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

I find while doing exposures, rarely does my anxiety lessen. It usually amps up and stays that way for the remainder of the day. I could be having a fairly decent day, but dutifully do my exposures and then the rest of my day is anxiety filled. I guess that’s just how it is now? Also, I’m wondering if my therapist even believes I have OCD. I totally understand my therapist cannot provide reassurance. But it’s to the point it seems my therapist acts like I actually did the thing I fear. I feel so isolated.

I read about ERP and have seen information about it on here. One of the goals is to say, "maybe I am this or that...ect." That terrified me. The thoughts and images that go in my head are disturbing and upsetting. I don't want to even think about saying, "maybe this or that." It's devasting to have these thoughts and question why you're having these thoughts. Doesn't the "maybe" make it worse? The one thing that helps me is that is to remind myself that these are just thoughts and I know I'm not a monster, even if I feel like one. Is ERP not for everyone? Has anyone else had a problem with the techniques used in this kind of therapy? I had cognitive therapy for years with an OCD specialist and that seemed to help a lot. Writing out the worst case scenarios would make me suicidal. Im having a difficult time not obsessing over the "maybe" after intrusive thoughts now. It doesn't make it better.

My theme is suicidal OCD. I’ve been doing ERP since last year November and the overall intensity of my thoughts have not reduced at all. I have these thoughts 24/7 and my life feels like a living hell. Not two minutes goes by throughout the day where I’m not suffering from relentless thoughts. I don’t want to take meds because of the side effects and my insurance is coming to an end so it’d be difficult to ween off them by myself. I’m starting to feel so hopeless because I’ve done the toughest of the toughest exposures and I’m not getting better at all. My life is a living hell and I don’t see my condition with OCD getting better anytime sooner.