ERP for Real Event OCD

How does that even work? I feel like this would be the only OCD theme that is immune to ERP. I've probably had some combo of health OCD, etc. can accept that people have "negative intrusive thoughts" but that doesn't mean they DID the thought. Not to minimize other themes, but things like health OCD, relationship OCD, perfectionism OCD, magical thinking, etc., while very difficult and damaging, from what I understand there there is no "finality" to them. Many of the fears are based on false logic. Many of them may *affect* your Identity and Integrity, but the TRUTH of the fear is not final. This is not the same for Real Event OCD. The Real Event is absolute and factual. There is no "maybe, maybe not" or "don't seek reassurance about what the TRUTH is" because the truth is staring at you in the face. So I don't know how to get past Real Event OCD with ERP with no side effect. What I mean by side effect is anything less of True peace of mind Not Delusion Integrity in tact Identity in tact Maybe there's some type of mindset shift that doesn't sacrifice your integrity or that the "cure" is delusional about the past etc. I don't know what the answer is, and honestly I don't see a lot of info on how ERP actually cures Real Event OCD. A lot of answers I hear are "the past is the past" "forgiveness" "everyone's human" "unconditional self acceptance" These are all nice, but these don't change the stain of whatever the Real Event was.

cyrene

Date posted: Yesterday

I've dealt with Real Event OCD before, and I'll be honest and say that ERP didn't really help me at all with it. I had to do ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) for it, and I found a lot of success with it to the point where I do not deal with this theme anymore! There will always be stains with any real event that occurs that your OCD latches onto, and while the answers you hear are very cliche and aren't that helpful on their own, accepting what you did and accepting that you would not repeat the real event (aka accepting the past for what it is, the present for what it is, and the human condition) is the first step to getting anywhere with real event OCD.

Dude01

Date posted: Yesterday

Thank you so much for your answer and mentioning ACT! I haven't heard much about that so I'm going to start researching it more. Awesome that you don't have to deal with it anymore. For ACT to work, do you feel like it was "true cure" like you didn't have to sacrifice some "side effect" like I mentioned.

cyrene

Date posted: Yesterday

@Dude01 I don't personally feel that there were any sacrifices made for ACT to work, as the emphasis is on radical acceptance of who you were when it happened, what happened, and who you are now. I was able to heal from my real event obsessions because I was able to move past the guilt and shame of the event and accept it, as well as accept myself for who I was then and who I am now as I've grown since then (my real event occurred at age 12 or so, I'm turning 27 this year)! ACT and time in tandem is the best pairing for trying to tackle real event OCD without sacrificing anything, I think. Obviously it may not work for you or others, since we all respond to treatment differently, but I'm a huge advocate for ACT with real event OCD and most OCD themes. 🫶

Dude01

Date posted: 4h

@cyrene - Thanks for this! My real event was in childhood too. But the problem is I'm in permanent purgatory... The way my OCD works is 1. The real event memories or reminders comes up --> welp gotta deal with it / address it now... 2. I've ruminated on it for f'n Years on this. I've gone / go through the whole process and I say "this event was 'ok' or it was 'ok' because I was a kid." 3. I write it down when it's "dealt with" to "remember it" 4. Then "dealt with" thing is challenged again with an intrusive thought or something that triggers it and it's the cycle all over again (ruminate > solve > write it down). 5. Rinse and repeat DAILY. I know, it's pathetic lol So basically, I can't even fully "feel" the guilt/innocence of something because I'm constantly "reassuring" or "solving" that it was "ok" and "dealt with." But my brain doesn't accept it long-term. It's open-ended where if that "ok" is challenged that it "wasn't ok" I *have* to redo the whole process - which keeps me stuck in the OCD loop. I fully realize this open-ended cycle + daily "need" to "deal" with it is what fuels the daily OCD. I just don't know any other way to do this without like having a mental breakdown lol.

Dude01

Date posted: 3h

@Dude01 - Also I don't do like physical compulsions per se like washing hands etc - besides writing it down or like a thumbs up when a rumination is "deal with" to remember it, so not sure if that's Pure O or not.

Todd James

Date posted: Yesterday

Hey dude, I can really relate to this one as I struggled a lot through many themes INCLUDING this one. OCD thrives on resistance, it's how it gets power and importance. I couldn't work out how I could get through real event OCD until I realised what I was resisting which was the feeling of guilt. This is what I did - I invited the guilt feeling completely - I allowed it without changing it - I allowed the theme but I didn't not go into the story. I said to myself - I want this guilt. I want to feel it completely. After sitting and meditating repeating this, what I noticed was that my guilt began to melt, move and feel good. Behind the guilt was selflove. So I encourage non resistance to the FEELING

Dude01

Date posted: 3h

If you see my answer above it's basically this -- I can't even fully "feel" the guilt/innocence of something because I'm constantly "reassuring" or "solving" that it was "ok" and "dealt with." But my brain doesn't accept it long-term. It's open-ended where if that "ok" is challenged that it "wasn't ok" I *have* to redo the whole process - which keeps me stuck in the OCD loop. Any suggestions?

sophea

Date posted: Yesterday

ERP is the gold standard treatment for every form of OCD. I see that it didn't work for someone else in this thread, but that's their personal experience and not the medical consensus. ERP is definitely the place to start.

Dude01

Date posted: 3h

Do you know how it works for Real Event OCD?

sophea

Date posted: 1h

@Dude01 Every type of OCD is treated the same way because it's the same root disorder. I even saw people with Real Event OCD have great success with ERP when I was in a OCD treatment facility.

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