Quick Question

Does going about your day while having intrusive thoughts and urges/sensations count as a exposure?

ReadyForImpr...

Date posted: 1y ago

It counts as response prevention! The intrusive thoughts are kind of in place of an intentional exposure. You're already feeling the discomfort that doing an exposure is meant to bring up... if that makes sense. What matters is how you manage your response when you experience anxiety or discomfort... whether you intentionally do an exposure, one comes up in your regular day, or you're having intrusive thoughts, it is how you respond that helps you get better. Sorry, I'm not sure if I'm communicating that clearly...

DeanBert

Date posted: 1y ago

Yes, I’d say so. Me also having Pure O, I’ve been told you’re pretty much always in exposure because we don’t usually have any outward symptoms besides googling or reassurance and we’re worried about our thoughts. How you react to the thoughts is our ERP work. Reacting with a disregarding mindset. “Eh, maybe that will happen, maybe it won’t” “i don’t need to worry about that” and do it with all thoughts/sensations.

68273

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

It’s response prevention. Sometimes these thoughts are more scary than if we actually did an exposure in purpose. At least, that has been my experience

Nica

Date posted: 1y ago

It’s response prevention but it’s how you get better and keep up the recovery process. I do this every single day.

VGH

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

I'm not sure if it's an exposure, but it sure sounds like a good thing to do. Going about your day and not letting intrusive thoughts stop you, make you ruminate or do other safety behaviors is how you will get your life back.I think there are two kinds of exposures - planned and those that occur as you're living your life (in vivo?) I think its called.

Anonymous

Date posted: 1y ago

I've been avoiding doing my usual routine due to a new set of intrusive thoughts that appeared alongside intrusive urges/sensations, and it's been leading me to feel quite down and I mean down, down, it doesn't feel like I'm going to get better or that it's too late for me. My OCD is linked to my online friends and it's a battle everyday

autumntall

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

It sounds impossible! Congratulations for tuning things out.

Freddy327

Date posted: 21w ago

Waiting for therapy

Hi everyone. I'm feeling kinda scared because I have to wait a whole month to start ERP therapy, but I feel like I need to start doing exposures now because the longer I wait, the more anxiety I get. It just feels like the OCD monster is getting worse. One thing that helps me is asking one person about an obsession I have...asking a person that I trust, and then doing an exposure after I get the "ok" to do it. I feel like I do need 1 reassurance and then I can go ahead and do it. I know i'm not supposed to ask for reassurance at all, but i dont think you're supposed to do ERP on your own right? Does anyone have any suggestions for what to do while waiting for therapy? PS-the reason there is a wait is bc she's on vacation. After she's back we will meet regularly.

issphra 🫶🏻

Date posted: 14w ago

Advice please??? I’m CONFUSED

OK, this might sound really dumb, but when you guys get intrusive thoughts, do they just come once and then go away? I’ve heard that repeatedly thinking about an intrusive thought is considered ‘checking,’ but it doesn’t feel like I have any control over how many times it comes up in my head. It’s not like I’m trying to check anything—it just keeps showing up, almost like it’s terrorizing me every time. I can’t seem to stop it from looping, stop remembering it, or prevent it from coming up. Every time it does, I feel horrified, and I already know it’s going to horrify me. I don’t think I’m actively trying to see if my feelings have changed, so is this still considered checking? How do other people get an intrusive thought and just move on? Doesn’t it pop up a million times for them too? I always thought that was normal, but now I’m hearing this could be a compulsion, and I feel really confused, scared, and lost. Is this why my OCD feels so extreme? Because I really don’t feel like I can control how many times the thought pops up.

Elliesmith

Date posted: 10w ago

Question

So with my theme of ocd, ( hocd ) I get persistent intrusive images, and thoughts. It’s not like one or two a day. Like if I’m out for the whole day they’re constant. I feel I can’t even look at a girl now without her intrusive thoughts about her or about me fancying her and even sexual intrusive thoughts.. It’s awful. It’s everywhere I look. Is this common with ocd with any themes? Like is it constant for you guys too?

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