🚀
- Date posted
- 2y
Ocd getting worse?
Ever since I started ERP I feel like my OCD is only getting worse. I have more intrusive thoughts and memories and they feel worse than they did before. Am I doing it wrong?
🚀🚀
- Date posted
- 2y
My biggest issue is just figuring out whether I’m ruminating or sitting with it correctly without paying much attention to it. I feel like I’ve been ruminating and that’s what has made it worse
6827368273
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y
@🚀 Same, I just messaged my therapist because I’m so frustrated not knowing am I ruminating or what
🚀🚀
- Date posted
- 2y
@68273 Lemme know if she provides any tips! Lol
6827368273
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y
@🚀 She just said if you are trying to solve a problem then it’s ruminating, but I still dont know. It’s just feels like I have no control
🚀🚀
- Date posted
- 2y
Yep I think I got confused by all the stuff online about “sitting with thoughts” and “not pushing them away” and interpreted it instead as pretty much focusing too much attention on them. When I do what I mentioned above about just moving on to something else, I always feel a lot better after a few days. But obviously then OCD makes me worried that I’m doing it incorrectly and making it worse in the long run Lmao.
KillianKillian
- User type
- NOCD Alumni
- Date posted
- 2y
I’m sorry you’re feeling so frustrated. Mental compulsions can be so tricky, and I definitely understand the confusion around how to stop ruminating. It took me a bit to figure out the difference between “sitting with” the anxiety and ruminating, too. For me it was helpful to understand that sitting with the anxiety doesn’t mean going back and forth with the thoughts or answering OCD’s questions. It just means you acknowledge the anxiety is there: “ok I had this thought, thanks OCD *sarcasm*” and let it pass with time rather than urgently trying to make it go away with compulsions. This sounds like a great question to check in with your therapist about. It’s super common for anxiety to rise before it levels out as part of ERP, so they should be able to talk through it with you! I went through it, too. Last thing I’ll say is that ERP does take time, practice and patience. It’s ok if it doesn’t feel pleasant or natural right now. Stick with it and try to see the process through. The goal isn’t to do recovery perfectly, it’s to gain new tools to practice as a lifestyle. You’ve got this!
🚀🚀
- Date posted
- 2y
@Killian Also thank you by the way!
🚀🚀
- Date posted
- 2y
I’m getting so frustrated.
BlueStrawberryBlueStrawberry
- Date posted
- 2y
Hi! It’s normal for OCD to get worse when you’re starting ERP. It was very overwhelming for me in the beginning but I’ve stuck with it for about 3-4 months now and it’s sooooo much better now. Don’t give in to the compulsions and hang it there!! Good luck!
6827368273
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y
Following , I just started erp
🚀🚀
- Date posted
- 2y
And I think when I try too hard to sit with the thoughts really what I’m doing is directing my attention towards them in a bad way instead of just letting myself having a thought, being okay with it, and then moving on to something else
BlueStrawberryBlueStrawberry
- Date posted
- 2y
@🚀 What you are describing is exactly the way to go about it (I think) just to have the thought, sit with the anxiety, now engage in a conversation with the thought, and direct your attention to what you’re doing before. It just takes practice. I hope you have a therapist that can guide you through all this :)
🚀🚀
- Date posted
- 2y
Is there a world in which even responding to the thoughts is too much attention towards the thoughts? For me it feels like responding to them is too much attention and makes me feel worse and like it falls under the ruminating category?
🚀🚀
- Date posted
- 2y
@🚀 I guess the response to the thoughts is supposed to prevent ruminating in itself? Because if you respond to it with “yep sure” and then move on it doesn’t really leave room for ruminating?
6827368273
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y
@🚀 🤔
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- Date posted
- 20w
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- Date posted
- 16w
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tayanominous
- Date posted
- 14w
Can therapist make you feel worse?
So I’ve been going to an ocd therapist for abt 2-3 months now and she’s starting to make me feel very nervous and anxious I even started crying, she wanted me to do exposures that were to much for me and I got rlly upset and Burt out into tears and she just didn’t say anything and just sat there for a good 10 seconds doing nothing this is starting to repeat nearly every session and I’m very frustrated should I get a new therapist or do I just be nice and tough it out?
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