Hi all, I’m newly diagnosed with OCD, and the path to treatment seems kinda overwhelming. For those taking meds, how do you know when they are working? What should I expect in ERP therapy (or other forms of CBT)? Thanks!
Hi there! Thank you for reaching out, and welcome! I understand feeling overwhelmed. There's a lot of unknown and uncertainty in the process. I myself tried some meds before therapy, and I unfortunately didn't see the best results, but I know they work great for a lot of people. From what I hear though, overall your mood can improve, and you may "feel better", as a whole. Sometimes meds can lessen intrusive thoughts as well, but unfortunately there is not currently a medication specifically aimed at OCD. ERP therapy is very different than general talk therapy - in the best way! It is exercise-based, versus talk-based. ERP is the most effective therapy for OCD. The goal is to trigger your OCD, and learn how to resist any compulsions while doing so - if successful with this over time, all OCD symptoms can decrease overall, and your usual triggers can become meaningless. To be honest, it is not easy, but living with OCD untreated is also not easy - that's how I've always looked at it. During therapy I had good days and bad days, and "okay" days in between. When doing ERP, you are essentially working to create a new pattern with your thoughts. OCD has created it's own toxic pattern, and you are working to break that. Because of that, it's easy to go back and forth between the old pattern and the newly created one when you're working through ERP. But as you continue to push for the new, it can begin to stick, and the old pattern can subside. Are you currently in therapy, or thinking of starting?
I understand that everyone is different but lately I have been debating on medication just because of past experiences but does anyone have any good experiences with medication that has helped them with their OCD as well as therapy or treatment? As of now I’m dealing with it by myself but it feels like it may be getting worse
Has anyone had success treating their OCD without medication and solely ERP or non-medicinal methods. I have pretty severe OCD and just about every sub-type, but I’ve been on various meds (SSRI & SNRIs) for going on 8 years and have never found one that truly relieves me of symptoms. I’m looking to see if it’s worth continuing with the side effects I experience (mostly mild) or if there are alternatives that could work for me. Low key tired of constantly changing meds in an attempt to find something that works when maybe medicine isn’t the route for me…
These treatments are not designed for OCD sufferers because they treat OCD like a logic disorder when OCD is very far from that. Hence why, many patients do not recover with these treatments. ⭐️ Talk therapy involves doing a lot of compulsions like rumination, reassurance-seeking, trying to figure out your thoughts, Etc. ⭐️ Similarly, standard ICBT also involves compulsions such as arguing with your thoughts. For example, if you have POCD, your therapist might say “you know you’re not p*do so just ignore the thoughts.” This is reassurance and can turn into another compulsion called thought-blocking. ‼️A reputable therapist here (Tracie Ibrahim) has told us in a support group that ICBT isn’t even evidence-based (even though people claim that it is) ⭐️ Beware of Instagram “coaches” who want your money and say they specialize in a very specific subtype of OCD (ex. relationship OCD). A good ERP therapist would know that all OCD subtypes are treated the same way so the subtype shouldn’t matter. An ERP therapist should be knowledgeable in all of them because all OCD is just OCD. One of the only things that may differ is the type of exposures you have to do. ⭐️ Also, I suggest you do not use drugs & alcohol as a crutch. You will struggle with your OCD without those, which can possibly lead to addictions. Those substances can even increase your OCD symptoms. ❤️ What I do recommend for OCD recovery: ERP therapy, behavioral activation, ACT, mindfulness, self-compassion, OCD community support, healthy distractions, bonding time with family and friends, and healthy lifestyle habits. These habits include healthy eating (try to stay away from processed foods), going out on nature walks, consistent sleep, and consistent exercise. Let me know in the comments below if you have any extra tips for what’s been helping you through your OCD journey👇
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