- Date posted
- 2y ago
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y ago
I have this same problem. Maybe try starting very small so that you’re at least doing some of it instead of none of it
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y ago
I struggle with this all the time! Just tell yourself you are going to do an exposure for one minute. OCD is exposing you to distressing content basically every day anyway. Do it and then do something nice for yourself. I have a routine I do after where I smell a comforting scent and take deep breaths and sometimes I like to clean up my room a little bit. It makes me feel like I'm really taking care of myself. (By doing exposures you are taking care of yourself too!) Good luck. I'm about to do mine right now!!
- Date posted
- 2y ago
I feel like this new exposure is unsafe and I don’t want to do it! I have been triggered with making noise with glass and thinking that I have broken/chipped the glass. This latest glass exposure was to break glass and put into a tin box and shake and turn the box over. Glass shards fell all over my kitchen counter and increased my anxiety when it was suggested by my therapist to not wash my hands until I prepared dinner later that night.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y ago
So you were worried that there were glass shards on your hand and your therapist said not to wash your hands?
- Date posted
- 2y ago
@Anonymous Talk to your therapist about this. Sometimes an exposure is too much and needs to be dialed back and other times pushing the fears pretty hard really helps.
- Date posted
- 2y ago
Ok will do! Drinking wine and and watching the football games with my husband and kids. Thanks for your input
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y ago
I think @Erin P has a great point where the exposure just may have been too much. I'm sorry that I totally forgot about this thread! My therapist has not had me go beyond what a normal person would do yet but it makes sense from a therapy standpoint. I hope you were able to talk to your therapist about having a rough patch with compulsive behavior. Remember recovery from OCD has ups and downs and not to beat yourself up about it!!
- Date posted
- 2y ago
Thank you! I actually changed therapists. My therapist really helped me but this latest exposure was way tooooo much for me to handle.
- Date posted
- 2y ago
@Anonymous I hope you have a good experience with the new person.
- Date posted
- 2y ago
Me too! I’m doing so much better from where I started but still want/need to continue with therapy
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y ago
Did you touch any glass with your hands, or did you just sweep it up?
- Date posted
- 2y ago
There were glass shards on my hands and shards all over my kitchen counter where my kids eat! He suggested that I only wipe up the shards with a dry paper towel. I have learned so much from my therapist and have really become desensitized to the thought of broken glass but I feel that this is an extreme exposure. My therapist eventually would want me to shake this tin box with shards of glass over my head and shoulders and go on with my day with the uncertainty that I might have glass on me( the tin box is not airtight and spills glass shards when shaken).
- Date posted
- 2y ago
@Anonymous Therapists often have people go beyond what someone without OCD would do in order to really break the OCD fear. Not to trigger you or anyone else but an example would be to have someone with OCD re: fecal matter eat a cracker after putting it in a toilet seat or touching a plunger without hand washing. The glass exposure is a similar going beyond if that helps.
- Date posted
- 2y ago
Is there a “blueprint” for the various OCD subtypes or is the plan of care therapist dependent?
- Date posted
- 2y ago
@Anonymous My guess is there are a huge set of typical exposures for each subtype but therapists frequently come up with their own based on the specific case.
- Date posted
- 2y ago
I get that my therapist is doing a great job of challenging me with my OCD trigger of breaking glass but I feel that this latest exposure is too unsafe. In fact I landslided back with compulsive behavior after our session. I completely deep cleaned my kitchen, which he told me absolutely not to do!
- Date posted
- 2y ago
@Anonymous That’s called flooding when the exposure is too much which is why I suggested you talk to your therapist about this. Try to be kind to yourself about backsliding. It sounds like you are working really hard at this. Take a break tonight and do something you enjoy if you can,
Related posts
- Date posted
- 23w ago
i don’t think i can, i can’t stomach the possibility of these things, or maybe i can (because they might be true and deep down i know that) and just don’t want to and want to pretend it isn’t there. i can’t do ERP, i just want to pretend it isnt there and won’t happen to clarify, i know i have to do ERP, i know it’s necessary; i don’t need to be told this, this is just how i am feeling currently
- Date posted
- 21w ago
I have contamination OCD that causes me to excessively wash my hands/clean items with disinfectant wipes. I know I just need to start with small exposures but how do I do that without spiraling? I tried a while back by just touching the outside of my dishwasher and not washing my hands after and it led to me being unable to even exist in my house. I basically lived on my couch for three weeks as it was the only 'safe' space that I had not touched with my dirty hands. I had to take a week off work to clean my house to make it somewhat liveable. I still haven't got round to cleaning everything though so things like my kitchen are still no-go zones that I don't enter. I just don't know how to start ERP without it making everything worse. Any advice would be appreciated. I am not seeing a therapist at the moment due to financial constraints.
- Date posted
- 17w ago
Hi everyone. I'm feeling kinda scared because I have to wait a whole month to start ERP therapy, but I feel like I need to start doing exposures now because the longer I wait, the more anxiety I get. It just feels like the OCD monster is getting worse. One thing that helps me is asking one person about an obsession I have...asking a person that I trust, and then doing an exposure after I get the "ok" to do it. I feel like I do need 1 reassurance and then I can go ahead and do it. I know i'm not supposed to ask for reassurance at all, but i dont think you're supposed to do ERP on your own right? Does anyone have any suggestions for what to do while waiting for therapy? PS-the reason there is a wait is bc she's on vacation. After she's back we will meet regularly.
Be a part of the largest OCD Community
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond