So I have been battling OCD for 7 months. I saw a psychologist for 15 weeks. I have recovered up to 80% then had a relapse but now I am starting to feel better again. But these are a few takeaways that have been a game changer for me that I think can help people with their recovery: 1) Acceptance - accept anything OCD throws at you. Anxiety, thoughts, urges, sensations, pain. You must accept all of this. As soon as you accept anything that is OCD things will start to get better. Don't push it away. 2) ERP - voluntarily think of things and do things that give you OCD and anxiety. You must voluntarily expose yourself to the fears and thoughts etc. If you keep having a thought the bothers you spend some time intentionally thinking about the thought and completely agree with it. 3) If you do the recovery work you will get better. But you have to do the work. Set aside 20-30 minutes a day and just concentrate on exposures. If you do the work you will recover. If you don't do the work you won't recover it's that simple. If you have a trouble some thought right this second agree with it 100%. Then take the thought and do and exposure with it. Intentionally think of the thought for 5 minutes. Make sure the thought gives you anxiety. Tomorrow the thought will be less I guarantee it. Just keep at the exposures its the only way to get better. ❤ If you fall down today pick yourself back up tomorrow its that simple.

ocdillustrated

Date posted: 5y

These are great tips. I'm moving it to featured so more people can read it

Anonymous

Date posted: 5y

Thanks Raptors 6 I do appreciate your suggestions. So tomorrow I will intentionally think the terrible thought for 5 minutes. Thanks friend. I think that's my prob with one particular thought. I don't like it and want it to go away.

alwayshere

Date posted: 5y

thank you so much! :)

jpunky

Date posted: 5y

These tips are incredible!!!! Thank you sm!! I have a question: I struggle with a horrible false memory and my therapist told me today that I’m order to do ERP I need to believe that it is a false memory. The trouble is, OCD attacks when I try to label it as a false memory. It feels so real! And there are spans of time where I feel so certain that it is real. Do you have any advice for this? I really want ERP to work!

raptors6

Date posted: 5y

Good question! I think the main thing is have a perspective of acceptance when the thoughts feel so real and anxiety provoking. Write down the situation in your head (thoughts, false memories etc) then do exposures in your mind with them. Remember it doesn't matter what kind of OCD it is. It is the way you are responding with fear that keeps the OCD cycle alive. OCD is not complicated once you break it down how the mechanism works. Have the belief you can recover and you will. ❤

jpunky

Date posted: 5y

@raptors6 Thank you so, so much!!! I appreciate your help - it made me feel a lot more hopeful :) I’ll try writing it down to do exposures today!!

Jennnn

Date posted: 5y

Thank you!

Anonymous

Date posted: 5y

Other thoughts I'm like whatever...

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Share your thoughts so the Community can respond