Compulsion vs ERP

I'm thinking of trying some ERP on my own while I wait for treatment, but I'm having some trouble knowing what is a compulsion and what would be good exposure. For example, I have huge fears of being a narcissist and/or a generally bad person. So whenever I watch a movie or read something that has an evil character in it I automatically compare myself to that character and stress over if I'm like that person. A couple of things I do when this happens is Google other people's experiences, seek reassurance, rumination, etc. Sometimes I'll also google different symptoms of narcissism, freak out over things that I relate to, then get relief over things I don't. So my confusion is, would researching people who have narcissism be an exposure, or a compulsion since it's something I sometimes do during a spiral? Or, would the exposure be watching movies/living life hearing these stories, and refraining from the spiral of rumination and no Googling at all?

User type: Therapist

Date posted: 22w

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Navigating the difference between compulsions and exposures can be challenging, especially when it comes to fears about being a narcissist. Researching symptoms or seeking reassurance can often be compulsions, as they may provide temporary relief but ultimately reinforce the cycle of OCD. A more helpful approach might be to engage with the fear by watching movies or living life without engaging in the spiral of rumination or Googling, allowing yourself to sit with the discomfort. Remember, it's about acknowledging the fear and choosing not to respond with compulsions. You might also find this link helpful: https://www.treatmyocd.com/what-is-ocd/common-fears/fear-of-being-a-bad-person

littlecreek24

Date posted: 22w

Okay that makes sense. The reason I'm wondering is because I sometimes hear about exposures that include reading about the subject you're afraid of. Ex. Martin Luther read Bible verses about God's wrath, but I guess for me because I already use Google as a compulsion it's a bad idea?

User type: Therapist

Date posted: 21w

@littlecreek24 - It is hard to give out any opinion without knowing more about you! I can't provide any therapy on this platform, but I can say that researching is often a compulsion and unless you are doing a specific exposure on it with a therapist, it might be too easy to make it a compulsion.

anxietypoops

Date posted: 22w

The RP in ERP

Hi! I've been on my OCD healing journey for about half a year and I have seen a lot of success. I'm reaching out for advice, I am very willing to do exposures because I know the more I do them, the more I get better, but I struggle with the response prevention part. I don't know how to control my brain when it comes to facing the fears especially since most of my compulsions are mental. I can tell myself the typical things "I am okay with the uncertainty of this happening", etc. but its like my brain doesn't believe them. I've been stuck in this disconnect for a while and would love advice you have heard from a therapist or learned that has really help you.

Estelle_11

Date posted: 15w

What is correct ERP for mental compulsions?

If your mind purposely keeps fetching a repetitive word, and you’re afraid it will never go away, is the ERP therapy to STOP the mind from doing it? Or ALLOW the mind to do it, and not react? Also, is repeating a word in your head a mental compulsion? Or would that be the obsession? So then what’s the compulsion? Posting on here? Lol

Hobbit

Date posted: 9w

Not making ERP a compulsion?

Anyone have any tips on not making ERP a compulsion? I find myself sometimes wanting to do exposures in order to make myself feel better (feel my anxiety go down and feel relief). 😅

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Compulsion vs ERP

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