Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is unfortunately a very common anxiety disorder nowadays, its main characteristics being recurrent intrusive thoughts that have a good chance to result in repetitive behavior. The patient gets unwanted thoughts or obsessions that keep coming to his or her mind in the form of fears, worries and even a strong need to do things. These obsessions are likely to worsen if the person is under stress.The behaviors resulting from someone's obsessive thoughts are called compulsions and look like some rituals; the patient repeats certain actions (such as washing hands, as most of them seem to be bothered by the existence of germs) in an obsessive manner.

Music Therapy is just one of a number of alternative therapies that can be used alongside the more traditional routes to treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a therapist will help you to deal with situations that can cause the anxiety that leads to the obsessions and compulsive behaviour. The right music has often been used to relax people and it is possible that, by playing music, anxiety levels can be reduced. Through CBT someone with OCD could be taught to recognise the situations when anxiety levels may rise and to use pre-chosen pieces of music to reduce them.

Music therapy and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - Learning to play:Learning to play an instrument is also a positive way to reduce the opportunities for obsessive thoughts. Replacing negative compulsive behaviours with a positive one ? learning to play an instrument would have two benefits. The main benefit would be to reduce and eventually eliminate your compulsive behaviour, the second is to be able to play either a new instrument or play it better.

If music is not your ?thing? however, there are other alternative therapies available. There's no scientific evidence that these can offer an effective remedy to OCD, but they can help where all other options have failed.

Hypnotherapy to reduce compulsive behaviours:Hypnotherapy has achieved a level of success in reducing compulsive behaviours and can help to reduce the anxiety that seems to trigger the obsessive thoughts. The technique uses hypnosis to reach into your subconscious mind for solutions to problems that your conscious mind can't cope with. Through hypnosis the subconscious mind is accessed which allows you to respond to visualisation and suggestion in order to change and improve your behaviour patterns.

Fish Oils and Essential Fatty Acids e.g. Omega-3 relieves stress:Still in early stages of research, it has been identified that omega-3 can help relieve depression and stress that are believed to be triggers for OCD. However, scientists are finding there are other health benefits too, such as:

* Preventing certain cancers.

* Treating rheumatoid arthritis.

* Controlling diabetes.

* Easing menstrual cramps and the associated pain.

* Easing mood swings.

* Prevention and treatment of heart disease, including high blood pressure.v

While all fish contain these fats, cold-water fish like salmon, sea bass, tuna, trout and mackerel are particularly rich sources.

Herbal Remedies for OCD:Research into the benefits of certain herbs as an alternative to other chemical forms of medication is still taking place. It has long been identified that certain herbs are beneficial in treating various ailments. For example, St. John's Wort has undergone extensive investigation as an effective remedy to mild to moderate depression, without the side effects of medication. Other herbs such as Valerian, Gingko Biloba, Passionflower, Chamomile, Lemon Balm (also known as Melissa) and Reishi can also have beneficial effects on mental health. However, it's as well to find out as much as possible from other reliable sources on the best way to use the herbs appropriately.Music therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is just one of many weapons that you can use to overcome your condition. Learn to use it as part of your strategy to beat your OCD.