A woman who has battled OCD for 32 years will be one of the first people in Scotland to try out a controversial treatment using magnets.
Jo Arnold will undergo a form of therapy which involves bursts of magnetic energy being sent into her head.
The 42-year-old has been left terrified to drive in case she knocks someone over.
Now she hopes transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) will help her conquer her obsessive compulsive disorder.
Jo said: “It’s the first type of medical treatment outside of therapy that I’ve tried. My OCD began with cleanliness and germs but it’s grown into every area of my life.
“I have a fear of driving because I’m terrified I might knock somebody down or hurt an animal.
“I’m constantly checking things to ensure it’s safe. Using public toilets is horrific. I won’t drink water for hours because I try to avoid having to use public facilities.”
Jo, who works for a marketing firm, has tried various therapies, including neuro-linguistic programming, hypnotherapy, meditation retreats and evidence-based therapy.
Her symptoms started when she was 10, after her mum was diagnosed with cancer.
She manages her OCD with cognitive behavioural therapy but is desperate to find a quicker solution.
Jo, who lives in Glasgow, will pay £7000 to have TMS therapy at a clinic in Edinburgh next month.
She said: “I’m going to be the first person to have treatments with this clinician.”
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Side effects include headaches, burning sensations on scalp, memory loss and seizures in extreme cases.
But Jo added: “It’s got to a point where my OCD is so bad that I don’t see a future living like this any longer.”
