Christian Counseling for Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

OCD, one of the most detrimental mental health conditions, causes excessive anxiety and intrusive thoughts, along with compulsive rituals. Those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) frequently experience a lot of anguish as a result of intrusive thoughts, compulsive rituals, and other OCD symptoms. Do you over-analyze each conversation you have? Are you hyper-concerned about how you come across to those you interact with? Do you develop habits and fixations that you believe will help reduce your worries and reduce the risk of bad things happening? If so, you might have OCD. 

However, there is hope. Through appropriate Christian counseling at restoration Counseling, you may free yourself from the mental chains of OCD and reclaim control of your life.

What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental illness. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) experience repetitive behaviors, uncontrollable urges or thoughts (obsessions or compulsions). In some cases, people might experience both obsessions and compulsions. 

With OCD, you may feel compelled to count everything or wash your hands excessively after encountering an unclean object. An obsessive thought might be that a specific number or color is “good” or “bad.” Although you may not want to think or do these things, you feel unable to resist them. 

OCD Symptoms

An obsessive-compulsive disorder usually involves both obsessions and compulsions, but someone with the condition may only experience compulsion symptoms or obsession symptoms. You may not realize that your symptoms of ocd are unreasonable or excessive, but they consume a large amount of time and detract from your everyday routine and work or school performance. 

Obsession Symptoms 

An obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) obsession is an intrusive, persistent, and unwanted thought, urge, or image that disrupts your thoughts and causes distress or anxiety. You may try to banish them or perform a compulsive behavior or ritual to distract yourself from them since they frequently interrupt your thoughts. Common obsessions include: 

• Fear of dirt/contamination
• Requiring symmetry
• Intolerance for uncertainty
• Thoughts of harming oneself or others
• Unwanted, intrusive thoughts 

Compulsion Symptoms 

When you have OCD, you feel compelled to perform repetitive actions or mental routines. Despite the fact that performing these compulsions does not provide any enjoyment and only provides a short amount of relief from anxiety, they are meant to reduce your anxiety related to your obsessions and effectively prevent something bad from happening. You may create rules or rituals to follow that help you control your anxiety when you have obsessive thoughts. These compulsions are excessive and often unrelated to the problems they’re supposed to address. These may include: 

• Excessive cleaning
• Counting
• Rearranging
• Excessive hand washing
• Following routine
• Requiring reassurance
• Double and triple-checking

Risk Factors: What Causes OCD?

A compulsive disorder may be more likely to develop as a result of a number of factors that you are born with. These may include: 

• Genetics- Having family members with OCD is a risk factor for developing the condition because about 50% of the risk is determined by genes.  The closer these individuals are to your immediate family, the higher your risk—especially if their OCD began in childhood or adolescence.
• Gender – According to research, males are more vulnerable to developing OCD in childhood. However, males and females have the same likelihood of developing the condition once they reach adolescence. It is significant to note that individuals with OCD may exhibit distinct symptoms. Men are more likely to report issues related to sexuality, precision, and symmetry, while ladies report on issues related to contamination and cleaning. 
• Personality – Personality characteristics may contribute to the development of OCD by making people more vulnerable. For example, people who tend to be neurotic may be more susceptible to developing OCD. 
• Socioeconomic Class – It’s unclear whether lower socioeconomic status is a cause or consequence of OCD symptoms, but it is definitely a risk factor. 
• Brain structure – It is unknown how OCD affects the brain, but there seems to be a connection. More research is required to better understand this connection. 

How is OCD Diagnosed?

There is no test for OCD. An OCD diagnosis is made by a healthcare professional after a discussion of symptoms using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-V). The DSM-V defines OCD based on a series of precise criteria. A diagnosis of OCD typically requires the following: 

• The individual suffers from obsessions, compulsions, or both. 
• These compulsions and obsessions cause significant distress and interfere with the individual’s personal life
• The symptoms are not caused by external factors such as drugs, alcohol, medications, or other health issues. 

When to Seek Help for Your OCD

Individuals who suffer from OCD often avoid treatment because they believe their symptoms are not severe enough. Even individuals who have severe OCD symptoms may benefit from therapy, especially if those symptoms are becoming disruptive or unmanageable. Here are a few signs that you may be ready for OCD treatment: 

• Symptoms cause distress – Someone with OCD may experience distress when they perform compulsions that conflict with their personal beliefs or values. It is not uncommon for those with OCD to be extremely upset because they don’t want to have certain thoughts or engage in specific behaviors, yet they are forced to do so. You may feel some relief after performing compulsions if you are feeling anxious, but this is frequently outweighed by the dismay associated with obsessive thoughts and compulsions. 
  
• OCD takes up a considerable amount of time – OCD symptoms take up a lot of time. Compulsions take up time both physically and mentally, and therefore it is worthwhile to seek help if you think you’re spending too much time on your symptoms.
  
• Symptoms are disrupting your life – Having OCD makes daily life more difficult and unmanageable. Do your symptoms interfere with your daily routine? This includes having difficulty getting ready in the morning, performing regular chores, going to school or work, or spending time with family and friends. 
  

If you feel that OCD is preventing you from living the life you desire, you should seek treatment immediately. Everyone receives OCD treatment differently, but early intervention can help diminish symptoms and help you regain control of your life. The sooner you begin OCD therapy, the sooner you can begin your journey towards recovery.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment Options

Currently, there are several OCD treatment options, each offering its own level of efficacy and possible side effects. Your doctor or counselor can help you choose the therapy that is most suitable for your symptoms and needs. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for OCD 

OCD is primarily treated with CBT, a type of talking therapy. CBT, which concentrates on the thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and physical reactions that contribute to OCD, is a mental health professional’s first choice. As the patient becomes familiar with OCD’s various characteristics and begins to alleviate its symptoms, CBT adheres to a patient. 

Several therapies, including ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), have grown out of CBT to serve patients with OCD better. Through acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), the therapist encourages the patient to be open and flexible as they respond to OCD symptoms. It is the therapist who assists the patient in defining and pursuing their own well-being. 

Exposure and Response Therapy for OCD

Patients with OCD can benefit from an additional therapy called exposure and response therapy (ERP). ERP gradually exposes the patient to OCD-associated stimuli in order to help them overcome their OCD. With ERP, patients are not forced to respond to stimuli compulsively, and they eventually come to terms with managing OCD-related, anxiety-provoking behavior. 

Christian Counseling for OCD 

Christian counseling for OCD aims to decrease your symptoms and reverse the negative effects on your life and relationships. The counselor may also treat additional conditions such as depression or substance abuse in individuals with OCD. In these instances, the most common and successful strategy utilized in Christian OCD therapy is exposure and response prevention, which includes identifying your obsessions and compulsions, avoiding the things that trigger compulsions, repeatedly resisting compulsive acts, and overcoming faulty beliefs that cause OCD behavior. 

Restoration Counseling is Ready to Help 

Why select a Christian counselor in Asheville to help you with your OCD? The answer is simple—At Restoration Counseling, there is no judgment.  We work with you to ensure that you feel listened to and respected while attempting to help you reach your recovery goals. 

Because we believe that a biblical approach can bring tremendous healing and freedom, faith can play an important role in our therapy. While many secular counselors would claim that OCD cannot be ‘cured,’ but only a selection of management tools to help the individual continue with their life, we believe that God can achieve anything. Because of prayerful therapy, expert techniques, and the Holy Spirit working through it all, we believe that full recovery is not only achievable but probable. 

To learn more about our OCD counseling or any of our other services, contact the professionals at Restoration Counseling today. You are not alone.