I’ve been going like all out in ERP to make sure that the anxiety stops and now I’m trying to understand if this is a compulsion ? And if it is what do I do ?
ERP isn’t to get rid of the anxious feeling… so it is becoming a compulsion. ERP is to change the way we respond to the anxious feelings and intrusive thoughts.
You need to rethink how you’re going about ERP. It’s best to do it with the guidance of a professional. If that’s not possible you need to remember to let the anxious feeling remain. Don’t find it or measure it just let it run in the background whilst you do your exposure. Be present in the moment of the exposure…
@thrutheweather Don’t time it*
@thrutheweather I do have a therapist but we do telehealth
@artsygirl Is your therapist an OCD specialist?
@thrutheweather Of course
@thrutheweather Staying present is very hard for me though. I feel like I go off thinking in my head even doing exposures
@artsygirl Nobody says it was easy… ERP takes work. You have to want to get better at dealing with the thoughts not wanting to get rid of the thoughts and anxious feeling. OCD is chronic so you need to learn to cope and respond when flare ups do happen. If you put in the work and deal with the uncomfortable feelings during treatment you’ll hopefully ‘recover’ and be able to shrug off thoughts like people without OCD can. Everyone has intrusive thoughts… you can’t get rid of them. You can only change how you respond to them.. this is the point of ERP & ACT.
@artsygirl ‘Nobody said it was easy’ my mind feels like alphabet soup 🤣🤣🤣
@thrutheweather This was unhelpful and honestly a punch in the face. I work VERY hard at ERP and have for a year and half so I am very aware that it is difficult. I have just recently figured out that this may be a compulsion and I was looking for help- not that I need to learn how to cope. I’m aware I need to do that. I’m trying to figure out HOW when ERP is treatment.
@artsygirl And lastly- white knuckling it isn’t the answer because I’ve been doing that and it isn’t working.
@artsygirl You’ve taken my comment completely wrong. I wasn’t implying you aren’t trying hard I was simply stating that it isn’t easy. I was quoting Coldplay… sorry if it sounded condescending. But what I’m telling you is that you have to put the work in to work through wanting to get rid of the anxious feeling. Someone in recovery told me this and I reacted exactly how you have and upon reflection they were right. I didn’t want to get better I just wanted the anxious feeling to go. I recommend that you go back to your therapist and tell them your experience so they can review your plan and hierarchy and start working with you to make ERP more effective… it might mean also trying ACT. Again apologies for any offence. Enjoy the rest of your day.
You don’t get rid of it, you get used to uncomfortable feelings and intrusive thoughts/images/feelings.
@Nica I guess I’m doing it because I want to get better and I want them to decrease? I don’t know if that’s compulsive
What would I do for ERP if my OCD says because I didn’t do something correctly or remember something I will have panic attacks that don’t end?
Anyone have any tips on not making ERP a compulsion? I find myself sometimes wanting to do exposures in order to make myself feel better (feel my anxiety go down and feel relief). 😅
I'm trying to get my head around ERP. What is the best way to describe how it's a "solution." Imo I think OCD happens with people who are very concerned with their own genuine integrity and probably their own "morality." So when something (like an uncomfortable "real event" that actually happened) messes that up, it's hard to grapple with that...hence the endless rumination and trying to "problem solve" it. But the mind doesn't let you sleep (i.e. OCD) if something is controversial and doesn't sit with you. Or if you obsess over something and it's based on a rooted fear. You just can't "let it go," it has to be addressed and dealt with. But what happens when it is NEVER dealt with? How does ERP address that dilemma as a permanent solution? Or does ERP only address compulsions and anxiety, but it doesn't actually deal with the issue causing it. Do you ever get REAL peace of mind? Or is just something to make you feel "less anxious" etc? Thanks I just want peace of mind. I haven't had true peace of mind in several years.
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