Hello, I am new here, my ocd revolves around fear that I will send threatening message or something personal from my pc or phone to a politician and perhaps turn him against me. Thing is that we had "votes" in our country month ago, politician that I really supported won them along with his political "side", I sent him a nice and supporting message on messenger but then I started obsessing that I may have sent him something threatening or something personal as a message or file and then deleted it from my side, so I wont see it but he will. I never interacted with anyone powerful such as politician, and he hasnt responded,hasnt even seen the message,maybe never will, Im sure he gets thousands of messages from unknown people every month. But he may return to them after months or years. I had OCD 2,75 years ago, I dealt with it through antidepressants (neurol and sertraline), I took them for 9 months during which I was exposing myself to my fears. I do not wish anything bad to anyone,nor want to send anything bad or threatening to anyone, I am a non conflict person. But it is my OCD that is doing this fear, and giving me this fear and doubts that I may have done something bad. How should I do ERP in my case? I worry more here because exposure here may give me risk of sending a threat and that is illegal? And I do not want to risk anything or send any threat. Btw I have "false memory", "what if scenario" (which can take me hours to days till I solve, during which I barely eat,sleep and function and have huge anxiety) and "doubting my memory" OCD. How should I do erp please or how to treat it? Thank you.

ocdillustrated

Date posted: 5y

I'm glad you are looking for ways to face your fear. It's clear that you know that giving in to OCD only lets it grow worse. Can you give some examples of situations that trigger you and the compulsions that go along with them?

ocdillustrated

Date posted: 5y

And it's mostly about electronic message

Salenai

Date posted: 5y

Thanks for helping me :). Yes, only about electronic. I dont know him personally, but I like what he is doing and that he is truly going to help our country, it is in pretty bad state right now.

ocdillustrated

Date posted: 5y

@Salenai Are some platforms more triggering for you than others?

Salenai

Date posted: 5y

I open Messenger on mobile phone, chat with someone, for example my girlfriend, then I get afraid that I may have sent message to that politician by accident, and start stressing about it. Or I browse facebook, then I get afraid that I logged into facebook with computer (which I never do, havent done it for 5 years), and check logged in devices. Or I open messenger and click on something else that I wanted to by accident and I start stressing that I may have sent a message or picture or something to that politician,or even threat. My fear revolves mainly around that politician I support and like. And around fear of sending him something personal. And then around sending something personal to briefing that he or other politician makes,when there is youtube stream happening and possible to chat there.

Salenai

Date posted: 5y

Most triggering is facebook and its messenger, second is youtube. Other than that, I did get triggered a bit when reading comments under news about politics. I am not a guy who focuses on politics at all :D,this is new for me, its just that after 12 years new political side won and we finally have a chance for something positive,we have hope.

ocdillustrated

Date posted: 5y

That's the bare bones of your hierarchy then. You start with exposures with newspapers, maybe then online news sites, then YouTube, then facebook

Salenai

Date posted: 5y

@NOCD Advocate - Katie Is this a ERP basically?

ocdillustrated

Date posted: 5y

@Salenai If you do something that scares you and then don't do comoulsions, that is ERP

Salenai

Date posted: 5y

@NOCD Advocate - Katie Thanks, its a good idea to start like that :). But do I not risk here anything since I worry about sending a threat to someone,especially that politician, and that is illegal? How do I know for sure that I have not sent anything?

ocdillustrated

Date posted: 5y

@Salenai The idea is to expose yourself to the "what if", not to actually do it. Just like people with hit and run OCD don't have to actually drive their car over someone as part of therapy

Salenai

Date posted: 5y

@NOCD Advocate - Katie So,in my case it should be enough to for example only open such sites but without opening places where I can post or say something. Starting with news. Then move to youtube videos where politicians are and I can post something,etc? See,see now. Question also is, I use messenger the most,because I communicate with family,friends and gf through it, but it also is probably most scary thing, should I avoid it for now? Me and friends and gf use only this way to chat online.

ocdillustrated

Date posted: 5y

@Salenai I think social interaction is really important. I wouldn't cut it out. And yes, that sounds like a plan to me.

Salenai

Date posted: 5y

Uf,ok,thanks:D, I just hope I will win over this thing. I have once , hopefully can again.

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