Treatment for OCD …. Metacognitive Therapy

[Petal22]

Hi everyone,

I wanted this thread to be about the effective treatment I used to conquer my OCD…..to give others HOPE that are battling this cruel disorder…

The treatment I was given started at my gp my gp put me on a antidepressant to manage my severe anxiety, I did a mental health plan with my gp this then enabled me to see a clinical phycologist and I saw a psychiatrist my psychiatrist diagnosed me with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder this then led me to a clinic at a university that specialised in OCD….. this clinic was run by trainees and overseen by a doctor….. The therapy I did was “Metacognitive Therapy“ this therapy changed my life…. and I am forever grateful that I got to do this therapy…. It taught me how to master my OCD….. I’m now recovered thanks to all the health professionals that helped me and this therapy…. this therapy was an intervention into the OCD…

This therapy was an 8 week therapy I learned what my vicious OCD cycle was and all the things that kept me in this cycle…… I was taught various tools to help me to disengage from the OCD cycle when I became aware I was getting caught up in it.

This vicious cycle I was stuck in was also accompanied by severe anxiety…by learning the therapy my anxiety dramatically dropped because I wasn’t getting further and further into the vicious OCD cycle……. It takes perseverance and practice to learn the skills but once you learn them you will begin to fly…

I learned meditation also in my therapy… we did a guided meditation for learning to watch our thoughts I did this through out my therapy and I credit meditation to one of the tools that got me over the line…. Meditation teaches you to be the watcher of your thoughts….. we are not our thoughts but the observer of our thoughts…

We were taught mindfulness, attention training, thought challenging and many other strategies and tools to help us.

If you are suffering with OCD, I highly recommend for you to try and do Metacognitive Therapy in your area for OCD….. it changed my life and there is HOPE that it can change yours aswell ❤️🦋

I’m always here to chat to you 😊

[KayElle]

Wow, your story has given me hope when I have been feeling completely hopeless of late. Having suffered from this for many years with many failed attempts of treatment, this sounds like something I need to try. I have tried something similar, but are you able to recommend the person who helped you?

[Petal22]

Hi KayElle,

Wellcome to our forums!

Im so glad that my story has given you hope I really am.

Im sorry that you have been feeling hopeless lately….. OCD is such a cruel disorder I understand.

Due to the nature of these forums I am unable to give you recommendations I’m really sorry…… but you can look up our below website https/www.beyondblue.org.au/get support /find-a-professional

or maybe try to google a OCD therapy clinic in your area that specialises in OCD.

If you are seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist maybe you could ask them if they know of this therapy in your area.

Im really happy to chat to you more about OCD and how you can intervene with it… please ask me any questions

What type of strategies were you taught in your previous therapies?

Have you ever tried a guided meditation for learning to watch your thoughts ? I believe meditation got me over the line with mastering my condition.

Please never give up hope…….. you will find something that works for you…….

OCD really is a marathon but it’s one you CAN win……keep persevering and hang in there

I also wrong another thread you may be interested in reading…

From someone who had OCD and recovered

Im here to chat to you ….. your not alone

[Petal22]

The other thread was

From someone who suffered OCD and recovered

[mikeggg]

Hey thanks so much for posting this! 

I am very curious to know more about this ‘metacognitive therapy’. Is this the same as MCT created by Adrian Wells and has a focus on cognitive attentional syndrome? Or if not could you talk a bit more about what makes it metacognitive therapy? 

[Petal22]

Hi mikeggg,

Thats ok 😊

Metacognitive therapy was the therapy I was given at my OCD group therapy sessions.

Im not sure where it originated from.

We learned what can be done about our meta cognitions ( our thinking).

Identify and challenge our meta cognitive beliefs about our intrusive thoughts .

The therapy I did in its self was amazing for anyone who suffers with OCD.

The 8 week therapy was all timely done through out the weeks so each week we progressed and I believe became more aware of how we thought about certain things and we then learned how to change that thinking.

We also did homework.

We learned what the OCD cycle was and then how to disengage from it with the skills where taught in therapy.

[Summer Rose]

Hi Petal and wave to others

If I’ve told you this before I apologise, but your success with MTC is awesome. Not many people can “beat” OCD. In fact, some 40 per cent of people experiencing OCD will have a life long battle. So, well done to you.

I’m weighing in to the conversation to provide balance, as I don’t believe it’s true or fair to say MTC “ is amazing for anyone who suffers with OCD”. It was for you, but this doesn’t mean it will be for anyone.

More evidence regarding this treatment is required. And even with evidence—for example CBT is generally regarded as the gold standard and there are many studies to substantiate this—it’s a stretch to say a treatment will suit anyone.

BB publishes a booklet called “What works for anxiety” and there is a section on MTC and OCD. Here’s an excerpt:
OCD

Three small studies found that symptoms improved after receiving MCT. However, there were no comparison groups without treatment. A fourth study showed that MCT was more effective than medication for improving OCD symptoms.
Are there any risks?
None are known.
Recommendation
It is not yet known if MCT is an effective treatment for anxiety. Better-quality studies are needed.

Kind thoughts to you

[Petal22]

Hi Summer Rose,

And thank you.

I totally understand what you are saying and “ I believe” that Metacognitive Therapy was a great fit for me so I could learn how to master the condition.

I understand that not everyone is the same and may have different outcomes to myself.

Thanks for your kind words Summer Rose I do feel very fortunate to have overcome OCDs vicious cycle I know first hand at how debilitating this condition can be.

My condition was treated with Metacognitive therapy and medication ( an antidepressant)……

While I was learning what I needed to learn in therapy it was very confronting and having to sometimes expose myself to these thoughts was a very challenging process because they really scared me.

After the initial 8 weeks I still had alot of hard work in front of me because I had to work on driving the new system solely on my own which did cause me alot of turbulence over time but eventually everything came together and I learned not to get involved in the OCD cycle…… it wasn’t a quick fix it took perseverance and alot of practice and determination to master this condition.

I credit also the meditation I did in therapy that got me over the line it taught me to be the watcher or my thoughts and not get caught up in them.

Also learning what my OCD cycle was really helped because from knowing this I would get to know when I was getting caught up in it and then how to disengage with the tools and skills I was taught.

[Summer Rose]

Hi Petal

So proud of you! A long and challenging road but you did it.

I understand where you’re coming from and why you “believe” in MCT —it worked for you.

OCD is a very tricky illness to treat and every case is different. The “one size fits all” approach to treatment doesn’t apply.
After reading your initial posts quite some time ago I got really interested in it and hopeful. But in my case it turned out to be false hope. Looking into TMS at present.
Kind thoughts to you 

[Petal22]

Thanks Summer Rose yes it is a long and challenging road and yes it's not a one size fits all approach.

Everyone is different, I'm sorry this approach was false hope in your case.

I just wanted to share a pod cast with you that you may be interested in listening to: 

news.curtin.edu.au

Dr Rebbecca Anderson (an expert in OCD)  talks about various things relating to OCD and also about a trail they where conducting in TDCS.

I also hope that what you are currently looking into is helpful for you.

Kind thoughts and best wishes to you also.