I don't understand exposures. I get the RP part.

Hi, I'm not a therapist, but I think you are spot on with the first example. I believe with intentional exposures what we are habituating to is being uncomfortable, not the actual trigger. With intentional exposures we plan something that will raise our anxiety, then we practice doing nothing to alleviate that anxiety. Anything we do to relieve distress is a compulsion. So, like Anonymous suggests, set your intentional exposure up in a way that you wouldn't ordinarily. Maybe you are extremely careful with your money so that you are sure you never drop it. Maybe your intentional exposure would be to be less careful, do something differently, grab some money, put it in your pocket and leave it there, without checking it, go do your daily activities. When you feel the urge to check the money, don't, allow all the feelings but don't engage. Go live your day, doing things you value. Be willing to be uncertain about the money. Your anxiety will increase, you will do nothing to bring it down, and you habituate to being uncertain and uncomfortable. I hope this makes sense. Sometimes we can write a script about a triggering situation . Maybe write a story about how you smeared soap on the TV, how it ruined the TV, your family/friends were so angry, etc. whatever it is that worries you about the situation. Then, as your anxiety goes up, don't do anything to feel better, be willing to feel all those feelings. Then after maybe 10 minutes throw the script away and move on with your day. If it pops in your head later, don't engage with it, engage with things you value. Maybe reach out to NOCD. A therapist trained to deal with OCD can help you develop an ERP plan specifically to meet your needs. I had a lot of trouble on my own too. It is very difficult to do your own planned ERP exercises, however, you are spot on with the unplanned intrusive thought responses.

I am so confused by ERP too, it's frustrating. I can't even describe what I'm confused about; every time I try I'll get a response from someone who tries to correct my problems, but the response doesn't fix it, it just restarts the confusion cycle, and I end up feeling like my communication wasn't successful, like they didn't understand my real issues. I know each therapist has different methods of ERP, and not everyone will resonate with each method. That might be the case for intentional exposures. Maybe it would help to do structured ERP in a way that leaves you questioning? Purposefully leave money in your pocket to go get the mail and don't check if you lost any, get soap and wash it off but not as well as you normally would and go touch the TV, etc. On an alternate note, another possibility is that the intentional exposures the way you describe them might habituate us in a way that we just don't see or feel that it's working until later. Maybe doing it that way, at the times they might have happened we will subconsciously remember when we did it previously on purpose and made it a reality and we won't worry so much? That's just speculation. Anyway, if you feel like MY responses are just restarting YOUR confusion cycle, feel free to simply say so! I'll totally get it 😉