- Date posted
- 5y ago
- Date posted
- 5y ago
Do you tell yourself that the scripts and recordings are part of therapy that it doesn't actually count?
- Date posted
- 5y ago
So sorry to say this b/c I know you're going through a tough time, but go back and do ERP with a QUALIFIED and EXPERIENCED therapist. You start with the lowest ranked fear and gradually work your way to the highest ranked fear. That way you will set yourself with success. Once you face your fear, and keep doing exposures over and over again, you will soon see results. Talk therapy isn't enough. I started with ERP, then CBT (ERP sessions were not covered by insurance), no meds. Still have rough spots, but my symptoms are more manageable.
- Date posted
- 5y ago
When people start ERP, many are scared of the treatment. Consequently, some tell themselves something like, “I’m going to imagine this now, but I know it’s not real, it’s just therapy,” to calm themselves down. That statement makes exposure impossible. You’ve just told yourself you’re safe! The exposure needs to feel real in the same ways it does when you’re freaking out about it in your day to day life. I’m sure you come across a million triggers every day that spike your intrusive thoughts and compulsions naturally. ERP needs to do the same, just on purpose. Perhaps your ERP triggers simply aren’t hard enough. I’d suggest picking a higher number on your hierarchy. Something that makes you fearful even knowing it’s “just therapy.” Id also try to steer clear of reassuring yourself that it is just therapy. It may be deliberate and scheduled, but it’s the same “risks” you face in real life that trigger you all the time.
- Date posted
- 5y ago
Pureolife is 100% right
- Date posted
- 5y ago
Thanks pureolife, I realize that when I plan to do an exposure it just doesn’t feel scary anymore because it was “planned” like having to think about erp not working for me is scary, but writing it on a script isn’t.
- Date posted
- 5y ago
Maybe scripts simply aren’t the best exposure type for you. There are plenty of other real-life exposures you can try instead.
- Date posted
- 5y ago
Maybe find an article about treatment resistant ocd/statistics?
- Date posted
- 5y ago
And read it, telling yourself that it may be true for you
- Date posted
- 5y ago
So your OCD is primarily about having OCD? Or is it focused on something else (harm, sexuality, contamination, etc.) Are your scripts about having OCD then and ERP not working? Just making sure.
- Date posted
- 5y ago
I do tell myself it’s part of therapy! And I am seeing an erp therapist, they said sometimes your ocd knows you’re trying to scare it. I’ve done a heirarchy and everything but I just don’t get scared.
- Date posted
- 5y ago
Yeah, I guess it’s hard to figure those out since all of my intrusive thoughts are mental
- Date posted
- 5y ago
What are you intrusive thoughts about?
- Date posted
- 5y ago
Being treatment resistant, not knowing if I’ll get better since erp doesn’t work, thinking that every time I have a new erp plan it won’t work bc I know exposures don’t usually scare me, etc
- Date posted
- 5y ago
Thanks I will do that! And yes currently it’s about having ocd, I also have harm ocd but not currently so I do scripts about being treatment resistant etc
- Date posted
- 5y ago
I like XTinas suggestion about articles about treatment resistance. Maybe you could also read others personal stories about how they feel OCD has stolen their lives from them and they’ll never really be better. Lots of people blog online about their illness, so finding someone who has really struggled may be triggering.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 11w ago
Sometimes I notice my intrusive thoughts cause me to spiral and sometimes not. I've been practicing ERP for quite a while so it's a bit easier for me to not spiral. But I wonder why that happens. Does anyone else have it? Also I'm on medication idk if that plays a role.
- Date posted
- 10w ago
Hi guys! I’m new to the community and I’ve recently received my OCD diagnosis (tho I’ve known about it since childhood). I’ve been somewhat spiraling lately as I wait for my first ERP session (hooray!) I was just wondering if any of you guys have received ERP for existential OCD and if it was successful? My existential OCD compulsions are more so mental and have been affecting me in the sense of dream/memory flashbacks and giving me a sort of “uncanny” feeling about everything around me. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you❤️
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 9w ago
So you got to ask me anything… Now I’d like to ask you something! I’ve heard from Members that they were so scared coming to their first ERP session. They were terrified that I would think they were crazy, that I would tell them their worst fears were true. That I would confirm they are some form of a terrible person or have them hauled off to prison for their thoughts. I’ve also had Members share how they’re very scared to begin ERP treatment because they’ve researched enough to know it means facing the fear, without the compulsions that have kept them feeling safe (but not really safe) this entire time. They struggled to see how they could be capable of doing this, while simultaneously acknowledging that they did not want to live like this anymore. If you have had your first session, what were your thoughts before? Did you have any hesitations or fears going into it? How did it turn out? If you haven’t yet begun to work with an ERP specialist, what is holding you back?
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