- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
i noticed that you suffered with false memory and harm ocd which is what i’ve been struggling with ever since i’ve had ocd but anyway tomorrow i am going to start erp for the first time, i don’t have an ocd therapist though so i’m worried i’ll do it wrong but i am going to take a shot at it anyway :)
Great job taking a shot at it! Did you try building a hierarchy? You could do one on paper or on the app. I can explain it if you would like!
@NOCD Advocate - Greg J. oh that would be great if you could explain it, thank you :)
@emily_444 Okay so first you make a list of everything that gives you anxiety (example holding a knife). You then rate these from 1-100 (1 = not anxious at all; 100 = super anxious). Next you build your hierarchy. Put the most anxiety provoking on the top (the closer to 100 activities) and the least anxiety provoking on the bottom. You then start doing the activities on the bottom and sit with the anxiety. Don’t do any compulsions. Just let the thoughts come in and don’t react. You keep moving up your hierarchy over months until you conquer everything. I hope that helps! I’m here for any questions!
@NOCD Advocate - Greg J. thank you so much, i appreciate it!! not to bother you but i’m wondering, should i do erp everyday? and also for a few of the things that give me anxiety are thoughts and not physical things so i’m curious as to how i’d to erp for this? also with false memory ocd to do with harm, i feel guilty so much so should i just sit with this feeling or is there a way i can get rid of the guilt feeling?
@emily_444 No bother! Yes you should do ERP everyday but it’s okay to give yourself a break once in awhile. But also don’t overdo it. Maybe around 30 minutes a day. With the thoughts, just let them come in and don’t react. Don’t fight them, don’t disagree with them, let them sit there. Thoughts are like clouds, you do not have to notice them and they eventually pass. With false memory you have to sit with the thought and feelings. OCD can come as feelings as well. Sit with the feelings and don’t do anything to relieve it. It will pass! Most of all, if you fail and give into a compulsion don’t beat yourself up. Instead try doing better the next day.
@emily_444 I would also recommend looking up Ali Greymond on YouTube. She has many great videos on how to beat OCD. She says just do 1% better everyday, and in 100 days you can be recovered. I would also suggest following @ocdrecoveryuk on Instagram!
@emily_444 Hey @emily_444 how’s ERP going?
@NOCD Advocate - Greg J. hey! i only started 2 days ago so i’m not expecting to see much of a difference but i definitely can see how much it’s going to help me in the future. it’s uncomfortable but i’m willing to do anything really at this point 😂 also thank you so much for checking up, it means a lot. also a few months ago i was watching Ali Greymond on Youtube and i think maybe i misunderstood her but i think she would say a lot to cut down on rumination, but by doing that i found myself suppressing my thoughts and i think it became a compulsion which made my ocd nearly worse :/ what did you take from watching Ali Greymond? i’m curious if i was just doing something wrong.
@emily_444 That’s great! Try instead of suppressing the thoughts, just let them come in. Welcome the thought, let it be there. But you do not have to react. Try imagining OCD thoughts as someone heckling you on the road. You do not have to engage with them. You can keep driving and eventually they will pass you, just like OCD
@NOCD Advocate - Greg J. thank you so much, that’s great advice. i extremely appreciate your help over the past few days!
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