- Date posted
- 37w
Weird
I’ve started ERP therapy with a really great therapist, and I haven’t gave into my compulsions but I still have anxiety and yesterday my brain was telling me that people were zombies😭 is this normal?
I’ve started ERP therapy with a really great therapist, and I haven’t gave into my compulsions but I still have anxiety and yesterday my brain was telling me that people were zombies😭 is this normal?
healing takes time, some days we may feel more anxious than any other day. it doesn't mean we are failing, This is just part of the way :)
Do you know that saying two steps forward one step back? It's definitely a thing. Watched my very young daughter go through this therapy over a year now and the progress is amazing but I can tell you there were very dark times and it wasn't always easy. Our brains are telling us a million things per second. Sometimes we get stuck on a random item that doesn't mean anything at all. Anxiety seems to be a part of this process. Your brain is learning how to live all over again and it's a pretty uncomfortable path to wellness. You can feel better though, I promise. I had doubts in the past but then I was proven wrong. You can do it, I believe in you.
When i started therapy in October, I thought my OCD would never get better. When my physicatrist told me last February I had OCD I resigned myself to it and then embarked on some of the worst months ever for my OCD. By the time i got here I didn’t have much hope. Now I’ve actually learned to deal with my OCD and for the first time in my life moving through the world isn’t a constant painful thing. Give it some time, it gets better i promise
Yep, normal. OCD does this type of stuff
I read about ERP and have seen information about it on here. One of the goals is to say, "maybe I am this or that...ect." That terrified me. The thoughts and images that go in my head are disturbing and upsetting. I don't want to even think about saying, "maybe this or that." It's devasting to have these thoughts and question why you're having these thoughts. Doesn't the "maybe" make it worse? The one thing that helps me is that is to remind myself that these are just thoughts and I know I'm not a monster, even if I feel like one. Is ERP not for everyone? Has anyone else had a problem with the techniques used in this kind of therapy? I had cognitive therapy for years with an OCD specialist and that seemed to help a lot. Writing out the worst case scenarios would make me suicidal. Im having a difficult time not obsessing over the "maybe" after intrusive thoughts now. It doesn't make it better.
Has anyone else struggled with compulsions around using ERP itself? It creeped in subtly, but I’ve noticed myself now starting to repeat phrases/mantras before I try to do exposures. Ironically, that itself has become a compulsion. It’s wild, how do you get a compulsion about not doing compulsions 🤯 It honestly probably got this way and doesn’t help that I haven’t been able to access therapy in over 3 yrs. So as I’ve tried to use ERP on my own without professional support, it just kind of morphed into this. Well I should be able to access services again in January. I suppose it’s not that far away anymore at this point, 4 months. Grateful for that at least.
started ERP this week and it hasn’t been easy. i think i’ve also started obsessing about trying to “practice my skills” correctly and burning myself out. not to mention, because i’ve been trying not to give into compulsions, my anxiety has just been at a constant for the last few days and i just need some relief. i just don’t know how to handle it
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