Has anyone come to a point where ERP has been more harmful than helpful? I’ve been doing ERP with a therapist, but I have found that doing the exposures every day has kept my mind so focused on the fears that it feels like it is keeping me stuck. I decided to pause doing exposures for now, and it has been such a huge relief. I feel like I can actually set aside some of my fears and just live my life now, whereas before it felt like the exposures were keeping me from thinking of anything BUT the fears and intrusive thoughts. For example, many of my recent OCD themes have been centered on my relationship with my fiancé, fears about divorce, etc. So I was doing exposures around that, but the exposures just kept intensifying my fears and kept me from being excited about my upcoming wedding! Like, I’m trying to imagine any situation in which reading an article about the top 10 reasons people get divorced (one of my exposures) at least 5 times per day as someone is preparing for marriage could be helpful. It just made me even more scared and overwhelmed 😢 I’m wondering if any of you have had similar experiences

Anon.

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!

TylerN

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.

Anoymous

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.

n.celeste

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

Anoymous

Date posted: 2y

@n.celeste Yes, 100% you articulate it well.

Anonymous1990

Date posted: 25w

ERP

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 ❤️

"Pure" OCD

Mariabae

Date posted: 24w

i feel stuck and with no feeling or emotions

i feel like I can’t even enjoy time with my boyfriend anymore. No matter what we do, I’m constantly analyzing, checking, and questioning if I love him, if I feel anything, if I even want to be with him. It’s exhausting. I don’t feel happy, I don’t feel present, and I don’t know how to fix it. I’ve read about ERP, and I know it’s supposed to help, but I don’t know how to start. I feel like my fears are too real, like maybe this isn’t just ROCD—maybe I actually don’t love him, and I’m just scared to accept it. It feels like I’m lying to myself. I know my compulsions: I constantly check my feelings, analyze past memories, compare my relationship to others, and seek reassurance. I know I’m supposed to stop doing these things, but what do I do instead? What do I do when the thoughts hit me with full force and I feel completely numb? I’m scared to sit with the uncertainty. I’m scared that if I stop checking, I’ll realize I don’t love him. I want to do ERP, but I don’t even know where to begin. Has anyone successfully gone through this? How do you deal with the fear when it feels so real?

anxietypoops

Date posted: 23w

The RP in ERP

Hi! I've been on my OCD healing journey for about half a year and I have seen a lot of success. I'm reaching out for advice, I am very willing to do exposures because I know the more I do them, the more I get better, but I struggle with the response prevention part. I don't know how to control my brain when it comes to facing the fears especially since most of my compulsions are mental. I can tell myself the typical things "I am okay with the uncertainty of this happening", etc. but its like my brain doesn't believe them. I've been stuck in this disconnect for a while and would love advice you have heard from a therapist or learned that has really help you.

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Share your thoughts so the Community can respond

Related posts

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Be a part of the largest OCD Community