I will not provide reassurance and will always encourage everyone to find a therapist to work with. My TikTok channel is @AintThatSaintHank, where I talk about my journey with OCD throughout most of my adulthood. Taking this into consideration, feel free to ask me anything! đ
Hi, Hank. I just started therapy at NOCD and am feeling so much resistance even to the idea of starting ERP, which I was surprised by. My anxiety is telling me that this is not safe, and could end with me losing my mind, and that it's safer to handle this on my own and just avoid my triggers. What advice would you give someone scared to start ERP?
Don't listen to those thoughts. Ocd is a lying sack of shit. Perhaps you could do response prevention like maybe it's not safe, you will lose your mind etc. It took me almost a month to accept my dx cause I thought I was lying. How dare I get help and take away ocds mind fuck toys.
Recognize that your mind is just imagining worst-case scenariosâit canât predict the future. Otherwise, you'd be rich because you'd have already won the lottery or something, haha. You have more control over your thoughts than you realize. The anxiety you're feeling is just thatâanxiety. Instead of entertaining unnecessary dialogues about what might happen, focus on the present. Ground yourself by focusing on your senses and your breath. When anxious thoughts arise, don't push them away; acknowledge them and move on. For example, if you think, "I might lose my mind," respond with, "Okay, big deal," and then let it go. You don't need to engage in further mental debates. Just deal with the anxiety, accept it, and focus on showing up for your appointment. There's no need to keep thinking about it. You can't avoid your triggers, so donât let your mind consider that as an option. Triggers will be everywhere, and sometimes even your own thoughts can trigger you. Are you going to live in fear and shrink your world just to avoid feeling anxious? Thatâs no way to live. And even if you try, youâll eventually be triggered and wish you had the tools to handle it. Your goal should be to manage OCD and develop a clear, quiet, and focused mind. This wonât happen without effortâyou need to commit to doing the work, even when it feels tough. That's what you deserve. Just show up to the appointment. Donât try to predict how it will go; you know deep down you canât. Donât let your imagination scare you. Good luck, my friend! May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be loved. May not be at peace. May you be free from suffering. đ
@HenryMP27 Thank you for your kind words and support! I did, in fact, shrink my world to avoid being triggered/anxious. Spoiler: it did not work đ . I appreciate your advice and will come back to this when I need a reminder. Btw; Congratulations on your progress!
Congratulations on this milestone in your OCD recovery journey!!! Keep it up!
I've been experiencing an existential crisis, questioning the nature of right and wrong. I've been wondering if taboo topics like child marriage, pedophilia, and rape are truly wrong, and if so, why. This has led to a deep-seated fear that I might be capable of committing such acts, since I can't seem to logically explain why they're wrong. As a result, I've felt like I've lost my moral compass and sense of purpose. I'm struggling to reconcile my own beliefs and values, and I'm no longer sure what I truly stand for. This has been a really challenging and unsettling experience. Do you know of anyways I can move through this?
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