I’ve been dealing with ROCD and HOCD for the past year, and finally a therapist listened and diagnosed me with OCD. I’m wondering if anyone who has dealt with these themes has any advice for exposures (I know it’s super personal but I end up drawing a blank) and if anyone has any words of encouragement and recovery!

HOCD: - listen to songs by gay artists - write the word “gay” on a post it and carry it around in your wallet - record yourself saying triggering words like gay, homosexual, lesbian, etc and play in on repeat - watch TV shows/movies that feature gay characters - wear outfits that make you fear others will think you’re gay - read coming out stories (pick one and read the same one each day rather than a bunch of different ones. When one stops making you anxious, choose a new one.) - watch YouTube videos about coming out (same instructions as above) - write out a script about yourself coming out read it every day - write out a script about your life if you were to be gay and read it every day - go to a gay bar, event, or rally - volunteer for causes that support the LGBTQ community

Remember that whatever exposures you create in your hierarchy will seem really scary and intimidating at first. But you’ll start from the bottom with the easiest ones. You don’t ever have to do anything you truly don’t want to do — you will never be forced. And by the time you get to the higher up triggers, you’ll have a bunch of lower level ones under your belt, a lot of experience, and feel ready for them. It’s totally fine to not be/feel ready for them right now. Along the way: communicate with your therapist. Ask questions when you aren’t sure if you’re doing something right. Don’t be afraid to share any thought (I guarantee they’ve heard it before or something worse/weirder.) and if your first therapist doesn’t work for you, try another. Just be sure to give the first a real chance (ERP can take 1-2 months to start showing really noticeable changes). Good luck!

Hey I king of relate to you! I have HOCD and complain about not having a boyfriend and wanting one, but I also have relationship ocd so I get freaked out when I’m with boys, which in turn makes me think that I have to be with girls and makes my hocd worse