Does anyone else feel like ERP is making things worse? I haven’t been doing it long but it feels like I’m struggling more than I initially was. Would love to hear any success stories or anyone else who can relate?
It gets worse before it gets better. You have to retrain your brain and of course it’s going to push back because you’ve given in for SO LONG that it is confused when you drastically change.
I think that ERP makes you more aware of what you were previously unaware of. That awareness makes me think about things more specifically and clearly; and that has made things more overwhelming. As I applied the response prevention, I have been noticing that I either resist the thoughs and do not ruminate as much as I have in the past, or think of the opposite alternative of what I was afraid of. Its kind of like when you are cleaning and things get messier before they ultimately get cleaner. Hope this helps.
It gets worse before it gets better. It’s heightening your anxiety! Also make sure you aren’t compulsing during exposure as this could make it worse. Accept uncertainty in this and everything though
Hi guys! I’m new to the community and I’ve recently received my OCD diagnosis (tho I’ve known about it since childhood). I’ve been somewhat spiraling lately as I wait for my first ERP session (hooray!) I was just wondering if any of you guys have received ERP for existential OCD and if it was successful? My existential OCD compulsions are more so mental and have been affecting me in the sense of dream/memory flashbacks and giving me a sort of “uncanny” feeling about everything around me. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you❤️
So you got to ask me anything… Now I’d like to ask you something! I’ve heard from Members that they were so scared coming to their first ERP session. They were terrified that I would think they were crazy, that I would tell them their worst fears were true. That I would confirm they are some form of a terrible person or have them hauled off to prison for their thoughts. I’ve also had Members share how they’re very scared to begin ERP treatment because they’ve researched enough to know it means facing the fear, without the compulsions that have kept them feeling safe (but not really safe) this entire time. They struggled to see how they could be capable of doing this, while simultaneously acknowledging that they did not want to live like this anymore. If you have had your first session, what were your thoughts before? Did you have any hesitations or fears going into it? How did it turn out? If you haven’t yet begun to work with an ERP specialist, what is holding you back?
Can someone please tell me at what point did you finally accept that it’s OCD? When did the ERP click for you? When did you just stop buying into the lies of OCD and finally let go? Like what does it take. It’s been 2 years of this for me and I’m in ERP currently and it’s just not clicking 😣 is it just me???
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