- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y
I believe you helped me earlier this week with this same topic, so I want to return the favor. Don’t do any of your own ERP, and please, don’t Google search (not saying you did, but that’s what I did) I’ve managed to get my anxiety level down, but the thoughts are still running rampant. However, I have started a new therapy as well. I’ve decided to try and attack my faulty beliefs about myself. The reason why is because I went through an SOCD phase for a few months from 2020-2021, and I managed it, but now I have a new fear and its been more intense and scary. Wanna know what both themes have had in common? They stem from how I view myself. And I had to ask myself, “should I just keep trying to control the thoughts every time a new theme develops or should I try to uproot the way I look at myself, where the thoughts originate?” Because let’s face it, why just control the thoughts if you have deep wounds where the intrusive thoughts get you when you’re feeling vulnerable? Like why are you feeling vulnerable should be the question at the end of the day, not just the thoughts. So anyways, I also started Dialectal Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help me begin to shift the way I view myself. If you haven’t heard of it or haven’t tried it, I would def look into that if you have any…faulty core beliefs like I’ve had for several years.
Thank you 🙏🏼 and I’m glad you’re feeling better and making good changes!!!
@MCT Of course, keep that in mind. Really dig deep and see where the thoughts come from, if you know the root causes yet, that is.
Hi guys! I’m new to the community and I’ve recently received my OCD diagnosis (tho I’ve known about it since childhood). I’ve been somewhat spiraling lately as I wait for my first ERP session (hooray!) I was just wondering if any of you guys have received ERP for existential OCD and if it was successful? My existential OCD compulsions are more so mental and have been affecting me in the sense of dream/memory flashbacks and giving me a sort of “uncanny” feeling about everything around me. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you❤️
I feel like my Rocd has become more sophisticated. It’s made me feel as if my healthy loving boyfriend is this terrible person. Or I’ll be thinking to myself like “I love him”, and in middle thought I get “no you don’t”. It’s convinced me that our values and beliefs are just TOO different (we’ve only disagreed on one thing in our relationship, but we talk it out). It’s like my ocd is clinging on to every reason why I should break up, like I don’t want this anymore, even tho I do! It’s frustrating. And the idea of doing erp terrifies me. Because I’m afraid if I do erp statements, that I’ll agree with them. Can someone give insight
I used to get caught in a loop with existential thoughts very frequently. Every question made my stomach drop: (TW: existential questions) … … ... "Why does anything exist at all? What will death be like? Is anything even real? Is there any meaning to this? Is the universe infinitely big, and if not, what's beyond it? Are there multiverses? Has the universe been around forever? Will the universe end for good, or will it keep going forever? What is forever like? What even IS reality?" It would get so overwhelming that I remember lying on the floor in a fetal position for hours because I felt like there was no escape. I spent most of my days reading articles and watching videos about theoretical astrophysics and philosophy in a desperate attempt to "figure it all out." Of course that only made me more anxious, raised more questions, and kept me trapped in the cycle. Things started to improve once I learned to turn TOWARD reality, rather than away from it, and ERP really helped me do that. I learned that these questions weren't the problem. I learned that I can actually handle the anxiety that arises when exposed to these ideas and concepts. I don't have to figure anything out to make the anxiety go away; it arises and passes away on its own. Ironically, bringing myself into the present moment and becoming more aware of reality helped me escape the cycle of existential dread. Because of that, this topic no longer takes over my life. If I'm triggered by something I see, hear, or think, I may still feel a little twang of anxiety, but then it just goes away. "Maybe, maybe not" has been the single most useful phrase of my life. Do you ever get trapped in a cycle of existential questions? Are you worried that the ERP approach would be too scary to handle? If so, I'm happy to give my advice.
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