22masons
- Date posted
- 5y ago
ThreeLittleBirdsThreeLittleB...
- Date posted
- 5y 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.
22masons22masons
- Date posted
- 5y ago
Awesome!! thank you!
jcplunkjcplunk
- Date posted
- 5y ago
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.
pureolifepureolife
- Date posted
- 5y ago
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.
Related posts
Freddy327
- Date posted
- 19w ago
Waiting for therapy
Hi everyone. I'm feeling kinda scared because I have to wait a whole month to start ERP therapy, but I feel like I need to start doing exposures now because the longer I wait, the more anxiety I get. It just feels like the OCD monster is getting worse. One thing that helps me is asking one person about an obsession I have...asking a person that I trust, and then doing an exposure after I get the "ok" to do it. I feel like I do need 1 reassurance and then I can go ahead and do it. I know i'm not supposed to ask for reassurance at all, but i dont think you're supposed to do ERP on your own right? Does anyone have any suggestions for what to do while waiting for therapy? PS-the reason there is a wait is bc she's on vacation. After she's back we will meet regularly.
Holl1
- Date posted
- 16w ago
Harm ocd Advice
Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with intrusive thoughts&images. At first i had intrusive thoughts around my partner, now it’s centred around me & I can’t be around window ledges or medication due to a story I read online(it’s too triggering for me) . Sometimes I feel like I can’t leave my bed due to the thoughts being so overwhelming I just break down and want to sleep. I aren’t taking any medication or therapy yet. I worry that if I don’t give my thoughts a reaction that my thoughts are true and not OCD. I’ve had these thoughts 24/7 for 2 months.
cows12465
- Date posted
- 10w ago
suic. ocd advice?
so I need to get back into ERP, but it’s so hard to manage these thoughts and learn to deal with them. like I swear my mind has to make everything about it. Like every time I clean my room, my mind’s like yup make sure it’s clean so when your parents find you, or something so stupid like if I get a headache, my mind convinces me that I like the pain and that that’s why I get my thoughts because I actually want to do it. It’s so exhausting. Because I know I would never want to take my life and I treasure my life so why does it do it to me? It’s hard to comprehend the fact of these thoughts too because I don’t know many people with this exact theme. It’s such a scary feeling. And I’m constantly questioning whether I have actual depression or if it’s just my OCD. Yes I have been diagnosed with suicidal OCD, but my mind still tries to convince me otherwise. I just don’t know how to let these just sit and pass without panicking.
Be a part of the largest OCD Community
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond