So I’ve heard to get over your triggers you need to expose yourself to them, well I have harm ocd and whenever I listen to metal music which is my FAVORITE usually it triggers my ocd realllllly bad. Is it a good idea to keep exposing it to myself to get over it?

Erp is essentially exposing a person to a trigger until they’re no longer getting panic responses, not to convince themselves that the content is NOT dangerous or bad. For instance i wouldn’t look at a picture of a knife and think like hey that’s awesome I’m fine with it, but I will look at it until my brain no longer sends panic signals. I still hold on to my values with erp. But pleeeeeeeeeeease do not start with the scariest thing first. Start with small stuff like the color red if you get nervous around that color wear a red shirt. That’s how I’ve been treating my ocd very very small exposures until my brain stops alarming.

Yes. Usually if you expose yourself to something and it gives you anxiety, that means that the exposure is working. You just have to push through until it doesn’t bother you anymore. It may take a while, but you will get through it.

That would be a great ERP exercise for you! But only if you know how to approach it correctly. For example, don’t flood yourself, ie don’t spend a whole day overwhelming yourself with the music. Instead, try listening for 1 min each day for a week, then a full song for a week, then 2 songs, then an album. It’s easier if you listen to the same songs each time, harder if they’re new. When you listen to them, do not engage in any compulsions, mental or otherwise. Don’t ruminate about the thoughts, try to “figure them out”, cancel them out, seek reassurance, research online, etc. sit with the anxiety it causes and just move on with your day each time.