Anyone else who is pure O confused on how to do ERP? If you have harm OCD do you intentionally think about harming someone??

hi aidan. yes in pure o (and this works to some degree also in all other forms of ocd) you work with visualization, that is, you confront yourself with what ocd haunts you with - staring the beast in the eyes so to say, instead of running from it. as i see it, ocd generally is uncontrolled imagination - you beat it on its own terrain; this also why mindfulness and meditation typically help - as do mind soothing substances which affect the glutamate/gaba system in favor if gaba. hope this helps.

If you have harm OCD, you fear you’ll hurt someone/yourself. And you probably have triggers that make you think that (knives, driving, etc.) To do ERP, you have to expose yourself to your triggers, ie scenarios where you could hurt someone. And sit with the anxiety you feel about the uncertainty you feel until it subsides. For example: if you were afraid of being around knives, you might start by putting a pocket knife near you in your house. Don’t avoid it and don’t do compulsions to try to neutralize or suppress the threat. Just sit with the anxiety it makes you feel until it subsides. Once you feel okay, try something harder. Carry the pocket knife around in your pocket or back pack or purse or whatever. Take it out somewhere where you’re a surrounded by people. When that doesn’t make you anxious anymore. try using a small pairing knife to cook something. Then do it around people. Then a larger knife. Etc. You try harder and harder tasks until you can use a large chefs knife around a room full of people and not feel anxiety. The intrusive thoughts that you might harm someone might still arise, but they cause you no distress. And eventually, your brain gets bored and moves on. The idea is to habituate to uncertainty: “maybe I will hurt someone. Maybe I won’t. I can’t be 100% sure.”

I used to feel very upset with thoughts I couldn't accept this situation. But after a long times I got used the existence of thoughts and they can't do harm too me. By exposuring my self to them the thoughts don't have too much power on me anymore

I don't think intentionally

This is part of the disorder

Its not yourself

Other thing is the obsessions and the disorder and other thing your character or your personality

Two questions. Do you want the thoughts? Do the thoughts make you uncomfortable of upset?

The thoughts are automatic

You can't control them

i have HOCD and i get so confused on how to do ERP too. i watch movies and shows about or with homosexual characters which triggers my thoughts a lot.

The thoughts definitely make me incredibly uncomfortable and upset. It freaks me out but they happen infrequently, it’s just when they do happen I obsess over the fact that that thought popped into my head. It takes weeks to stop and then it’s replaced by another one. So it’s not like I get new thoughts every day

If they’re making you uncomfortable and upset, try ERP. It’s scary to start, but it’s worth it. Don’t try to talk yourself out of it because mayyyyybe the thoughts aren’t quite bad enough where you HAVE to do it. Face the fear, man. You’ve got this.

Addie it’s hard when people ask me questions like do you want the thoughts? It actually flares up my ocd I start thinking do I want these thoughts? Do they make me uncomfortable? And the questions never end and can never be certain

Alyssa i definitely know what you mean, when I am in certain situations like alone with someone I am more likely to have a thought which really scares me even more