Kay89

Date posted: 4w ago

Therapist triggered me

I told my therapist I had intrusive about my bff and keeps asking me if I’m attracted to her and I’m say I am not he’s keep saying maybe u are .

🖤SavageGirl🖤

Date posted: 4w ago

Yeah, that's not for him to decide. If you talked about it, then you probably don't want those thoughts. This was out of place and extremely unprofessional.

Kay89

Date posted: 4w ago

@🖤SavageGirl🖤 I don’t want them they just pop up in my head about everyone.

🖤SavageGirl🖤

Date posted: 4w ago

@Kay89 - Do you have these frequently?

Kay89

Date posted: 4w ago

@🖤SavageGirl🖤 Yes most of the time

🖤SavageGirl🖤

Date posted: 4w ago

@Kay89 - May I help?

Anonymous

Date posted: 4w ago

It sounds like the therapist was doing ERP. I'm curious if they explained it well to you though? Essentially, being triggered in therapy is the "goal" if you are trying to overcome OCD. The idea that "maybe" you are attracted to your friend is going to be very uncomfortable to your OCD thoughts. The trigger is the E (Exposure) in ERP. The more you are exposed to the trigger, the more comfortable your brain gets with it until over time it doesn't bother you at all. That being said, it's important that you communicate with your therapist if that felt like too much for you. If you are not fully understanding EPR, it's important to let your therapist know and to ask questions. That being said, if the therapist is not explaining it to you or is not open to your input, you may want to consider a different therapist

User type: Therapist

Date posted: 4w ago

Hey! I know it's tough being on that end of therapy and hearing things that are difficult to hear. I don't want to speak for your therapist, but I'm wondering if this was an intentional attempt to habituate to the distress of not knowing whether it was "normal" or not. If an attempt like this is too much right now, I would encourage you to talk to him about doing less distressing exposures to help you build tolerance. However, having intrusive thoughts is normal. It's important to remember that thoughts are not facts and they don't define you just because they happen. If he asked you again, and instead of arguing you said "maybe", what do you think would happen? Would it make it true?

Kay89

Date posted: 4w ago

@Adam Kuykendall I have tried doing the maybe , maybe not but it could be true which makes me spiral . I think he may have said it for an exposure tho

User type: Therapist

Date posted: 4w ago

@Kay89 - Yes, facing uncertainty can push you down the spiral. What anxiety says is "You cannot take not knowing." Your anxiety might also say "If you say it, then it's true." These are kinda like emotional fallacies, things we believe without evidence. Exposures and response-prevention messaging like this are made to challenge those fears against your reality. Much like how going on a rollercoaster gives you the feeling that you're falling out of control, but it's actually pretty safe. I wish you luck on you next therapy sessions, and maybe you explore building up to this exposure if it is causing too much distress. But I defer to your therapist to help you make that decision.

Devanshu

Date posted: 4w ago

The therapist is definitely not right for you

jammywammy

Date posted: 4w ago

well you have to accept the possibility, that's how ERP works

Kay89

Date posted: 4w ago

@jammywammy I guess so, It’s too hard to say maybe maybe not just yet

jammywammy

Date posted: 4w ago

@Kay89 yeah he might be pressuring u too early

Dan Frijoles

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 4w ago

Honestly, that's a good therapist. That's exactly what they're supposed to do and how your supposed to think if you want to overcome this. That's part of the exposure treatment, which is the thing that will help the most. You're trying to convince yourself with 100% certainty that your fear isn't real. To be fair, it's probably not, but you need to live with that uncertainty and do your best to be okay with that. Now when I have an intrusive thought that bothers me, instead of trying to disprove it, I lean into it and say "yeah...maybe that true. It's possible. We'll see what happens." It sucks in the short-term, but you'll thank yourself and your therapist in the long-term.

issphra 🫶🏻

Date posted: 20w ago

freaking out

my therapist suggested that some of my less bad rocd intrusive thoughts are actually mine, and not intrusive. She ended up taking it back when she saw the alarm on my face and saw how panicked I got. I feel really freaking anxious. We were only talking about it because I mentioned a lot of doubt surrounding those less bad ones, but it only filled me with more doubt. I don’t want those thoughts to be mine. I really don’t. I feel scared and so discouraged after this session. I feel scared about the worst thoughts, what if those aren’t intrusive. I feel so much doubt.

Anon56

Date posted: 15w ago

I am confused now, please help

I went to a therapist, I told her about the doubts I was having related to my orientation and the continuous compulsion to check again and again and the thoughts. I told her about my resources -podcasts by Ali Greymond, Chrissie Hodges 's videos, and the books I read to overcome and control myself. She said a couple of things that confused me: 1> Her daughter once asked her "what if she liked girls?" As a mom my therapist said, "Start exploring", and the daughter said naahh. I wonder if the daughter had a thought or was it a chain of intrusive thoughts that plagued her day and night like in my case. 2> She said my sources are right, but I should forget that and not think that I have ocd. 3> She also said if there is any chance I am straight, I should walk on that path- because she has seen lesbians and gays have no feelings for the opposite sex. She said she could see that I was not gay or lesbian in any way. 4> She was interested in my education and masters degrees wasted a lot of time talking about that. 5> She said all these thoughts are causing me anxiety disorders (but I don't have ocd, doc?) 6> She pointed out that being happy and in the present removes these thoughts totally but I am causing myself unnecessary distress. I was doing well before this talk with the therapist now I am triggered a bit. Please share your thoughts.

katr :,)

Date posted: 14w ago

It all feels so real :( after 4 years

It feels like I used to get so many intrusive thoughts in the beginning but now it’s less it’s only thoughts like what if I’m a p what if I’m a p what if I’m lying to myself what if I’m in dentist truly in all this and it was all fake like I’m an imposter, now it’s just feelings and noticing :/ and I hate he feelings that come with it I’m really scared I am one I feel so alone :( I’m taking therapy but my therapist is not specialized in ocd and I don’t think she understands and I don’t want to bring it up bc I brought up a fear that what if I turn into my stepdad and she said “are you attracted to children?” And I said no but it was just an irrational thought that came after I started realizing the trauma that happened to me as a kid, and idk I’m scared to Start with a therapists here bc what if all this just makes it worse and it turns out I am what I fear all along.? :(

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