours? First we identify them and then consider possible triggers.

Signs & Symptoms

Can counselling help Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

OCD worsens as we feel powerless. Obsessions can certainly feel like they are ruining your life by isolating you socially due to an inability to focus and function; combat this feeling of isolation by working with a real person to talk through your ocd symptoms. By speaking with someone who is understanding and knowledgeable on your situation, you can significantly reduce your fear, tension, and sense of loss of control. Talking to a therapist in person about your anxiety can lessen its impact on your situation or make it less scary for you.

Here are a number of ways an OCD therapist can help you:

  • Identify patterns that may be getting in the way of your daily living that are considered obsessive behaviours.

  • Exposure with Response Prevention Therapy – focuses on supporting your nervous system to tolerate distress more effectively without engaging in stress reducing behaviours

  • Help you to learn how to resist stress reducing behaviours and challenge obsessive thoughts to eliminate them

  • Help you to set up a support system if appropriate

  • Build confidence in self to be able to handle stress more effectively

Find a therapist

  • Brianne Erichsen

    BSW, MC, RCSW

    Read Bio

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