Worse before it gets better?
Has anyone who started ERP therapy felt that your ocd or anxiety has gotten worse (at first) before it gets better?
Yes. In my experience, tackling my ruminations and compulsions head on with ERP made them feel stronger. For me, it was because I was practicing not giving in to them for the first time. So don’t worry if things feel more stressful in the beginning-it gets easier.
Yes, my first month was rough. I had no idea how bad my OCD was....I thought I just had a little issue. Understanding my OCD triggers has been a breakthrough. Be patient and work the steps. I just began to see my own progress over the last week.
@Anonymous I’m had/having this same experience ❤️🩹
How long have you been working on your erp? I'm literally just starting. I have had 2 weeks of sessions for doing the evaluations and beginning my fears and response list. Just now starting the erp.
Yes, the hyper awareness was exhausting but revealing. I had to give myself some space for processing it all. Got better in a strong way. Keep working 💛
The hyper awareness is like all the time for me, and like you said, so exhausting. I'm just starting my erp and looking forward to better days and having peace.
Super common
As an update, I did my ERP homework today. I was very stressed during but felt a sense of accomplishment after. Sometimes I dread moving up the hierarchy and not knowing how I will cope with it. But I have a bit of hope that I can eventually get there. Thank you everyone for your input. This is one of the hardest things I've ever dealt with!
@OCDlikewoah Congratulations on doing your homework despite the stress!! It’s not easy. Hold on to your hope, you will get there ❤️
@OCDlikewoah glad you’re feeling better about it !
Yes
Yes, excited for when the trigger feels less immense. I am new starting, so the triggers are still quite stressing
@Bryar___ Oh me also! And my triggers and themes jump around trying to latch onto anything. I have been through so many hard things before and overcame them.
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?
Anyone find that ERP is not helping with the ocd? I’ve been going up me hierarchy slowly but I’m not getting any real relief from obsessions or anxiety - at times it seems to just get worse. My therapist says until I have gone thru my entire hierarchy I won’t feel much change in my symptoms. Anyone else going through this? I feel kind of dejected and hopeless about it like this is never getting better. My therapist even said I should maybe stop ERP because it’s not working (she might have been baiting me, tho - I don’t know)...
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?
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