Fear Strikes Out
- Date posted
- 5y
AlyoshaAlyosha
- Date posted
- 5y
I enjoy the cumulative effect, working toward a goal, the sense of freedom. I don’t like the ripping-off-a-bandaid feel that happens several times a day. I would have thought after years of resisting to check locks multiple times that the feeling would have gone away. It hasn’t. It still pings all the time. I still have to put effort into resisting. It can be hard to accept that 1) maybe the anxiety over a obsession never really leaves and 2) that I shouldn’t read into its continued existence. Despite ERP, my anxiety over a particular religious obsession lingered for years. Someone else with OCD said “Mayne that means it wasn’t OCD.” That has haunted me. I still don’t know what to think about it. That obsession doesn’t bother me anymore.
199903199903
- Date posted
- 5y
Maybe it was OCD, maybe it wasn’t. Whatever the answer is, we can continue anyway. Be proud of your progress! You’re doing amazing
Evelyn4416Evelyn4416
- Date posted
- 5y
This is a very interesting question! I enjoy knowing that this is the best method of therapy for combating OCD. I enjoy seeing the results of my work as I record my exercises in my ERP notebook. I enjoy coming up with new exercises to combat different themes coming up, plus discussing this with my therapist to make sure I’m on the right track. What I don’t enjoy very much is actually sitting down and getting to work on a new exercise or a particular one where I don’t really want to do it for a variety of reasons. However once I do it and finish, I feel good that I was brave enough to get it done
ShiningBrightShiningBright
- Date posted
- 5y
I didn’t enjoy the discomfort but you have to go through discomfort to get better . I enjoyed being assertive and willing to be better cuz the more ERP the more optimistic I became about life moving forward .
MM
- Date posted
- 5y
I feel like I've missed something and could've done better, but I enjoy the extra time that I have due to less time checking!
hrosehrose
- Date posted
- 5y
I enjoy the freedom I feel afterwards. However a lot of the erp I’ve been doing has been every exhausting so I don’t like that part where I feel so fatigued.
Aisha22Aisha22
- Date posted
- 5y
I feel like when I’m done I don’t know how I’m suppose to feel
Fear Strikes OutFear Strikes...
- Date posted
- 5y
You might experience a little loss from not needing to do as many of the compulsions that you once did. Just fill that time with something you enjoy doing. You will quickly lose having that feeling.
Related posts
Jennifer Dal...
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 22w
Let’s talk about Therapy
So you got to ask me anything… Now I’d like to ask you something! I’ve heard from Members that they were so scared coming to their first ERP session. They were terrified that I would think they were crazy, that I would tell them their worst fears were true. That I would confirm they are some form of a terrible person or have them hauled off to prison for their thoughts. I’ve also had Members share how they’re very scared to begin ERP treatment because they’ve researched enough to know it means facing the fear, without the compulsions that have kept them feeling safe (but not really safe) this entire time. They struggled to see how they could be capable of doing this, while simultaneously acknowledging that they did not want to live like this anymore. If you have had your first session, what were your thoughts before? Did you have any hesitations or fears going into it? How did it turn out? If you haven’t yet begun to work with an ERP specialist, what is holding you back?
Anonymous1990
- Date posted
- 22w
ERP
I’m starting NOCD. I had several years of cbt as a child (well over 20 years ago) and I see a trauma therapist. But now I’ll be seeking further help for OCD and just really scared. CBT wasn’t helpful for me. How has ERP been helpful for you? Do you feel like you’ll finally get your life back? I’m consumed by my obsessions 😢 Would love others feedback if ERP helped you ❤️
Patrick McGrath
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 18w
What's been the biggest surprise from ERP?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) isn't always easy, but as one of the most effective treatments for OCD, it's worth it. If you've started ERP, what has been the biggest surprise you've experienced in learning to resist compulsions? If you haven't started ERP yet, what is holding you back from starting?
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