Unable to access therapy

Alright. Go ahead

@Summaiyat - Happy to share! The community has already pointed you toward some great options. One thing worth adding: if you do start experimenting with exposures on your own, it's important to also practice response prevention — resisting the compulsion after the exposure — because doing exposure alone without response prevention can actually make OCD worse rather than better. That's a key thing the workbooks and self-help resources will help you understand. Here is a resource that you may find helpful: Can you treat OCD on your own? What you can do — and when to get help: https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/treating-ocd-on-your-own This is written specifically for people in your situation — it covers what's safe to do without a therapist, what to avoid, and free resources (including NOCD's blog and YouTube channel) that can help you get started while you work toward accessing care. I hope these resources are helpful — feel free to explore whichever feels most relevant to where you're at. 🤍

Oh alright. Thank you so much for replying. If I may ask, where did you purchase this book from?

@Summaiyat If you look on amazon, ebook stores (like google play or whatever the equivalent is for apple), or in general. there are a wide variety of self-help books you can get geared towards ERP. These can help you practice the mindfulness and non-engagement techniques that are part of the ERP process. So, figuring out what your compulsions are and how to not engage with them, and also just learning to become aware of them. like for example, before I started therapy. I realized one of my biggest compulsions (centering around my perfectionism OCD) was to delete any writing that I didn't think was "good enough". so i stopped deleting my work, and just kept it all in a folder, that I didn't necessarily look at. next i went through and read them after awhile etc. I have good experiences using help books or workbooks. For example I see on amazon: one of the one's i've purchased "ocd workbook third edition" by Hyman. that one uses cbt methods, but I also see there are so workbooks that use ERP and ACT by a clinical psychologist called "Living Beyond OCD Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy" Patricia E. Zurita. there's a lot of self-help books, but I tend to stick to the ones written by doctors or psychologists. ACT (Acceptance and commitment therapy) is also a super helpful tool in dealing with OCD as well.

@ezzieorsomething Oh thank you so much for the time and information..I'll definitely look into it

Oh I'm glad it worked for you? I was recently prescribed an SSRI and another drug. What medication has helped you so far and how long did it take for it to work for you please?

@Summaiyat i'm speaking about mindfulness meditation. for medication, i've tried many different ssris and very few have worked for me. right now im on sertraline and it helps to an extent, though my anxiety is still severe unfortunately

@a.lea Damn! This breaks my heart. I have never tried meditation. I don't even know how to do it. I don't know hso to concentrate

@a.lea Could you teach me plsssssssss

@Summaiyat it's okay! i also have a lot of issues with concentration and it can be challenging but it will help you learn to be more patient and accepting of yourself, no matter what's going on in your mind. i use an app called Headspace, a couple others i know of are Calm and Insight Timer :)