OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD) TREATMENT
WHAT IS OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD)?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic disorder in which affected individuals have uncontrollable thoughts and/or behaviors that they feel compelled to repeat over and over. This can manifest in a number of ways such as the excessive repetition of hand washing, checking doors to ensure that they are locked, preforming simple actions multiple times, or repeatedly counting items.
In the U.S., about 1 in every 40 adults and 1 in every 100 children are diagnosed with OCD. It can be a debilitating condition without proper treatment, and can consume an individual’s life. The causes of OCD remain unclear. However, doctors believe that risk factors include stress, physical brain abnormalities, and past trauma.
Medication and psychotherapy are common treatments for OCD, and can significantly reduce symptoms. Neurofeedback therapy has also been found to significantly improve symptoms using a non-invasive, medication-free approach that can help correct imbalances in brain structure and circuitry.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Symptoms:
Compulsive counting
Excessive cleaning or handwashing
Experience extreme daily challenges due to compulsive thoughts or behaviors
Fear of germs or contamination
Great attention to detail
Inability to control or stop thoughts and behaviors
Need for items to be ordered or arrangements in precise ways
Obsessive tendency towards perfectionism or orderliness
Repeatedly checking on things
Neurofeedback Treatment for OCD
Neurofeedback is a great method that has been proven to be effective for decreasing symptoms of OCD, and improving overall mental health. When one has OCD, neural circuits in the brain associated with obsessive thoughts and behaviors are strongly engrained over time. While affected individuals often don’t experience pleasure while completing compulsive behaviors, it does provide temporary relief from underlying anxiety that reinforces these neural networks over time. Neurofeedback therapy can target these regions of the brain and weaken them through operant conditioning methods (i.e. removing rewards when these circuits are firing). It can also reward the creation of new neural pathways to help individuals break out of obsessive thought and behavior patterns.
How does Neurofeedback work?
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1. Brain map
Brainwave assessment identifies imbalances and helps to create a personalized treatment plan.
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2. Treatment setup
Non-invasive sensors and headphones are placed on your head and the treatment session begins.
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3. Brain activation
Software translates your brainwave data and stops or starts audio/visual media based on your brain activity.
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4. Conditioning
In response to the audio/visual feedback, your brain adapts and learns to regulate your brainwaves and build new, healthy neural pathways.
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5. Brain Training
Over time with continuous brain training, healthy brain activity in target regions increases, and symptom-associated activity decreases.
3 steps away from getting help
Step 1: Schedule a consult
Complete the simple form on the bottom of this page or call us directly (212) 877-2130 for questions or to schedule.
Step 2: Intake, Assessment and Brain map
You can share your mental issues in the intake and we schedule the brain- and neurocognitive assessment. A complete Brain map is part of the personalized treatment plan
Step 3: Start program and expect noticeable results
During the training program you will experience results within a few sessions. Personalized brain training can quickly improve the quality of life with long lasting results.
Related Research
Obsessive compulsive disorder and the efficacy of qEEG-guided neurofeedback treatment: a case series. Click Here