How do you use ERP (exposure response prevention) to help “just right” OCD? I’ve never quite understood how to expose myself to anything to help me not do my compulsions since a lot of my feelings are just that it’s not right Like for germ/cleaning OCD they say to touch a trash can or something to expose yourself and not give in to your compulsions, but how would you do something like that with just right ocd?

I’ve wondered this a lot myself. This may not be the case for everyone with “just right” ocd, but I think that often there is a hidden anxious thought that “if I don’t make this right, I won’t be able to think about anything else or I’ll be anxious until it is right.” So that’s somewhat analogous to the fear of getting sick and dying with contamination OCD. I still find it difficult to do ERP with my just right ocd though, and do think it’s pretty different than other OCDs

@carlybelle I think it’s more to do with your fears. Like on the surface ‘Just right’ ocd might seem like there’s no real fear behind it, but there is. Therapists reveal what that is and then tailor the therapy around it. I’m pretty sure that’s how it works?? I’m not entirely sure though

I recognise the same flaws sometimes in ERP, but usually there are ways, I think sometimes somehow we don’t want to figure it out. I have tried putting things ”just wrong”, and even though that helps it’s by no means a perfect method. What it does do is make you take a first step into the discomfort of things being ”not just right”. I think what is more useful is to stop yourself when you notice yourself trying to get something just right, and try to just leave it, maybe first by distracting yourself then to pure exposure.