How do you know when you’re ready to get off your medication?

I think this is where you have to be really careful. For me, ocd is never completely gone. It’s like just when I think I have it under control it seems to have a way of “creeping” back in. I have been thru years of cognitive behavioral therapy to help me recognize when it’s “creeping” back or becoming intrusive again. I think you want to be in a position to identify the signs of ocd starting to become intrusive in your daily life before you completely quit meds. I’ve personally been off meds for 2 years but went thru a lot of exposure response therapy to get there. However, with the current situation right now I noticed by hand washing stated to become intrusive and knew my triggers to know that I needed to call my doctor to avoid any possibility of a complete full blown relapse.

Only after completely conquering ocd to where the thoughts become a joke to you would I consider going off meds...or if the side effects are just intolerable....

Well for me it’s was on and off for a couple of years but one year of going ever three weeks. However, my ocd was like at an 8 or 9. I got to a point where I crashed and burned and relapsed. My compulsions were relentless and I just could not get relief. However, if you feel like you have learned the exercises and you continue to do them and recognize what your triggers are then 8 sessions could be enough. It’s hard to say because everyone is different. Eight wasn’t enough for me personally. But commit to the erp exercises you’re given. I got lazy with them and relapsed.