ERP for Existential OCD

I'm currently experiencing really bad Existential OCD and I'm looking for ways to practice ERP for it. My intrusive thoughts are "What if life isn't real" What if you don't really exist" "What if your family is just imagined" "What if it's all pointless" "What if life is just a dream". I'm horrified of believing these thoughts and I'm afraid ERP will convince me that theyre they're true. I'm reaching out in hopes of tips and possible ideas and scripts for my OCD. Thank you.

"Pure" OCD

Username: Lisa LeeLou Lisa LeeLou

User type: NOCD Alumni

Date posted: 1y ago

Hi TS, thank you For sharing what you are going through. I know much easier said than done, but in the long run the best way to handle is to not engage with these thoughts. Instead, try to allow yourself to have the thought and respond with a neutral statement like “thanks” or “maybe it’s true maybe it’s not” without engaging any more or less than that. I know easier said than done, but with time and practice it does get better. A therapist once gave me an analogy about thoughts not being facts that I still think of, when I need grounding regarding my OCD. She said “just because I think I’m a tomato doesn’t make me a tomato”. I remember my first initial reaction when she said that to me was “that’s ridiculous”, But then I realized oh wait that’s the point. ERP therapy has been a huge help for me in learning how to have the thoughts and not compulse. I would encourage you to reach out to United healthcare to see if there are any therapists who specialize in OCD/ERP that may be in your plan. Also if you are currently seeing a therapist that does not do ERP, perhaps talk to them about it. they may be interested in learning more about it. Wishing you all the best in your recovery journey.

Username: ⋆⁺₊⋆mol⋆⁺₊⋆⋆⁺₊⋆mol⋆⁺₊⋆

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

I experience these kind of intrusive thoughts as well. I am to start my therapy for this on Thursday.

Username: Skai Skai

Date posted: 1y ago

I have therapy Monday but hoping to find someone trained in ERP specifically down the road.

Username: ⋆⁺₊⋆mol⋆⁺₊⋆⋆⁺₊⋆mol⋆⁺₊⋆

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

@TS I got to regular therapy with a therapist, but am going to be seeing someone that was suggested to me through the NOCD app for my intrusive thoughts that have background in ERP. If that’s ever an option for you I’d reach out to your insurance and ask if you have coverage (if you have insurance)

Username: Skai Skai

Date posted: 1y ago

@hi.im.mol My insurance isn't taken unfortunately. I have medicaid and united health

Username: hellopeoplehellopeople

User type: NOCD Alumni

Date posted: 1y ago

Hi there! Have you tried grounding techniques like stating what all the objects in the room are made of or the colors you see? The intrusive thoughts aren’t logical, but when we respond with fear to them our brain thinks they are a real threat. I love responding to those kinds of thoughts with humor like “yes it’s all a dream, my family is imagined, you’re so right 😆” More intrusive thoughts will come but then practice not responding at all to the thoughts. You don’t need to think to figure it out 🙂

Username: Skai Skai

Date posted: 1y ago

Would grounding techniques be considered a compulsion though? If my fear is that thing may not be real?

Username: hellopeoplehellopeople

User type: NOCD Alumni

Date posted: 1y ago

@TS It could become one, there is still logic and reality but OCD often rejects logic so we need to be ok with any possibility. 🙂

Username: Skai Skai

Date posted: 1y ago

@hellopeople How do o practice just being more present but not necessarily ignoring the thoughts?

Username: hellopeoplehellopeople

User type: NOCD Alumni

Date posted: 1y ago

@TS Well you want to ignore the thoughts by just letting them be there and not interacting, if you do interact with them you can use ERP to challenge them saying “yeah maybe you’re right, but maybe you’re wrong”

Username: KatieKat

Date posted: 6y ago

Existential OCD Trigger Warning: What is the best ERP for the “What if I’m not real?” thoughts? I’d been doing better-ish, and today I’ve been freaking out. Okay, so truthfully, every day has been a form of a living hell on earth, it’s just some days aren’t quite as tormenting as others. I hate DP/DR, which came right along after I saw a post about a year and a half ago, from someone who acted like we can’t prove our existence. I know there isn’t any evidence to think I might not exist, but this is torturing me. Help! I need to do self-help because of finances at the moment.

Username: Evelyn4416

Date posted: 4y ago

What are some ERP exercises I can do about meaning/worth/reality? For example these last couple of weeks I’ve been struggling with intrusive thoughts about if this life/what I’m experiencing is real, intrusive thoughts such as “this doesn’t mean anything” or “what’s the point” Etc when I’m just trying to live, etc. I feel like if I’m thinking about it and searching for an answer too much I’ll go into a panic :(

Username: enoughocd

Date posted: 2y ago

ERP for existential thoughts

Please comment from or advise me from personal experience if you’re currently seeing a therapist and undergoing ERP to treat existential thought OCD. I don’t understand how ERP could work on thoughts like ‘what if my own family or kids aren’t real’ I know with contamination ocd they expose you to your fears by making touch objects or things and with harm ocd they might get you to hold a knife but low does the same principle apply to Existential thought OCD? I’ve been on the ocdf website and couldn’t get any answers …. Please comment

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ERP for Existential OCD

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