I feel worse, constantly trying not to engage with the thoughts. I’ve tried erp before and now trying it again but I just feel like crying because the thoughts are still there 😭 I feel like giving up on erp even though I just started .
I’m not an expert. ERP doesn’t get rid of the thoughts. Part of practicing ERP is to be able to sit with the discomfort (the thoughts produces) and know that you can handle them. It takes practice, so please don’t give up. It’s like going to the gym. You have to start small and work up to the heavier weights. And you can do it!!!
@Dee C You have done erp
You're going to be ok. This is completely normal for someone starting erp. By practicing erp, you are re-training your brain to handle the thoughts without compulsing. It's kind of like re-training a pet. Old habits have to be overridden. Your brain will eventually comply, and things will start to improve.
I had ERP therapy with a NOCD therapist. And yes and I practice an exposure everyday. Sometimes several times a day and not as a compulsion but to maintain my mental health. All the best to you.
Well, I don’t give up on erp because the method makes since to me, and because it seems to be helping me so far. Think of ocd as a child that keeps pestering you. The more you yell at the child, pleading for him to stop, the more he keeps bothering you because you keep giving him the attention he desires. If you stop paying attention to him… no matter how much he pesters you, he eventually learns that he is not going to get the attention he desires. He will bother you less and less, and one day he may just go home and never come back. I don’t know if my ocd will ever completely leave me. But the less attention I feed it, the smaller it becomes, and the more freedom in life I get in return😊
@curtis07 That makes sense. I guess, I just want a quick fix which is why I give into compulsions. 😞
@68273 It makes me sad that I have been able to resolve all my themes except for one, which is so annoying!!! It seems more real than all the other ones. I still get thoughts 💭 with my other themes and I don’t care and I wish I could do the same for this one theme 😭
I’m in my early fifties, having suffered since childhood and am just embarking on ERP and have always been too afraid to consider, however I am starting small while waiting for therapy. The thought of it scares me but I think it will help hopefully.
@jay71 I can totally relate to you Jay. I’m well into my 40s but my ocd started when I was 6. I’m only now getting really serious about therapy. I spent too many years finding ways to get by in life. Sometimes I wish my ocd had been worse then maybe I would have sought professional help sooner, instead of letting it drag on like I have.
@curtis07 Hi Curtis sorry I have only just seen your reply. I wish I had sought help earlier too but was always far too afraid and ashamed.
Wow this will definitely help! Let me screenshot this and keep it so I can practice this metaphor
You do erp
Thank you
But how do I not give up on erp? Im just scared that it’ll not work, because I’ve tried before and quit since I got worse and themes kept changing.
I still struggle to induce my own anxiety thru my exposure homework or during my therapy sessions. Because of this, the key to unlocking the power of ERP for me was not to cave to the compulsions when I was having a real OCD flare-up NOT triggered by ERP. But in order to do this, I had to work to identify what my main compulsions are so I could catch myself as I was about to act out the compulsion. Hopefully that makes sense!
So I should first identify my compulsions? It’s so hard not to give in to them. For me, I cannot function and gal into depression if I don’t do a safety behavior. Once I give in to a compulsion, I can move on happily with my day
OCD is a liar... the release you get from acting on the compulsion is temporary. OCD will NEVER be fully satisfied by your compulsions. The key and purpose of ERP is to teach us to tolerate the anxiety OCD induces when we are triggered and NOT act on the compulsion. Definitely easier said than done. It might also be easier to think of OCD as a dragon living in your brain and the compulsions as that dragons food. If we keep acting on the compulsion, we just feed the dragon. Strive to be a metaphorical eagle whenever you are triggered. Eagles sense storms coming before they fully form-- instead of seeking shelter/hiding from the storm, eagles fly above the storm and watch/wait for the storm to pass.
In ERP, but have made no progress. I’m also on medication for ocd. I actually feel like I’ve resorted back to when I was at my worst. Is this normal? I feel ERP helps everyone and not me. It actually makes me more anxious and want to stop, esp because my ocd is on something physical (imperfections/hair color) I’m not giving up & going to continue through this journey regardless. I long for mental stability 😭
How do people start practicing erp on their own? Because I tried yesterday, and it helped for like two hours, but it always comes back and scares me. I don’t think i can practice it the right way without help.
I am hurting so much right now. I feel sad and disgusted with myself that I would even worry about these things (pocd). What kind of a human even thinks that and has doubts about that?? Definitely not one that’s rational or mentally sane. That kind of stuff should be a no brainer so why do I worry about it so much and what does it say about me? I feel sick and disgusted and can’t stop crying over it. I just feel so defeated like I want to disappear. I started ERP and every time I resist reassuring myself it comes back at me from every angle. I hate this so much.
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