Keeping Yourself Encouraged

Hello all, I’ve been dealing with OCD for years, and doing ERP therapy for several months to a year, and trying to really dive into doing exposures. I’ve done better with some triggers, and have improved since I first discovered I had OCD, but I still have the almost constant undercurrent of anxiety and I can get so tired. I don’t want to fall into feeling like this is going to last forever, but I also want to be realistic about the chronic nature of OCD. Do you have any tips for how you keep yourself encouraged even after what seems like a long recovery journey?

Username: MichelleVMichelleV

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

Hello, I’m in a similar boat-I’ve had OCD for a long time, but was diagnosed/started ERP a year and 7 months ago (I’m in my 30s, and my OCD really started in my teens). Right now, what helps me keep going is looking back at my progress. I just started a new exposure, and it was hard and brought a lot of anxiety. But what got me through, is knowing I’ve done exposures for this long, and that I’ve made it this far, despite how exhausting, overwhelming, and anxiety-provoking ERP is. When I first started ERP, I took it one day at a time, kept clawing my way through, and I’m finally having moments where I see the work paying off. So there is hope that ERP works, and that’s what I hold on to.

Username: HobbitHobbit

Date posted: 1y ago

@Anonymous Yes! This is a good reminder — I feel like I always forget to honor my progress ❤️

Username: HobbitHobbit

Date posted: 1y ago

I find that self-compassion exercises really help me (The Self Compassion Workbook for OCD by Kimberley Quinlan has some great exercises). And for depression (not sure if this is a part of the discouragement you feel), my therapist introduced me to self-affirmations, which have been helpful. And I also like “behavioral activation” (ie doing things that you like to do, even if you they don’t make you feel happy in the moment. Ex: going to the park and watching dogs play, even if I feel sad and unmotivated)

Username: HobbitHobbit

Date posted: 1y ago

@Hobbit Oh, and also meditation has also been INCREDIBLY helpful for observing my moods/anxiety and getting distance 💗

Username: MichelleVMichelleV

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

@Hobbit Do you have examples of self-affirmation that don’t fall into reassurance? I’m not really familiar with affirmations.

Username: HobbitHobbit

Date posted: 1y ago

@Anonymous That’s a great question! (And actually it’s the exact same question I had when my therapist shared the tool with me 😊) His answer for me was that the affirmations needed to be short phrases around my depressive symptoms, NOT my OCD symptoms or themes. (For example, when I have depression symptoms I often feel hopeless — so one of my affirmations is “I am hopeful”). But, the affirmations will sound different for each person. He also said to schedule the affirmations into my day (ex: every morning when I wake up) RATHER than doing them in response to what I feel/distress. And to limit the amount of time I do them (ex: no more than 5min) And lastly, to say the affirmations confidently and enthusiastically, and to NOT look for ANY change in how I feel. Nothing may change at all in how I feel in the moment. The way the tool works is *over time* it shifts my mindset. Definitely any of these tools can be turned into compulsions if I use them as compulsions. From what I understand, the big distinction is “am I using this tool to get rid of my distress in the moment?” — if so, I’m using it as a compulsion and I need to top using it. I would recommend talking to your therapist about affirmations before using them — because they’ll have advice on how to adopt the tool to your specific needs. Hope that helps!

Username: HobbitHobbit

Date posted: 1y ago

@Hobbit *stop using it

Username: MichelleVMichelleV

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

@Hobbit This is wonderful, thank you so much ❤️ I like your note on not looking for changes in how you feel-I tend to get impatient and want tools to work immediately, and forget that they take time.

Username: HobbitHobbit

Date posted: 1y ago

@Anonymous Oh my goodness, me too!! I get so impatient 😅😂

Username: popovich30popovich30

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

I really resonate with this post. I’m the heat of the moment, it’s hard to want nothing more than the discomfort to go away, or to really see some “light at the end of the tunnel”. For me, knowing this isn’t isolated to me alone and recognizing there are other strong individuals out there that keep moving forward is helpful. I enjoyed the discussion in reference to affirmations. I know for me personally, I can be my biggest critic. As mentioned above, It can be a fine line between affirmation and compulsion :).

Username: KKGM

Date posted: 1y ago

Encouragement

I’m looking for some encouragement. How many of you have actually gotten better with your OCD treatment? I feel like all I’m doing is switching from one theme to another and not actually going forward. The new themes are sometimes scarier because they’re “new” and there’s more uncertainty… at least with the old ones I knew how to respond and what that looked like for me.

Username: you.are.enough

Date posted: 1y ago

A Call for Encouragement

For anyone who has recovered or found ERP helpful, can you please share your best tips pr words of encouragement for doing the hard work of leaning into uncertainty? So many of us on here, myself included, are really struggling to accept uncertainty and not seek or give ourselves reassurance. It's really fucking hard not to, especially when our OCD is demanding that we find answers, resolve our worries, and get rid of the anxiety. I feel like hearing even just a few words of encouragement from those who have done the hard work could be so helpful for those of us who want freedom from OCD but are so afraid to give up our compulsions.

Username: Anonymous

Date posted: 1y ago

Struggling with Relapse?

I’ve been doing really well the past few months. I’ve been consistent with ERP therapy and other exercises to help manage my OCD. However, something triggered my OCD to come back in full force last week and while I know that the journey to recovery isn’t linear, and I know that this is something I will always have to work on, it’s been very disheartening and it feels like all the progress I’ve made has been for nothing. It’s exhausting and I’m struggling with intrusive thoughts that I will never get better again. Anyone else relate?

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Keeping Yourself Encouraged

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