Frustrations with Experts

So we are told that OCD is not about figuring out the difference between OCD thoughts and normal thoughts, it's about not knowing the difference and tolerating the uncertainty. WTF is that supposed to mean?!! I mean that needs to be explained thoroughly!!! You can't just throw shit out there and expect people to understand it. I am just really getting fed up with the bits and pieces of information being put out there so OCD sufferers will have to pay for complete answers. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

stop.

Date posted: 2y

I understand that it’s frustrating and hard to understand, but this information is correct. It is the premise of ERP therapy and is helpful. It means that instead of ruminating and trying to spend time on your intrusive thoughts. Whether that be wondering “is this ocd” “is this real” “am I a bad person” etc, it means to resist. Resist ruminating. Resist replaying memories and trying to find answers. Resist wallowing in guilt. It means sit with the discomfort it brings you. Allow yourself to be uncomfortable without doing any compulsions. Uncertainty brings discomfort. When they say sit with uncertainty, they mean allow yourself to be uncomfortable with your intrusive thoughts. It can be hard to do at first but it makes your OCD better in the long run. The point of ERP is to habituate to the discomfort to remove its power. It’s about breaking the cycle. I don’t believe anyone is intentionally putting out bits and pieces though I guess it can feel that way if you don’t understand ERP. If you want to look further into ERP so you can understand this better, feel free.

ChuckTambo

Date posted: 2y

So then let's explain it like we are all 7 years old. I have looked into ERP and know that it's totally ineffective if you're in a particular phase of OCD. If you are still being bewildered by your OCD, ERP will have no effect. This is what I mean. You cant just throw ERP out there without providing reasonable parameters. ERP can be effective on a particular theme but if you're OCD changes themes, which it does all the time, you have to stary ERP all over again. Why aren't therapists telling us that ERP must be done to address the core fear and not the content or theme? While understanding what brought on your OCD doesnt fix it, it is essential to the recovery process. Recurring intrusive thoughts, for instance, are not random...they are created purposely by OCD to deceive you and deepen the doubt you feel. So claiming that thoughts are thoughts is very misleading. I am very angry as you can tell but I do appreciate that you took the time to respond to my post. I do hope that you are doing well in your recovery.

stop.

Date posted: 2y

@ChuckTambo I have multiple themes myself. I have about 5 or 6 and I never feel like I’m starting over. Yes, ERP can be difficult to do when OCD is severe but that is the point of a hierarchy. Even people with severe themes like I used to can start low on a hierarchy and move up. I agree that people should be more clear about following the hierarchy, but any severity of OCD can be treated with ERP. You just have to start small. The core fear is very important too and there are some great professionals that discuss core fears. But some of these are correct. Thoughts are just thoughts. We just give them more power than we have to. And yes, OCD generates our intrusive thoughts, but also people without OCD have random intrusive thoughts. They are normal. People with OCD hyper focus on on the thoughts and get trapped in a loop that makes the OCD generate more in a non random way but we can still get them randomly especially in recovery. I understand the frustration. I really do, but it does work. Some aspects may need to be explained further but it is helpful. I’ve read a lot about ERP from professionals that give great parameters. I understand that information is made bite sized for this app, but actual readings tend to be very good especially from Sheppard Pratt. I hope that this helps more. It is frustrating to not feel like you have the full picture, but it’s not as bad as you may think.

stop.

Date posted: 2y

@stop. Dr. Michael Greenberg is also very good. I mainly get information from him and Sheppard Pratt. I do have my fair share of “professionals” I do not like and I don’t necessarily trust their OCD advice, which is why I get the frustration. I’ve been upset by a couple professionals myself. But there are some good ones that I think explain OCD and OCD treatment well.

eugeniodepalo

Date posted: 24w

Double standards for certainty?

Do you ever feel like people without OCD have an easy time just saying “you need to accept uncertainty” only because they’re not subject to the same level of fear and anxiety as an OCD sufferer would? I feel like they don’t really accept uncertainty, they’re just naturally more certain about things. For example, if you ask anyone whether they think their loved ones are real or not, they will never answer with “maybe, but I’ll never know for sure”. They’ll just say “of course they are”. Isn’t that what certainty is? For me, as I’ve been suffering from existential OCD most of my adult life, such a question absolutely terrifies me. The mere thought of my loved ones and the world not being real sends me into a spiral of anxiety and depression and never ending certainty-seeking behavior. I just can’t stand the thought of that horrible scenario being true. How can one accept uncertainty about such a thought, when it completely undermines all my values and beliefs and world view? Can non-OCD sufferers really accept those nighmarish scenarios? Am I misunderstanding what ERP and therapy is about?

Andrea Wells

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 23w

Misdiagnosis & OCD

OCD is so much more than just being 'neat' or 'organized'—it’s relentless, exhausting, and often deeply misunderstood. The intrusive thoughts, the compulsions, the anxiety—it can feel like a never-ending cycle that others just don’t seem to get. Many of us have had experiences where even therapists didn’t fully grasp the depth of our struggles. I myself faced difficulty being misdiagnosed and my talk therapist not understanding the full extent of what I was going through until I found NOCD. So many prior therapists wrote off my symptoms as general anxiety, not realizing it was actually OCD all along. If you could sit down with a therapist who truly wanted to understand, what do you wish they knew about OCD?

Dude01

Date posted: 20w

How do you deal with "undefined" things?

So I think what's been so specifically tough for me (idk if this is what others go through with the real event stuff) is that ... Well I basically have this mental system... - Something has been dealt with -- which means it's "ok" it's "acceptable" assessment of ___. Rumination to "problem solve" with the intrusive thought. - CONSTANT inquiries to Challenge that previous assessment conclusion i.e. "no that hasn't actually been deal with, you didn't think about ____ or this other angle or this other new thing related to it" etc. Idk how tf you fix that with ERP? Idk up from down at this point Is the "system" OCD? Should people not try to problem solve (even though it's actually rumination)? Should I not engage with the "challenges?" HOW TF does Peace of Mind actually happen when the answers seem to be "you must be delusional" or "you must leave (significant) things un-dealt with / open ended" Like, what's that actual solution here? Hopefully this made sense. Thanks

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