Positive update

@amber.barajaas So I’m not on medication, and this isn’t a shot to anyone who’s on it. There were many times I wanted to call my psychiatrist and ask for it, the anxiety and fear was so intense but I wanted to give therapy & ERP a real chance! The more I learned about ocd and how our minds work I realized I was doing it incorrectly. I was more so “white knuckling it” and after my session I would go back to my compulsions. I deal with more mental obsessions than physical! I started using my responses more frequently, distraction at work, at home, the gym played a big part in rewiring the way my thoughts, & responses were. I started noticing things I was afraid of …. triggering scenarios didn’t have the same impact it had a few days, weeks, and then months back. My response skills were coming almost as natural to what triggered me in the past, and whenever a thought came up, it came and then flew. I didn’t obsess over the what if, I let it go! It’s cheesy to say but it’s so real and I know a lot of can relate, but I feel free, I’m not locked in my mind like how I use to be. Please understand everyone’s journey is different but we can all reach this level if we’re willing to put in the work.

@amber.barajaas I’m happy you’re finding your way through this. The ins & outs! The bad and the good. I also want to clarify recovery isn’t what most people think it is, ocd doesn’t go away, but it gets WAY WAY WAY EASIER. We all have this mental disorder, but we learn how to navigate through it. We strengthen our minds, and like everything else in life we figure out ways to get through them. This is no different. We’re so much stronger than the average person, we deal with a lot mentally and yet we just keep going. You got this my friend, just always remember we’re all in this together, trust the process! Whatever ocd has to throw at us whatever flare ups we get just know you’re more stronger and I really mean that. If you need anything or have question feel free to reach out.

@Justanocdgirlllll What you’re doing is everything I did. You have to change your relationship with your thoughts, you have to accept the old you is gone but a new and improve you is going to form from all this. I fully committed to my therapist and exposure. I put myself through mental hell so my mind can accept the uncertainty! I’m also honest with my therapist with everything, some of our thoughts can be extremely uncomfortable to talk about. All that TikTok and Reddit search needs to stop, that’s exactly what I did, that was my main compulsion, once it stopped I started getting better! Your response skills are like a muscle, you have to keep training it, using it. The more practice you do, the more stronger it becomes! The min you wanna jump on Reddit or TikTok go out for a walk, listen to music, but you also have to be willing to accept whatever it is you’re afraid of could happen, or not, in that moment you’re choosing yourself and focusing on the present moment!