- Username
- qk
- Date posted
- 4y ago
That’s because the digging would be endless. OCD doesn’t respond to reasoning or logic or trying to figure it out. It would be my guess that there’s many things in life that you might be able to change. For example, do you exercise regularly? Are you eating well? Do you spend time in nature or meditate? Are you of service to others in some way? Are you doing exposures regularly? Are you still engaging in many compulsions? Not that these things are easy to do, nor are they necessarily cures.
Thank you for your post bunny. It’s important to not get discouraged though when these releases happen. I know I tend to beat myself up a lot when I do compulsions but I’m more conscious now when I’m doing it so I stop quicker. I am happy you are getting better and I wish to do the same
Yes, I am exposed every day every second since it is the thoughts and feelings that I’m running away from. As for resisting doing compulsions I try my best but I relapse a lot. But if that original wound isn’t healed in me how would doing erp help? Doing compulsions is like medicine to me. It’s equivalent to an addiction. If you focus on the symptoms of the addiction (stopping the compulsions) it will never heal the root. I’m not trying to figure out anything, I’m doing it to run away from something I don’t understand yet
There might be some other comorbid condition you’re dealing with. But as far as ERP itself, the design isn’t to examine the cause or root of your OCD, it’s to be with the distress caused by the OCD without engaging in compulsions. Which in turn breaks the obsessive and compulsive cycle.
@NOCD Advocate - Carl Cornett There probably is. I struggle with low self esteem too but I’m working on it. But you can’t deny the fact the reason ocd starts is because of fear. Usually that fear is much deeper than perceived at first. Like if I’m scared of the dark, it’s not the dark that I’m afraid of. That’s just a symptom. It’s the fear of what happens in the dark, perhaps some sort of trauma spurred it as a child.
@qk Sure. Some people may have had it triggered by some event. Let’s take my case, was it genetic since my dad has many tendencies and my siblings both have anxiety disorders? Is it because my environment, because it was obsessively orderly? Was it my personal trauma of abuse? It could be all of those things or just one, it might be none of them and instead just random luck and brain chemistry. I don’t think it matters, what matters is what I do with it now.
@NOCD Advocate - Carl Cornett Ok
One of your tags says somatic ocd...do you mind me asking what your themes are?
Yes. It primarily revolves around the breath and me trying to get it “just right.” It switches to a variety of others such as focusing on a stinging sensation in my arms or legs, tensing my left shoulder, tensing my head causing a tension headache and a few more that I get latched onto. It usually starts with the thought, “ uh oh, I remembered the struggle, I must start controlling this sensation or else something bad will happen.” I just get so much anxiety when I don’t do a compulsion. I’m trying to figure out what caused this in the first place
@qk I resonate with this sooo much. My somatic OCD is centered around breathing, swallowing and blinking. Especially breathing lately. I always feel like it has to be just right...recently I've been hyperventilating when I wake up because I wake up feeling like I'm breathing too slow and have to monitor my breaths. It's really time consuming and I've been doing a lot better with accepting the automatic responses of all these functions, but sometimes I do get moments where it comes back a little and I have to control it until it feels right. It also happens with swallowing like I have to do it right or else. (Though this one has been significantly better overall) I also sometimes monitor my body for pain, sickness or body twitches. We're here for you though, and if you need to vent I'd be more than happy to continue being supportive :)
I’m feeling super discouraged with my ERP progress :( I’m starting to fear that I have treatment-resistant OCD or something, or that it’s not even OCD :( I’ve got harm-OCD which it’s a tricky one to tackle bc it’s pure O. i’ve been working on ERP for about 4 years now but nothing seems to spike my anxiety enough at the time of the session. I feel safe doing the ERP, but when I get alone with my thoughts/idle mind, that’s the only time I get anxious. I’m super discouraged and anxious rn so any insight is so appreciated. xoxo
Guys I’ve been working my butt off at ERP and getting my reassurance down to 0. At same time, I feel so awful and am so worked up over the fact that I’m not feeling better yet. I’m so worked up. I feel like this will never get better. I’m so sad. Idk what to do. I love my therapist and believe in my erp plan, but I don’t feel results yet after so much hard work. I’m drained and want my life back.
My biggest obsession at the moment is that I am not going to get better, or, am I going to get better. My therapist is making me say a script to myself about not get better and never being well again, losing my family and suffering for the rest of my life. I am so scared I am doing it wrong. I don't stop worrying about getting better all day long, it goes round and round in my head. I am full of anxiety and pain. I am apparently supposed to really believe that I might not ever get better...but I can't MAKE myself believe that. I still hope to get better....is that wrong? Is that not doing erp right. What if I can't get the erp done correctly??? I feel like my therapist and I are just going round in circles as I am not grasping it properly
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond