- Date posted
- 4y ago
- Date posted
- 4y ago
If ERP is too hard for you to do at the moment, medication can help with that. It lessens the anxiety you feel doing exposures so you can actually successfully do ERP
- Date posted
- 4y ago
Escitalopram, right?
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 A number of different medications can be used for ocd, mostly SSRIs. It may take some trying to find what works for you. I take sertraline and a very small dose of abilify.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Nikki1809 Sertraline, I understand. But wait isn't abilify used for psychosis? Hmm
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 I also take sertraline with some abilify. But what works for us may not work for you.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 In small doses it can be used for anxiety.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 Yeah, I take Escutalopram but there’s a few different options that you can discuss with a psychiatrist. Different meds work for different people??♀️
- Date posted
- 4y ago
What in particular about ERP makes you reluctant to do it?
- Date posted
- 4y ago
That I have to do exposures in a deliberate way and trigger the sht out of me
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 That's understandable. Please know we're all rooting for you
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@amineb04 Thank u
- Date posted
- 4y ago
i felt this way for a long time but i’ve finally gotten to the point where i’m willing to do it, after a couple years of resisting. i know how scary it can be but i think it’s worth it for the freedom it will bring.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
I love FREEDOM more than anything. I'm tired of being constrained! I want to be free ?
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 Have you ever seen Braveheart? This scene might inspire you. https://youtu.be/hIvRkjOd1f8
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Ben84 Wow that gave me tears and really motivates me, it's soo powerful "They may take our lives but they will NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOM!" I will watch this movie, thank you brother! I love Mel Gibson... I hope he's doing well cause I heard he got the virus.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 I hope you enjoy it!
- Date posted
- 4y ago
Hmm...I haven't had any formal ERP therapy. However that doesn't mean I haven't had exposures (either purposeful or accidental). My understanding is CBT with ERP is the gold standard. Something that might help you is ACT. See if this article helps you at all. https://iocdf.org/expert-opinions/expert-opinion-what-is-act/
- Date posted
- 4y ago
What's ERP?
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@amineb04 Exposure Response Prevention. It intentionally exposes you to your fears and then you sit with the anxiety so you become used to it.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Ben84 Ah wow :/
- Date posted
- 4y ago
Thank you for the article, it is very interesting... So basically in contrast to ERP, ACT doesn't challenge and change the thoughts but accepts them as normal. Just to make sure: while during ERP the patient deliberately exposes himself to the most unconfortable and disturbing stuff and then forces himself not to do the rituals and waits the anxiety to go away, in ACT the exposures are more accidental and what matters the most in both of them is avoiding to do the rituals
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 In ERP you would start with what you fear least and work your way up. I think you might have ACT right (I'm still learning myself ☺). Let's keep learning together ☺.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Ben84 Here's a podcast with the founder of ACT. If you don't have iTunes, just look for episode #4.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Ben84 ☺
- Date posted
- 4y ago
Is it that you feel you're not strong enough to start?
- Date posted
- 4y ago
Maybe it's a bit too soon to start?
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@amineb04 Yes, I'm so scared to start ?
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 Ayy, that's okay if you're not ready yet. Maybe don't start it yet and think about it again in a few months? Do you think you could do that?
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@amineb04 Yeah, maybe ☺
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 Good :) It's gonna take time but I'm sure you'll be ready. If you need to talk I can give you my snap?
- Date posted
- 4y ago
I am also terrified of ERP and am very reluctant to participate. I know my contamination OCD thoughts are irrational but they seem so real. The experts say there really is no better treatment than ERP. I have tried other things like hypnosis, looked into the brain surgery options, etc. But really ERP is the most evidence based practice. I feel your pain, but we have to figure out a way to live with uncertainty...please let me know if you ever find a way to take the first step. We already live with distress dealing with rituals... so we may as well live through the stress of ERP which will likely result in progress with our battle with OCD! Easier said then done, I know! Good luck. I wish you well.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
You're so right, I appreciate your honesty. Easier said than done lol, I feel you. It's horrifying for me to even think about ERP, let alone take that first step you were talking about. I'm sorry I am not brave enough, but that step seems to me a giant leap, probably the hardest thing I would do in my life... I wish there was a hypnotist that could simply wipe/delete this ocd crap from our minds like a computer virus ? All the best
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 I'd like to keep this connection going with you as I feel we are at the same place . When I do "easier" exposures, I do find that the anticipatory anxiety was much worse than the actual exposure work. And taking ERP on with my own planned exposures is easier than dealing with unplanned triggers that pop up.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@dutchgirl Wow, I'm happy to hear that planned exposures are easier for you... Ofc we'll stay in touch, my weed-smoking, gouda-eating, tulip-planting, orange-wearing, bike-riding, windmil-user, rich atheist tolerant friend :3
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 Lol. I wish I lived there!
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@dutchgirl Wait, aren't you... dutch?
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 Yes, on my mother's side; but I live in the US
- Date posted
- 4y ago
You don’t have to start with big exposures, you start with small exposures that you beleive you can do and you work your way up. If an exposure is ever too much you don’t have to do it.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
Sounds good... Little by little. But if it's too much and I don't have to do it isn't that rejecting the treatment? Idk
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Crassus1 It’s more like if the exposure your therapist suggests sounds like too much you can try something smaller. You work with the therapist, the therapist doesn’t force you to do anything.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
ERP sounded like the death sentence to me for a while. But after the first session I felt so much lighter. It is the best way to fight this and I hate that I didn’t do it sooner.
- Date posted
- 4y ago
For me it sounds worse than capital punishment. It sounds like torture! But really... After the first session? WOW
- Date posted
- 4y ago
ERP is the golden standard to recovering from OCD. You see amazing results from doing the practices. It’s scary and first and it’s supposed to trigger you, but it really does work. It’s recommend that you start it off with a therapist so you can work on a hierarchy and go through the steps. If your anxiety is too high to begin ERP, it’s also recommend to take medication for the anxiety to calm you down enough to do ERP. I can tell you from personal experience it has been a huge game-changer. You are braver than you think. Facing these fears and showing them they’re not the boss anymore is such an amazing process. I hope you’re able to be more open to it and start recovery soon
- Date posted
- 4y ago
Thank you so much! This is really helpful! :)
Related posts
- Date posted
- 24w ago
i don’t think i can, i can’t stomach the possibility of these things, or maybe i can (because they might be true and deep down i know that) and just don’t want to and want to pretend it isn’t there. i can’t do ERP, i just want to pretend it isnt there and won’t happen to clarify, i know i have to do ERP, i know it’s necessary; i don’t need to be told this, this is just how i am feeling currently
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 17w ago
I did an erp and I was thinking over and over again “I want to be with girls I just don’t want others to find out” and then it felt like a moment of yeah that is what I want. It felt really real I can’t believe it’s not. I wasn’t anxious about it. It felt completely like me and even when I tried to deny it like it was a true realization and that I wanted it to be true. I can’t do this. What do I do!!! Erp suggestions?
- Date posted
- 14w ago
I’ve noticed that I’m somewhat happier also ignoring my thoughts than I am instead of doing compulsions (I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired atp) but I’ve heard you’re technically supposed to do erp rather than pushing under the rug. But idk if I have a thought I just refuse to think about it again and im fine even if I want to do compulsions
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