Cingulotomy Treatment in India

Olivia Das, a 42-year-old architect and...

Olivia Das, a 42-year-old architect and mother of two, had a history of severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for over 15 years. Her life was consumed by intrusive thoughts of harm coming to her children, leading to exhausting rituals like checking locks and appliances dozens of times each night. She washed her hands until they were raw. Despite trying over ten different medications, intensive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and even transcranial magnetic stimulation, her symptoms remained debilitating. Her psychiatrist and a neurosurgeon recommended a cingulotomy, explaining it as a last-resort procedure to interrupt the overactive brain circuits driving her OCD. Olivia was terrified but desperate for a life not ruled by fear. The stereotactic surgery, performed under local anesthesia, was precise and she felt no pain. The initial recovery was swift, but the true outcome unfolded over months. The constant 'noise' of obsessive thoughts gradually quieted. For the first time in years, she could read her children a bedtime story without being hijacked by mental rituals. While not a 'cure,' the procedure gave her the mental space to effectively engage with therapy. Emotionally, she moved from a state of hopeless captivity to one of cautious, profound gratitude, reclaiming her role as a present mother and a creative professional.