Hobbit
- Date posted
- 10w
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). 😅
nicole605nicole605
- Date posted
- 10w
Oh my. This is a fear of mine too. Bookmarking to see if others reply too.
Tea and HoneyTea and Honey
- Date posted
- 10w
lol, I tend to make everything into rules in my life. It's like I don't know how to do anything in a real way without turning it into rules.
HobbitHobbit
- Date posted
- 10w
@Tea and Honey Yes! I do this too!! For me, my brain is regularly trying to optimize or refine or perfect routines/processes/protocols, even when it’s not necessary at all (and it often does this at the expense of my energy/bandwidth/enjoyment — I spend so much time “problem solving” things that don’t need to be solved lol) 🫠
Steven55!Steven55!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 10w
Yeah, OCD can be one sneaky sucker! When I have this happen, I try to catch myself and think/say, "Okay that's a compulsion. I don't need that in my life." It helps.
HobbitHobbit
- Date posted
- 10w
@Steven55! OCD IS *SO* SNEAKY!!! 😅 I’ll try your response when I catch myself. Thank you!
Liv Liv
- Date posted
- 10w
If doing an exposure feels ‘urgent’ or like you need to do it to feel better it’s a compulsion. Resist the exposure in that moment and treat it like any other compulsion. I’ve been there with this and tell myself nope that wants me to check how I feel and if I really would do something I don’t need to entertain that right now. It’s hard I know when everything is screaming you need certainty but it won’t get you anywhere helpful trust me
HobbitHobbit
- Date posted
- 10w
@Liv Good call — I’ll pay attention to whether I feel urgency or that I have to do it to feel better. That will help me notice it’s a compulsion and stop. I’ve been challenging myself to do ERP imperfectly as well, in the hopes that will help too.
orthoptorthopt
- Date posted
- 10w
I have scheduled them at certain times of the day and that has worked well for me. If it is not my scheduled time and I feel the desire to do an exposure then it's likely me wanting to do a compulsion in that moment. The schedule keeps me from not performing an exposure based up how I feel in the moment but simply because I have it scheduled and I try to stick to that schedule, kinda like a job. Also, I try to avoid trying to have the "perfect" exposure. Some are really hard and others are easier. Just be awarel if you feel you didn't do the exposure well / properly try avoid doing it again in that moment as it is likely becoming a compulsion at that point. Realize it is a process and you will have more opportunities to practice in the future.
HobbitHobbit
- Date posted
- 10w
@orthopt Yes, good advice about scheduling! very helpful!
orthoptorthopt
- Date posted
- 10w
Also establishing an exposure hierarchy can be really helpful. Try starting with your lower ranked (easier) exposures first. This lets you learn ERP skills early in the process and then you can move to harder exposures once you've mastered your lower ranked ones. A hierarchy also let's you be flexible with your exposures. If you try a higher level and it is too difficult you can move to the lower tiered exposure and master that until you're ready for the higher tired one again. Most importantly don't give up if you give in to compulsion during ERP from time to time. I'm pretty sure it happens to everyone (I know it has to me), just work towards acceptance and try to get back into your ERP schedule. Hope this helps. I'm glad to hear your working with ERP. It's hard, but the work is worth it
Related posts
littlecreek24
- Date posted
- 22w
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?
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
- 16w
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
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