Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder that can be very disruptive to someone’s life. Characteristics of this type of mental health condition are repetitive behaviours that individuals feel they cannot stop or compulsive thoughts that are on endless repeat. It can be exhausting for those suffering from it.
Neurofeedback for OCD is a safe and effective treatment aimed at reducing the intensity and frequency of a patient’s OCD-related symptoms. While there is no cure for OCD, Neurofeedback therapy can help patients achieve improved control of their thoughts and behavioural patterns so they can have a higher quality of life.
Reasons to choose Neurofeedback to treat OCD
- It is non-invasive:
Neurofeedback is based on an all-natural process that your brain uses every day to learn new activities. It can help your brain break the cycle that is leading to thoughts and behaviours that are taking over your life.
To begin with, a brain map is done to determine where your brainwave distribution is imbalanced. Once this is done, a training protocol is developed to improve the distribution and eliminate your OCD symptoms.
- Neurofeedback is not painful and produces permanent improvements in brainwave activity:
The training itself is both pleasant and safe. All you need to do is relax and watch a movie! While you focus on the video, our computer-aided programme will provide audio and visual feedback based on your brainwave activity. Over time, your brain learns to remain more balanced, resulting in long-term improvements.
- Neurofeedback may be able to reduce your reliance on medication:
Neurofeedback involves helping teach your brain to identify when it is “out of bounds” so it can become more balanced and break the repetitive cycles that lead to compulsions. This leads to less need for medication and sometimes eliminates the need for drugs.
- Neurofeedback has no side effects:
While medications can cause side effects, Neurofeedback is an all-natural process and, as a result of that, produces no side effects. However, patients report that they often feel calmer and sleep better than they have in a long time.
- Neurofeedback is effective:
The cognitive therapy for OCD
Cognitive Rehabilitation for OCD is a type of treatment that helps individuals cope with and change problematic thoughts, behaviours, and emotions. The treatment is a specialised type of cognitive-behaviour therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) called Exposure and Ritual Prevention (ERP).
In ERP therapy, people who have OCD are placed in situations where they are gradually exposed to their obsessions and asked not to perform the compulsions that usually ease their anxiety and distress.
The cognitive therapy focuses on the fear first, obsessions second, and then compulsions. The goals of cognitive therapy are to identify the role of fear in the onset of OCD and to make the patients change their attitude and point of view towards their symptoms, especially the fear of negative events.
Most people with OCD can learn to handle their symptoms and function better in society and relationships, with the above explained therapy. They can learn to acknowledge their obsessions and find relief without acting on their compulsions.
