- Date posted
- 3y
- Date posted
- 3y
I think the percentage thing is innacurate. The goal is to learn to live with the thoughts, and just not pay attention to them as much as you would before therapy.
- Date posted
- 3y
Try not to compare yourself with anyone else either. I have gone years with little anxiety from my thoughts, then I’m triggered and fall back into engaging with them for a month or so. Then repeat. You will learn at your own pace:)
- Date posted
- 3y
@emmy sue I’m bad about comparing myself. It’s hard and then I’m like I don’t have ocd 🤷🏽♂️
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- 3y
@emmy sue Thank you. Yeah I don’t expect the thoughts to go away. When I have moments of clarity and my ocd isn’t bothering me, I still have the thoughts but my brain doesn’t see them as a threat. It’s weird how that works
- Date posted
- 3y
Yeah we can’t make thoughts disappear and recovery doesn’t mean that the thoughts will disappear. I had the misunderstanding that they would disappear because I wanted them to so badly
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- 3y
Yeah I just want the anxiety to go away really. But even when the anxiety is gone there’s just some thing about the OCD that causes discomfort. I have a lot of moments every now and then for a few days at a time where my head is clear and while I still have the thoughts during that time they just don’t bother me at all
- Date posted
- 3y
@Ocdislame Yeah I totally feel that cause I’m the same way bro.
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- 3y
I like to think of it as “how life is managable with them”. That bit of u is still going to be there, but learning how to be unfazed is the goal
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- 3y
Everyone’s percentages are different. Mine was a big reduction but I also had other intense therapy for childhood trauma, so I learned even more coping mechanisms too. You can’t get rid of OCD and its symptoms. You can’t control or stop your thoughts but they don’t matter. What matters is your REACTION. And that’s the key to ERP and coping mechanisms for when intrusive thoughts come back up.
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- 3y
For me it’s just so crazy when I have these days where nothing seems to bother me. I still have the thoughts but the thoughts don’t trigger any sort of anxiety. I guess that’s what I’m aiming for
- Date posted
- 3y
Like other comments say, yes it depends on the individual and I think the intensity of therapy affects too. Doing intensive erp therapy dramatically decreased my symptoms, but I don’t think it ever does 100% as I have come to accept that Ocd will always be the natural bend of my brain. But now instead of having control of my life, taking care of it feels more like maintainence and is very manageable, with small relapses, but never even half as bad as how I was before.
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- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 25w
So you got to ask me anything… Now I’d like to ask you something! I’ve heard from Members that they were so scared coming to their first ERP session. They were terrified that I would think they were crazy, that I would tell them their worst fears were true. That I would confirm they are some form of a terrible person or have them hauled off to prison for their thoughts. I’ve also had Members share how they’re very scared to begin ERP treatment because they’ve researched enough to know it means facing the fear, without the compulsions that have kept them feeling safe (but not really safe) this entire time. They struggled to see how they could be capable of doing this, while simultaneously acknowledging that they did not want to live like this anymore. If you have had your first session, what were your thoughts before? Did you have any hesitations or fears going into it? How did it turn out? If you haven’t yet begun to work with an ERP specialist, what is holding you back?
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 25w
i am starting NOCD therapy on monday and was just curious on others’ experiences! what happens in your sessions, generally speaking? how do you feel during and after? i’m excited but also nervous to start. i’ve been in talk therapy for years with minimal improvement with my ocd, so im hopeful to start feeling better.
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- Date posted
- 25w
I’m starting NOCD. I had several years of cbt as a child (well over 20 years ago) and I see a trauma therapist. But now I’ll be seeking further help for OCD and just really scared. CBT wasn’t helpful for me. How has ERP been helpful for you? Do you feel like you’ll finally get your life back? I’m consumed by my obsessions 😢 Would love others feedback if ERP helped you ❤️
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