Doing ACT and ERP together helps with maanaging my thoughts, as they are both part of CBT. Because they both teach skills and involve practicing sitting with thoughts, I’ve been using them together to improve my symptoms.
Currently doing the same and through ERP I was introduced to this awesome book called the “Happiness Trap” by Russ Harris which also introduced me to ACT. Totally agree that both are beneficial
@Simply_Sarah T☺️ Yeah, they go hand-in-hand. Tell me more about your experience and what you have found most helpful
@Peacher I recently was able to finally get diagnosed with OCD (& a few other things) earlier this year and so far the most gut wrenching part is trying not to ruminate on past things that at the time I was not aware was doing more damage than good to me. Realizing how much negativity I’ve put towards myself mentally and physically is insane but the craziest part is how BEAUTIFUL it is and so rewarding to finally just break open and step out into that fear and allowing myself to get to know me with grace instead of hostility this time around 😉 wby
@Simply_Sarah T☺️ Thank you for sharing! Yeah, the toughest part is refraining from beating ourselves up for not having known earlier. It’s not your fault. We are human, so we learn over time, allowing us to look back and see how we’ve grown. There’s so much distance between where you are at now and that starting line. I’m happy for you!! Yes, this is a beautiful journey 🥹. You accept yourself holistically and see all parts that make you YOU, parts that shine bright with others that flicker. We know that areas illuminated by a flickering light are more delicate, so we are more gentle with them and appreciate the beauty in vulnerability.
@Peacher And honestly that’s exactly how I intend to get through this. OCD is something I’ll always have to battle with but I don’t have to completely allow it to be my enemy to the point I don’t give my own self space to have human emotions without feeling like the drowning will never end …..somehow it always ends thankfully ☺️ truly allowing it to come and go without draining myself trying to understand the inevitable
@Simply_Sarah T☺️ ACT provided me with the skills to accept my thoughts and emotions without trying to suppress or reject them, which is perfect for treatment when paired with ERP because we know our thoughts are just thoughts and not our identities. Ego-dystonic thoughts don’t define us. For the longest time, I believed the negativity my brain told me. So, I actively sought out more control when it was just letting go all this time. Just like this post where the exposure exercise is not rereading and trying to fix errors, so it sounds like my Kindergarten-level cat in my pfp wrote it 💀 “Maanaging” 😂
@Simply_Sarah T☺️ We gently make room for those thoughts to sit alongside with us. Right, it’s like a rollercoaster in the dark (Space Mountain) where you don’t see the lift hills and drops. It’s such a surprising relief every time we rise above the flood because our mind makes us question if it will ever end when it’s really just “when” not “if”
@Peacher Facts‼️😭
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