- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y ago
Anxious
I’m beginning to start ERP next week with my therapist. Can anyone share what starting ERP is like? Will it drive me on edge?
I’m beginning to start ERP next week with my therapist. Can anyone share what starting ERP is like? Will it drive me on edge?
Hi Matthew L. Often beginning ERP is one of the biggest steps, as many people are confronting their fears for the first time. Some people describe a slight increase in symptoms at the beginning of therapy because of this; however, this increase is usually short-lived, with a large portion of our members experiencing a 35% (or more) reduction in symptoms within the first several weeks of treatment.
I have done ERP in an outpatient program and it changed my life. You get to choose your exposures that you are ready to challenge. It is uncomfortable but the end result for me was always "Oh! that wasn't so bad and I am totally fine!" Once you learn how to do them you can do them on your own and at your own pace when you're not in therapy. I did many at home and I made quick progress. I understand the anticipatory anxiety but it was life changing for me. Good luck and happy healing!
That's great to hear!
Hi everyone. I'm feeling kinda scared because I have to wait a whole month to start ERP therapy, but I feel like I need to start doing exposures now because the longer I wait, the more anxiety I get. It just feels like the OCD monster is getting worse. One thing that helps me is asking one person about an obsession I have...asking a person that I trust, and then doing an exposure after I get the "ok" to do it. I feel like I do need 1 reassurance and then I can go ahead and do it. I know i'm not supposed to ask for reassurance at all, but i dont think you're supposed to do ERP on your own right? Does anyone have any suggestions for what to do while waiting for therapy? PS-the reason there is a wait is bc she's on vacation. After she's back we will meet regularly.
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❤️
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?
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