In limbo between therapists and feeling discouraged

I've been in and out of talk therapy for OCD-related issues for years, but it hasn't been effective long-term. I am struggling with body image / eating disorder adjacent obsessions and I am really hopeful that ERP might actually give me some relief. I had my first session with my NOCD therapist a few weeks ago. It felt like a good match and I was ready to unpack my obsessions and compulsions to try ERP for the first time. The day of my second session she canceled due to personal illness. Then this happened a second time. Yesterday all of my future booked sessions were canceled without explanation. I went to schedule with a new therapist and the ones that seemed could be a good fit are filled up until at least early April. I booked a slot and sent the therapist a message letting her know I would be interested in starting sooner if a slot opened up. I am just disappointed. I could just meet with another therapist who has earlier availability, but it's most important to me that the therapist be a good fit since I've been through therapy so many times. I feel like I'm in limbo until I have an ERP plan set up and I'm not sure how to move forward in the meantime. I'm planning try out a support group but I need a personalized exposure plan and I'm not sure if that's something I should just try to set up myself? Anyone have something similar happen to them? Any thoughts or advice would be helpful.

User type: Therapist

Date posted: 21w

Hey, there! Your situation sounds very frustrating, and I can understand feeling discouraged especially since you’re ready to go, and circumstances just won’t let you get started. Don’t give up hope, annabanana! For the work part, I think it is probably best to create an exposure plan with a therapist for guidance. That being said, there’s no reason you can’t identify challenges for yourself and try to sit in distress. See if you can resist, reduce, delay any compulsions on whatever triggering situation you choose to face. Track it, document it, and celebrate whatever successes you have with your next therapist. Also, start small and work your way up. You got this, friend!

annabanana248

Date posted: 21w

Thank you for your reply! That's helpful advice. I think I'll choose one or two small things to practice tracking and resisting in the meantime.

Lily Sh.

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 21w

This sounds very frustrating. I would choose a new therapist with the soonest availability and give a try to someone new. The therapist that canceled all of your future sessions should have been more professional and explained what is happening and whether it's best to choose someone else. I have been doing erp with my provider through nocd and have had an amazing experience. I strongly recommend erp, as I have achieved times of remission. As far as support groups, I attend them through nocd when needed and they are super helpful and comforting. I recommend going to those while waiting for your new therapist to actually address the obsession/compulsion hierarchy.

Dreamydream

Date posted: 21w

@Lily Sh. How long till you felt remission?

annabanana248

Date posted: 21w

Thanks for your response. I am hopeful that ERP will be helpful, and it's encouraging to hear success stories from others

Lily Sh.

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 21w

I went into remission after a year of intense erp but felt significant reduction of symptoms about 6 months in. I eventually had a big relapse this year (stress induced) and am now back in erp therapy but once again experiencing remission. It is an up and down journey but I now have support and tools.

annabanana248

Date posted: 21w

Thanks for replying. It's validating to hear your experience, that a rough patch doesn't derail everything and that ERP is effective if we stick with it.

Lena1998

Date posted: 22w

Harm OCD made worse by psychiatrist visit

I went to talk to a psychiatrist based off my Nocd therapists recommendation. I had a very hard week beforehand where I had anxiety so bad I couldn't leave my bed. It seems like once I get my period my anxiety and everything dissipated some so I talked to the psychiatrist. Anyways, I was immediately put off by her because she told me she didn't have any information on me included in the referral for one reason or another. So I had to basically "fill her in" on my life story. I have anxiety disorder, panic disorder, OCD and PTSD. I told her these things and how hard the last week had been. She started asking questions like I had bipolar disorder, which I don't have. She then wanted me to take buspar and Zoloft TOGETHER daily. I know for a fact you never start two medications daily at once. You don't know which one is causing symptoms if you do. So I immediately didn't like that. I asked her about Zoloft specifically daily because it is an SSRI what I should do if it gave me thoughts of harm for myself. She told me "just go to the hospital".... Now, I don't wanna say that was the worst possible thing she could have said to me, but it was. Because now my OCD is spiraling that just my general harm OCD thoughts are enough to mean I need to go to the hospital. It had been 2 days and I cannot stop obsessing that maybe I'm depressed or suicidal because of this. I know I don't want anything to happen to me. I love my family and my friends. I am scared of death. But the thought is sticky and it's been so, so frustrating. My anxiety has been so frustrating. I feel so lost and like nothing I'm trying to fix my issues is working very well. NOCD therapy has been one of the only things to help in the long term, but I still get terrified of certain obsessions like suicide. I don't really know what to do, if anyone has any advice or any personal experience that may help, anything would be nice right now. I've felt so lost trying to figure it all out.

PenguinB

Date posted: 10w

Getting through life when therapy is unaffordable

Hi everyone, I'm in a bit of a difficult situation and I wanted to ask for some advice. I recently finished my studies and I am living from my savings while I look for a job. However this process has turned out to be a lot more difficult and tedious than I expected. I suspect I have OCD as I relate to a lot of the experiences described here, in particular those corresponding to pure OCD. I have continuous intrusive thoughts about how what I'm currently doing is not enough, I constantly need to reassured that what I'm doing is right, with some magical thinking and concerns about my relationship sprinkled in. These intrusive thoughts have made it very difficult to make any significant progress in looking for something. Added to this I'm not even sure I have OCD as I don't have the money to afford therapy right now (my mind keeps telling me that it's silly to write this message because there's no way I have OCD). I live in Switzerland so as far as I understand my insurance won't cover sessions with NOCD. In conclusion I'm a bit stuck, therapy would help with finding a job but I need a job to get therapy. If any of you have had any similar experience and have some piece of advice it would be very welcome.

jerreisstrong

Date posted: 6w

Rough time getting started in therapy

Has anyone else had a rough start? I’m 4 sessions in and have had no actual ERP work happen, I have 2 different therapists because none have availability to meet 2 times a week. Both those therapists are not available for the next 2 weeks so now I’m going to see a new 3rd one. Each time I’ve seen a new therapist I feel like the whole first session is spent with them re explaining everything. I’m paying for this out of pocket because they don’t accept Tricare which is my insurance as a Retired Marine. So I’m 960 in, and honestly feel worse than when I started. I get zero suggestions on what to do between sessions and feel so incomplete after my session finishes. I feel like I’ve gotten more help asking chat gpt questions on EPR and how to deal with ROCD than I do in my sessions . Does anyone have any insight or helpful advice here?

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In limbo between therapists and feeling discouraged

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