Paradoxical Intent

Paradoxical Intent is a well established principle to change a compulsive behavior.

A young man once came to Milton Erickson, the well known hypnotist and a therapist, and complained that he has just one problem otherwise his life is perfectly peaceful. His only problem was that he could not drive past the city limit. As soon as he reached the city limit, he feels nauseated and vomits then faints.

Milton looked at him and enquired whether truly he wanted to overcome this problem. Because some youngsters get kick in saying that they have problems. Milton knows that most of the time they do not have problems but they are the problem.

The young man emphatically gave the affirmative answer. OK, said Milton, “In that case you must follow my instruction faithfully and blindly. Tomorrow morning get up at 3.00 am and put on the best suit you have. Take the car and drive towards the city limit. Just few feet before the city limit, put the sudden break, kick the door violently and open it, just jump out of it, roll on the ground few times and lie down on the road for 15 minutes. Then get up and start driving back for 10 minutes stop the car and roll down on the ground and lie down. Then move towards the city limit, stop the car and do what I said before. Repeat the process for 15 times – forward and backward.” The young man, looked puzzled, but decided to do what was asked of him.

The next day, as he was told, he got up at 3.00 am and putting on his best suit started driving, as soon as he reached the city limit, stopped the car and rolled on the ground few times and lay down for fifteen minutes. Then reversed the car drove it for 10 minutes and did what was asked of him. Again he drove towards the city limit to perform the said rituals. After 5 times, it looked so funny, he just drove past the city limit and he did not have any panic attack. That day onwards, he had no problem in driving past the city limit. His compulsive behavior disappeared into the thin air.

When you want to overcome any compulsive behavior, consciously over do the same behavior. Somehow the mind gets sick of it and refuses to entertain that behavior. The best way to destroy an enemy is embrace him. By resisting you empower him.

But do not apply this principle blindly. Suppose you hate chillies, by over eating chillies you will not solve the problem, you will only get ulcer.

In face book, you can see the photo of our student, practically in all her photo; she will be eating ice cream. It can be out of choice or compulsion. If it is out of compulsion and if she wants to overcome, then the easiest way is getting a job at an ice cream parlor, may be as a sales manager, and eat ice cream all the time – finish off 100 Kg of ice cream in a day, and do it for a weak religiously (that company may go bankrupt, do not worry about it, for that we can do consultancy later) – at the end of the weak she will certainly overcome the compulsive behavior. If it is out of choice she is consuming ice cream, then also she should take up the job at an ice cream parlor and eat the ice cream whenever she likes. Placement committee must take note of this, and bring in an ice cream company for recruitment; salvation of a soul is at your hand.