6 ways EMDR can help you overcome your OCD

There are ways of overcoming OCD but first, let us know what obsessions and compulsions are. Obsessions and compulsions are two major symptoms of OCD. An obsession is an idea, thought, or fear that’s unending and uncontrollable. A compulsion is a ritualistic behavior that someone does as a way to manage their fear of the obsession. For example, if you have an obsession with germs and cleanliness, you might develop a compulsion to wash your hands over and over again until they’re red and raw. This can be exhausting in both the short-term and long term. OCD can be debilitating because it’s always there niggling away at the back of your mind. You might feel like you’ll never escape this mental illness. But through EMDR therapy, you can learn to take back control of your life and begin living free from OCD once again. Here are six ways EMDR therapy will help you overcome OCD:

It’ll help you process the memories that led to your OCD

One of the first things EMDR therapy will do is to help you process the memories that led to your OCD. This is because the therapy works by rewiring your brain and altering the way you respond to these memories, re-combining them with new information. So instead of being constantly triggered by them, you’ll be able to view them as something that happened in the past. You’ll work with your therapist to identify the root cause of your OCD. Using EMDR therapy, they’ll help you re-experience these memories. But instead of the emotions being as strong as they were when the event originally occurred, they’ll be much more manageable. You’ll be able to process these emotions and move on from them. You’ll be able to let them go and not let them hold you back anymore.

You’ll learn how to manage distress through stabilising techniques

One of the other things that EMDR therapy does is to help you learn how to manage distress. This can help you keep anxiety and distress at bay throughout your therapy. This is vital because much of the distress that comes from OCD is from the distress and discomfort of the symptoms. Without those, you can begin to take back control of your life again. There are many techniques that you can use to manage distress. You can use breathing exercises, visual imagery, or even self-talk to help you stay calm and in control during your therapy. Your therapist will be able to help you select the techniques that will work best for you. This can help you to stay focused on your therapy and not be distracted by the distress of your symptoms.

You’ll learn to understand that you are not your OCD

You are not your OCD. It is something that you have, but it doesn’t define you. You are so much more than your OCD. Instead, it is something that you have. It’s like a part of your brain that is broken. It’s like a computer that’s being overtaken by a virus. You are the programmer, and your OCD is the virus. You can reprogram that computer to function again. You can fix the virus and have the computer run smoothly again. You can do the same with your brain. You can program it to respond to these thoughts and fears in a different way. You can reprogram your brain so that it doesn’t become overtaken by the OCD virus.

EMDR will show you how to respond to present triggers

When you’re in the middle of an OCD episode, you might feel like you have no control over your thoughts and behaviours. You might feel like you have no way of escaping them. This can be so debilitating, and it can really affect your ability to function at work and in your relationships. EMDR therapy also helps you respond to present triggers. So if you have a trigger that brings up your OCD, you can use the skills you’ve learned in therapy to respond to that trigger in a different way. You can learn techniques that help you to stay grounded in the present. You can learn techniques that help you to focus on what’s going on around you. You can learn techniques that help you to stay focused on your goals. You can learn techniques that help you to respond to your OCD in a healthy way.

The evidence for EMDR as a treatment for OCD is growing

There is a growing evidence base to suggest that EMDR therapy is an effective treatment for OCD. There have been many trials that show that people who receive EMDR therapy experience a significant reduction in symptoms compared to those who receive a placebo therapy or no therapy at all. There has also been a shift in how the medical community views EMDR therapy. A review in 2015 found that EMDR therapy is a safe and effective treatment for several conditions including PTSD, anxiety, and OCD. This is good news for people with OCD who want to pursue EMDR therapy as a treatment for their disorder.

Conclusion

All in all, EMDR therapy is a very effective treatment for OCD. It will help you to process the memories that led to your OCD. It will help you manage distress through stabilising techniques. It will help you understand that you are not your OCD. It will show you how to respond to present triggers. And the evidence for EMDR as a treatment for OCD is growing. If you’re struggling with OCD, you don’t have to suffer in silence. There are a lot of people out there who are going through the same thing as you. You can learn how to use EMDR therapy to overcome your OCD, and you can get your life back.