- Username
- 22masons
- Date posted
- 4y ago
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.
Awesome!! thank you!
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.
Is anyone struggling with Halloween at all if you have Harm OCD? Would watching horror films be a form of ERP to help face this fear head-on? The past 20 years, I couldn’t watch these films, but since the past 2 months of dealing with some OCD on steroids harm ocd out of nowhere, I want to face it head-on but smart at the same time.
What can you do to prep yourself for exposure therapy? Would it make your ocd worst in the beginning?
guys, I have a few questions. OCD is such an interesting thing because it is so simple yet so sneaky. The OCD I've been going through recently is (resistance to feelings) "I better not get feelings for anyone because I might lose control and be abandoned" my therapist has got me doing an exposure which is "I will get feelings, fall in love and be rejected" 5 minutes a day, 5 times a day. I noticed the anxiety subsiding but then I do move towards getting feelings and the fears return. Any advice here?
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