Obsessive compulsion disorder (OCD) is more common than most people think. The most common types of OCD include continuous hand washing, continuous cleaning and repeatedly checking locks, light switches and taps or checking there work is correct many times. But they can go a lot deeper.
Often it can be a very traumatic experience, stress or anxiety that can cause the person to build up a fear possibly of contamination, the house burning down or almost about anything. It can even be thoughts of what they might be capable of themselves, attacking someone, even murdering someone, these thoughts then become the obsession. Rituals may well then develop that must be performed to avoid the obsession becoming reality. There can be a set amount of times they might have to perform these rituals to make really sure. For example, checking the front door is locked 10 or 20 times and even going back to check again. If these rituals are not performed anxiety, stress and fear can build to an enormously high level compelling the person to complete the ritual even when the original fear has been forgotten.
Hypnotherapy, being deep relaxation, can help us to learn to relax ourselves down taking away anxiety, stress and fear and allowing us to feel calmer. Through good counselling, we may discover the initial fear or what traumatic experience started the intrusive thoughts. While in that very relaxed state the subconscious mind can learn new ways to deal with or turn away those intrusive obsessive thoughts.