Woman ‘trapped’ in her own mind for two decades finally has her life back thanks to Oldham therapy service
A 41-year-old woman named Liz from Oldham, who suffered from severe obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) for over 20 years, has regained control of her life thanks to NHS Oldham Talking Therapies. The service, run by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, provided her with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) sessions that helped her manage her condition effectively.
Oldham Woman Reclaims Life After 20-Year Battle with OCD
A 41-year-old Oldham woman who spent two decades trapped in obsessive checking rituals has transformed her life through a local NHS therapy service, learning to manage the condition that once controlled her every move.
Liz’s obsessive compulsive disorder manifested as intense fears about home safety, electrical fires, and harm to her pets. The condition dominated her daily routine - she spent hours photographing unplugged sockets, barricaded her bedroom door, and even used annual leave from work to return home for security checks. “I’d set specific times to leave so my neighbours wouldn’t watch me doing checks,” Liz revealed. “No matter how many times I checked the doors, I felt someone would break in.”
After her mental health deteriorated in November 2023, Liz self-referred to NHS Oldham Talking Therapies, run by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust. She began weekly sessions with high-intensity cognitive behavioural therapist Abida Akther, who helped her confront the misconceptions surrounding OCD. “It often presents itself in a very dark and powerful way,” Akther explained. “It’s a debilitating condition that significantly interferes with daily life.”
Through five months of therapy, Liz learned to challenge the false beliefs driving her compulsive behaviours and discovered that anxiety could naturally decrease without engaging in rituals. “Abida brought me such a long way in a short time,” Liz said. “I’ll always have obsessive compulsive disorder, but it no longer controls me. I can now accept it as part of who I am and live my life in a healthy and manageable way.”
NHS Oldham Talking Therapies provides support for people aged 16+ registered with an Oldham GP, treating conditions including OCD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD through self-referral at www.penninecare.nhs.uk/oldhamtalk.
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