- Date posted
- 6y
- Date posted
- 6y
Easy. Go to the balcony and think the worst thoughts. Go towards the anxiety.
- Date posted
- 6y
Going straight to a high balcony might be too much too fast. But it’s definitely the top of your ERP hierarchy! I can’t build an exact hierarchy plan for you because it really should be specific to you and how you feel about each task. But I can give an example. For the balcony fear, I’d start with something low. First, I’d find a porch or landing that was about 1 story up and I’d stand near the edge and look down for 5-10 min and let whatever anxiety hits me to pass through without performing any compulsions. I’d do this each day until it stopped provoking anxiety. Then I’d try sitting at the edge. I’d repeat the process with 2 stories. And then 3. Etc. For the belt: I’d put it around my neck without going through the actual buckle each day. Once that stopped provoking anxiety, I’d go through the buckle but not pull tight. Once I was ready, I’d put it around my neck with some pressure from pulling tight (not so much that I can breath or anything, just a minor squeeze) each day. For each of these tasks, you’ll want to do them for 5-10 min, at least once a day if not more. Whenever you do them, do not engage in compulsions during our after. Don’t move up the hierarchy until you stop having an anxious reaction to your current step. Hope that helps!
- Date posted
- 6y
Try writing a script about exactly what you are afraid you might do. Spare no detail and then read it over and over again. I think this app actually has a feature when you can record yourself reading it and play it on a loop. I have the same type of OCD and my therapist had me start with scripting. It took a while but eventually I got bored of listening to it and it helped remove some of the fear.
- Date posted
- 6y
Ok cool I can do that
- Date posted
- 6y
what kinds of compulsions should i look to refrain from?
- Date posted
- 6y
All of them. A compulsion is anything you do to negate, neutralize, or suppress the intrusive, unwanted thoughts. Anything your mind does to try to feel better or seek reassurance as a response to the thoughts. You will likely need to sit down and figure out what yours are before doing ERP so you know what to refrain from. For some it’s repeating a word or phrase over and over, for others it’s seeking reassurance from those around them that they won’t act on something, for others it’s researching things endlessly on the internet to find an acceptable answer, etc.
- Date posted
- 6y
cool i will give that a shot! i have done it before and ur right it does help
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y
Hi drew! How are you???
Related posts
- Date posted
- 25w
I read about ERP and have seen information about it on here. One of the goals is to say, "maybe I am this or that...ect." That terrified me. The thoughts and images that go in my head are disturbing and upsetting. I don't want to even think about saying, "maybe this or that." It's devasting to have these thoughts and question why you're having these thoughts. Doesn't the "maybe" make it worse? The one thing that helps me is that is to remind myself that these are just thoughts and I know I'm not a monster, even if I feel like one. Is ERP not for everyone? Has anyone else had a problem with the techniques used in this kind of therapy? I had cognitive therapy for years with an OCD specialist and that seemed to help a lot. Writing out the worst case scenarios would make me suicidal. Im having a difficult time not obsessing over the "maybe" after intrusive thoughts now. It doesn't make it better.
- Date posted
- 22w
Ive been struggling with the fear that if i am suicidal or something and ive been having like fears or intrusive thoughts of jumping off or losing control and acting on these thoughts and i dont know if this is just some very bad case of anxiety? Im always thinking about it trying to prove it wrong in my head and its gotten to a point where its effecting my sleep, i use chat gpt. I know deep down i dont wanna do any of it, i mean the very thought makes me panic quick so idk i just want to forget all these thoughts and i was wondering if anyone goes through this as well?
- Date posted
- 21w
I'm new to NOCD and have been dealing with harm/suicidal, and Pure OCD for some time now. It started off being healthy related anxiety that led to compulsion where I would research information on an uncommon illness or something I thought I had. Now it has snowballed into intrusive thoughts and images of me killing myself in various ways or my wife. The former is what has been the most debilitating and hardest to shake. Recently I seem to find triggers almost every where I look. "What if I killed myself this way" if I see a kitchen knife or a bottle of pills. A friend talked about going to a gun range a while back and an image popped up of me being there and turning a gun to myself which is something I dont want to do. I love life and its so painful to go through thoughts that try to tell me otherwise. That particular image/thought has really stuck with me. I know about ERP and my therapist said I could rip the bandaid off and go to a gun range but it terrifies me. I don't own any weapons but I often think, "what if I buy one and im actually suicidal?" Just typing it makes me anxious. I'm wanting to start a low dose of Prozac which opens up another can of worms about worried my "overdose thought" will come true, on top of potential side effects. This is long winded but im looking for any advice to get through this. I know others are worse off than me but considering I've never been like this and it only started 6 months ago, I'm really struggling. Thanks everyone.
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