Ive seen a lot of information online and misinformation, my ocd has been severe since I was a child, as probably most of yours have as well. I’m currently doing CBT with a therapist and I really can’t tell if it is making me worse which is causing an obsession around it. How does CBT affect some individuals suffering and what’s your experience?
I was in CBT therapy off and on for 17 years and made very little progress on my OCD. Like @Maeday said, it feels good right after because of the reassurance, but I never found myself truly *believing* it. I’ve been doing NOCD therapy since may and have noticed a huge shift in my thinking. A lot of it has to do with un-learning CBT. For example, let’s say I’m in a public place, get something sticky on my hands, and then can’t wash my hands. Immediately, my brain goes, “you’re going to get bubonic plague.” CBT would say, “this is catastrophizing. What evidence do you have that you’ll get bubonic plague? Why do you think you’re jumping to that conclusion? What alternative belief can you replace with that thought?” Whereas ERP says, “maybe I’ll get bubonic plague. Maybe not. Just because I have the thought doesn’t make it true. Moving on!” There’s no dwelling, and it stops overthinking in its tracks. I’m so grateful for ERP. It’s changed my life for the better in ways that CBT never could. That being said, some talk therapists are using ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) which is slowly replacing CBT in the counseling world. ACT does align with ERP and can be used simultaneously. If you feel like you need more talk therapy to process things, people with OCD will respond well to ACT.
Absolutely! 4 months ago, I started CBT and it caused a massive OCD spiral that lead to a MDD relapse. It’s taken several months and medication adjustments to bring myself out of it. I FINALLY am back to my “normal” this week. The intense focus on what my thoughts were, along with assigning meaning to them, caused 24/7 rumination and a complete loss of insight. I am now starting ERP- which I hope will be effective since I’m no longer in an acute episode. I think ERP is the gold standard for a reason.. and unfortunately I learned that the hard way.
Mine made it worse. Granted, I didn't know I had OCD. However, I found that I felt way better after our sessions, but I was back at the same anxiety and spiralling within a day. After I was diagnosed with OCD, I realized I was using CBT as a compulsion of reassurance. My therapist now wants to introduce some CBT back in, but since she's my OCD therapist as well, hopefully we'll both be aware so I don't end up using it as a compulsion.
Ive heard stories of people having negative experiences with cbt. I, myself have only ever had good ones
It's the point of to let you know you're not alone some of our OCD may run on fear and if we speak them, they won't be fears anymore
So I’ve been going to an ocd therapist for abt 2-3 months now and she’s starting to make me feel very nervous and anxious I even started crying, she wanted me to do exposures that were to much for me and I got rlly upset and Burt out into tears and she just didn’t say anything and just sat there for a good 10 seconds doing nothing this is starting to repeat nearly every session and I’m very frustrated should I get a new therapist or do I just be nice and tough it out?
Does anyone who has gotten better/healed with OCD ever experience that their thoughts and urges get more difficult as you get better. I feel like I am getting better at handling certain things but I feel like now newer themes and such get more difficult as I progress. I was curious if this is kind of the process to getting better. Weirdly, like it makes sense the closer you are to getting better thoughts become worst and stronger since you are doing better. Just need to keep on pushing and doing what I have been. Let me know, would love to hear your guys thoughts and feedback
I had a therapy assessment today (not on here) and she said she is gonna put me forward for CBT and said I had generalised anxiety because I worry about different things, rather than it being OCD where you worry about one thing, but I do compulsions so I’m confused. Will CBT help even if I do have OCD ? my main worry is harm and I told her other things like fear or fainting or switches being off but she said I’ve got anxiety and I definitely feel like I’ve got ocd
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