Gradual ERP

there are 2 degrees to erp 1. You still have automatic mental compulsions to cover the triggering thoughts that are bothering you but despite that you choose to continue with your day while feeling distress instead of beating yourself up. That's a big step already 2. You stop doing the mental compulsions as well and let those specific triggering intrusive thoughts be there and be just thoughts and nothing else. This is maximal exposure. You'll feel more distress, you'll step further away from your comfort zone, but the more risk you take the greater the long term progress will be. It's a gradual process.

Nica

Date posted: 1y

For step to and how do you stop the automatic Compulsions: Every single time that you catch yourself or about to do a compulsion you do not do it. It’s better that you do a complulsion for let’s say five minutes and then catch yourself and go do something else more productive compared to doing it for hours and hours.

Nica

Date posted: 1y

@Nica Step 2* and please excuse my other typos 😂

ivefailed.

Date posted: 1y

Exactly!!

Secondlife

Date posted: 1y

What do you mean by automatic mental compulsions? 🤔 Do you mean intrusive thought?

ivefailed.

Date posted: 1y

no I mean the compulsions, maybe I worded it badly. But at the some point you become so used to respond to intrusive thoughts with a compulsion that it becomes an automatism that you can't do without. The mechanism of trigger-response feels "automatic" because you are so used to it that you don't even realise sometimes that you're doing it. That's why we have to exit the comfort zone.

Secondlife

Date posted: 1y

@Nameless000 How did you exit the comfort zone?

ivefailed.

Date posted: 1y

@Secondlife I was just tired. I wanted to have fun like the others. I started delaying my main compulsions the longest i could, not engaging with the triggers and just moving on with the day without asking questions. I also started going out more with friends instead of staying home ruminating. When you go out with friends you're in a way "forced" to sit through the distress, even if you have an intrusive thought that triggers you you can't just go home so you try to stay in the present and have fun, disregarding the thoughts

anxietypoops

Date posted: 22w

The RP in ERP

Hi! I've been on my OCD healing journey for about half a year and I have seen a lot of success. I'm reaching out for advice, I am very willing to do exposures because I know the more I do them, the more I get better, but I struggle with the response prevention part. I don't know how to control my brain when it comes to facing the fears especially since most of my compulsions are mental. I can tell myself the typical things "I am okay with the uncertainty of this happening", etc. but its like my brain doesn't believe them. I've been stuck in this disconnect for a while and would love advice you have heard from a therapist or learned that has really help you.

Rachel Owsley

User type: Therapist

Date posted: 22w

Challenges with ERP

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is one of the hardest but most effective treatments for OCD. If you’ve started ERP, what has been the biggest challenge in resisting compulsions?

Patrick McGrath

User type: Therapist

Date posted: 20w

What's been the biggest surprise from ERP?

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) isn't always easy, but as one of the most effective treatments for OCD, it's worth it. If you've started ERP, what has been the biggest surprise you've experienced in learning to resist compulsions? If you haven't started ERP yet, what is holding you back from starting?

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Gradual ERP

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