- Date posted
- 2y
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y
I have had similar experiences! My therapist told me if you’re at the point of doing the same ERP every day, not getting triggered really, and doing it as a preventative measure so you don’t slip back, it becomes a compulsion in a way. I also heard the Dr. From NOCD say something like when you get to that point, “flip a coin to decide if you are going to do ERP that day.” I think everyone is different, and people have to come to that conclusion on their own!
- Date posted
- 2y
I’ve found that mindset before going into an exposure plays a huge role. If I attempt to get through an exposure but I’m unsure of what will happen (if it will cause more intrusive thoughts, the anxiety doesn’t go away, ect) then it makes the exposure the way you described it. If I go into an exposure excited because I know it will only help me in the future, it makes it a lot easier to the point where I get through it and see the real side of things. Feeling weak or feeling strong, basically. You have to build yourself up.
- Date posted
- 2y
I feel this way about therapy and ERP since starting I have more a lot more thoughts pop in. But that wasn’t the case the first time i started doing ERP. Maybe b/c it was already so bad it couldn’t get worse.
- Date posted
- 2y
That has been my experience too! The first time I did ERP there was almost no way for it to get much worse. The thoughts were nearly constant and I wasn’t functioning. But now I am functioning and the thoughts are intermittent, so it felt like ERP was making the thoughts more frequent by making me dwell on the thoughts intentionally for over an hour each day. It felt like I was ingraining the thoughts and fears even more in my head
- Date posted
- 2y
@n.celeste Yes, 100% you articulate it well.
Related posts
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 17w
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?
- Date posted
- 17w
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 ❤️
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 13w
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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