did erp consistently for 2 days and already feeling a lot better. It’s crazy how it works

You can text me on ig @ aye.captain2000 where I talk to other ocd ridden friends I am very happy to help. It’s more convenient there. 🫂

If you have a therapist they will guide you through it and assign how many exposures to do. If you don’t have access to therapy you can do things like sitting with the thoughts, delaying/ not engaging in compulsions, and accepting uncertainty. Don’t do any I intense exposures without a therapist. If you wanna try small ones you can try writing down and looking at triggering words, or saying something like “yep” or “maybe!” to the thoughts instead of trying to figure them out.

@Isabella Ideally you should be doing it everyday, even when it’s not bothering you

@SuzyBae I've just dropped you a follow. Thank you again!

You should watch “ali greymond” on YouTube she explains erp and how the ocd brain works very well

@Lewis Check your dm.

@Isabella I don't think I can afford it. I think I can handle my extreme exposures, they're the only ones that bother me 😔

@Lewis Be careful, you have to start with small ones and work your way up. Maybe don’t try the highest one right away and try a medium level one and go from there?

@Isabella I'm going to give that a go. Do you write them down and rank them?

@Lewis Hi, 1) The reason for starting with small exposures for your triggers is because the goal with exposures js reaponse prevention. When we start small and do no do any compulsions and succeed with that level exposure a few times, then we move up the intensity level. That is how we retrain our brains that we can handle the triggers wjth out doing compulsions 2) i have found the Exercise Tool on this app verry helpful with building exposures - it gives suggestions . You can click on tools, then. Exercise. 3) if you havent checked then out yet, i highly recommend the free community grouos. It is a safe space to share ocd struggles with others that truely get it and i love them because they are solution based and all about sharing support and resources. https://www.treatmyocd.com/support-groups

@HappyTurtle (Roxanne) Oh wow… sorry for all the spelling errors!!! Apparently thats what happens when i post with out my glasses!!! 🤣 Not deleting that post is a minni exposure for me!

@HappyTurtle (Roxanne) Thank you for your advice! I have been trying to add my triggers and exposures to the app but it gets a bit confusing. I am going to write several scripts and rate them in Hierarchy. Then start from the bottom. But I'll use the app and timer as I read through the script. Can I ask how you avoid compulsing when they are in your head? What do you focus on?

@Lewis For me, what helps with mental compulsions is to recgonize them and then re-focus on the moment or task at hand. If i am doing compulsions during a structured exposure, then i make it smaller and shorter. One of my biggest triggers i started with only 10 seconds with the actual trigger and then sitting with the distress and not doing compulsions or any coping skills till the distress was down to half, then i would get up and end the exposure. As time went on i got to the point i could sit with thr trigger the whole exposure and the distress would come back down to half in 10 min or so. I was told that it was training the body that it can be triggered and distressed and come back down on its own. When I am just living life and am exposed to a trigger, i do my best not to do compulsions and will use coping tools to help me accomplish what i need to do in that moment - with the goal of reducing and eliminating any compulsions or coping tools to accomplish that activity in the future. I use those situations to help identify what i need to do structured exposures on in the future. Another thing that helped me outside exposures with mental compulsions that are constant, is to pick one specific thing and track ithe 3 following things by the hour for a day. - Urge to do compulsion, (Anything that would nutralize the distress) - Did a compulsion - Reverse the compulsion (If it was physical and i clean aomethjng, i make jt dirty, if its mental and i spent time trying to find certainly i throw back in something that brings back the uncertainty) The bigest triger i referenced was a life long trigger and now is almost nothing! ERP really does work, i was so skeptical at first!! Everyone js different, happy to share the approach that worked for me incase any of it is helpful. Best advice i received is to work on self compassion and if something isnt working, dont try harder, try different. Hope some of that helps. 😊

@HappyTurtle (Roxanne) Hi again, Thank you for that. I'll respond properly later! So for your exposures how did you expose yourself to it? (Like dumb it down for me) Did you write it down, read it out and sit with it? Or is there another method? Also, I'm really struggling with even being outside now. How do I deal with OCD when it's taking over my head in the moment? Thanks again