Anyone else feel like they will lose control if they don’t do a compulsion?😭 i don’t know why because I know I won’t, but it’s always the what ifs….i have my first therapy session on Tuesday. Really hoping ERP works. If anyone can please give me some tips to ease my anxiety right now.. ❤️🥺❤️
Yes, that’s normal to feel that way, especially starting out. Since you’re so close to your first session of ERP with a professional, I’d suggest looking at your daily and nightly schedule—if you have one—and see areas where you can improve. If you don’t have a daily and nightly schedule, start planning one. Being really unorganized and not on a routine can make mental illnesses and stress worse. Also look at when you go to bed, how much hours of sleep you’re getting and then when you wake up. It’s suggested to have 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day for best cognitive functioning. Next, I would start practicing mindfulness, and that also includes reading up on how to start. Thich Nhat Hanh is amazing; he was a Zen Buddhist teacher that has a lot of books and guided meditations online. Meditation apps like Insight Timer or Calm will be of great use to you. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, limit your internet and device usage, and get used to going outside, even in cold days! Go for a walk on your own, with loved ones, or take your dog out for a good walk—if you have a dog, they’ll love it too. The key to getting better is to excepting uncertainty and letting your thoughts be present without fighting or arguing with them it needs to be there and you need to not engage with your OCD. Also do not alter your behavior for OCD in any way, shape, or form because if you give OCD an inch it will take 20 feet.
@Nica Thank you Nica. I have a fear of developing psychosis. I hate how I have to accept and sit with the discomfort but at the end of the day I’m truly never going to know and have to go on with my day and keep practicing and not engaging with my OCD. Some days are so hard🥺
@Anonymous It’s not that I hate it, that’s a strong word lol. But it does bring on a lot of anxiety. Ugh.
@Anonymous I hated the idea of it in the beginning g when I was working on POCD, but I had to make a decision: trust my therapist and ERP and get better or Arya miserable? I chose the first option after a decade of a miserable life. Best decision ever, but still scary. But scary won’t kill or hurt you—it just feels like it.
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?
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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