- Username
- Paola!
- Date posted
- 1y ago
ERP
Does it actually get worse when you first start doing exposures? My intrusive thoughts have gotten so much worse, it’s been 3 days since I started but my anxiety has gotten worse.
- Username
- TheocdguitaristTheocdguitarist
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 1y ago
When I first started doing ERP, it did get more difficult for a small period. The idea of ERP is to sit with the anxiety rather than do something to neutralize it, so by nature, you're going to feel more anxious at first. But I promise, the anxiety you feeo from ERP is so much better than the suffering that happens when OCD is controlling your life
- Username
- Anon.Anon.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 1y ago
I don’t think I got a lot of real relief from my OCD right when I started ERP. It took consistency, vulnerability, and patience to start getting relief. Over weeks, I started to notice the differences in how I responded to situations, and how I implemented what I learned in ERP into real life situations. Although it was really challenging, especially in the beginning, I’m incredibly grateful I didn’t give up. In regards to my OCD, I have much more mental freedom than I did prior to therapy. I hope this helps!
- Username
- AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 1y ago
@Anon. How many weeks passed before you felt you have made progress?
- Username
- Anon.Anon.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 1y ago
@Anonymous It’s hard to remember specific dates since it’s been 10 months since I started, but at least a few weeks I think!
- Username
- VGHVGH
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 1y ago
This may seem obvious, but it took me awhile to catch it. My intrusive thoughts also got worse, but I was actually ruminating. When I did erp it would bring up more anxious thoughts, but instead of allowing and accepting the new thoughts/ anxious feelings, I would tell myself “oh don’t worry this is your ocd”. In other words I was reassuring myself. So yes, the whole point of ERP is to give you practice with doing nothing to alleviate the distress. My anxiety got worse because I would be in my head ruminating. Be careful to do the “response prevention” part of the ERP. Once I stopped the rumination I was shocked how quickly the anxiety abated.
- Username
- AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 1y ago
@VGH How did you stop the rumination?
- Username
- VGHVGH
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 1y ago
@Anonymous It was a process, but basically I stopped trying to “solve the problem” it was explained to me that rumination is like trying to solve a math problem. You can stop yourself from solving a math problem. To solve a math problem you have to think about it ( that’s rumination). Also when you are ruminating it’s like a conversation between your worried voice and your other voice that tries to reassure yourself (also rumination). These behaviors take effort and you have to decide to stop. It won’t feel good, you will feel like you’re making a mistake to not pay attention to these thoughts, but that’s the feeling you need to feel so that you can get better. This article was very helpful in understanding rumination https://drmichaeljgreenberg.com/how-to-stop-ruminating/. Hope this helps!
- Username
- AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 1y ago
@VGH That’s what my therapist told me, but it’s something that I still haven’t mastered. I then start ruminating if I’m engaging with rumination, lol. It’s just never ending
- Username
- Erin PErin P
- Date posted
- 1y ago
@Anonymous This link helps me: https://www.shalanicely.com/aha-moments/erp-scripting-for-ocd/
- Username
- VGHVGH
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 1y ago
@Erin P Very helpful, thanks for sharing!
- Username
- Erin PErin P
- Date posted
- 1y ago
@VGH You’re welcome.
- Username
- AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 1y ago
Good advice!
- Username
- Patricia70Patricia70
- Date posted
- 1y ago
Very common!
- Username
- AlexPGAlexPG
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 1y ago
It gets worse before better! I’m seeing the most amazing and rewarding results but it took a couple of months
Related posts
- Username
- KL
- Date posted
- 6y ago
Hi there, I recently (3 weeks ago) started ERP therapy for Pure O OCD. 90% of my thoughts are harm related. Since I’ve started the therapy, I’ve been doing the homework it’s been really tough. I’ve started to get depressed and my thoughts are totally whack-a-mole and seem to never stop. Did this happen to anyone when going through ERP?
- Username
- Anonymous
- Date posted
- 2y ago
Afraid of ERP
I’m currently in one of the worse OCD flare ups of my life. I’m trying to hold on so I can work and support my family. Purposefully triggering my obsessions during ERP sounds terrifying. I’ve heard “it gets worse before it gets better.” I can’t afford for it to get worse. How much worse can I expect my symptoms to get?
- Username
- 🚀
- Date posted
- 2y ago
Ocd getting worse?
Ever since I started ERP I feel like my OCD is only getting worse. I have more intrusive thoughts and memories and they feel worse than they did before. Am I doing it wrong?
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