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CASE STUDY
(The name and identifying details have been changed.)
Doug, age 56, came to see me after suffering with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder for 20 years. He finally was exhausted and worn down by it. By seeing me for treatment he was taking the first, helpful step to his recovery: being personally motivated to overcome OCD.
Doug was married, but his wife, Alice, barely knew about his OCD behaviors. He was able to keep most of it a secret, out of a sense of embarrassment and shame.
Doug said he was "dog-tired" at bedtime because he performed countless OCD behaviors every day.
During his waking hours, he would count the words in many of the sentences that he spoke. If a situation was tense or upsetting during his day, Doug quickly performed a certain touching ritual with his hands, to "ward off the bad luck."
He repeated the same exact arrangement of behaviors every time he shaved and showered. He washed his hands so often that they were red and dry.
Doug didn't know that OCD was an anxiety disorder, but I helped to educate him. His OCD was related to how safe and secure he felt in his life. It was connected to his inability to handle daily stresses and pressures.
His lowered self-esteem played a part in making him feel anxious in certain situations.
I asked him to bring his wife to some of our counseling sessions. There, Doug was able to tell Alice about his OCD. She was shocked and surprised, but very concerned for him. I educated her about the disorder so she could support Doug's recovery.
Doug and I started to "extinguish" his OCD behaviors. I asked him to practice abstaining from his OCD routines during our counseling sessions. It allowed him to slowly but surely start to feel safe and secure without OCD rituals.
With Doug's approval, I enlisted his wife's help at home. Three times a week, Alice and Doug would create an "OCD-free" hour of time together. With her support, he practiced abstaining from OCD routines. He continued to develop a sense of security for himself without the use of OCD behaviors.
He gradually stopped performing OCD rituals outside of our practice sessions.
I also helped him increase his self esteem, and develop useful techniques to manage the normal, daily stressors of life. I used hypnotherapy to teach him relaxation techniques.
OCD was becoming a distant memory for Doug after about 18 months of counseling. He felt more relaxed, relieved and good about himself and his life. He felt free from the prison of OCD.
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