What is ERP and can you can you do it yourself?

Ok so with checking your heart rate this is a type of reasurance seeking. So as we know this is what ocd needs to drive. So you have to resist the pressure to check. When this thought comes in that's when you do response prevention. Focus your attention on something else. So maybe don't check for five minutes then check and then increase the time you dont check each day. And once again researching makes your brain believe it is real. You need to stop. Trust that this is ocd and focus on something else for as long as you can. Put a timer on if you need.

Exposure response prevention. You absolutely do it on your own. Expose yourself to the fear and then cope with the anxiety without doing your compulsions

How would someone with health anxiety and a fear of cardiovascular disease do ERP?

What if your concerns with health??

I get confused on what to do with ERP as I mostly have mental compulsions

When you have mental compulsions this is where you do ERP.

Okay. My compulsion is checking my heart rate and seeking reassurance from someone or researching google

@Wes thank you so much!! I’m going to try to start now.

I hope I get my life back

This sounds terrifying omg.

ERP sounds terrifying?

Just the idea of exposing myself and letting myself just dwell on the thoughts purposely

The trick is to do what ever triggers your anxiety and push the anxiety as high as you can stand. Then experience the anxiety without doing your ritual, whatever that is that you do to try to reassure yourself. Before you start, write sown how anxious you expect to feel. Afterwords write sown how anxious you actually were (a On a 1 to 10 scale). You should do this each time you do an ERP to track your progress.

Make a hierarchy of triggers from least to worst. Start with easy ones first so you gain the skill and some success. Then move onto harder ones. In the beginning, it is a good idea to have a coach (preferably someone who knows about ERPs).