NickD
- Date posted
- 4y
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 4y
When I first started ERP with an NOCD therapist my OCD actually got worse but that is normal. I would spend half the day crying because of the distress from the practice exposures. I only have 2 sessions left and I feel stronger than I have ever been in my entire life!!
JustmesadlyJustmesadly
- Date posted
- 4y
That’s good to know
NickDNickD
- Date posted
- 4y
Yes I tried doing 10/10 exposures on my own and it is horrific
lifeisworthit lifeisworthit
- Date posted
- 4y
@NickD Totally - it’s hard not to try those exposures to try to feel better. But I’m really having faith that it will be much easier when a professional walks me through it instead of doing it alone😊
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 4y
@Danielle Speaking for myself...I couldn’t do ERP without a therapist to guide me.
NickDNickD
- Date posted
- 4y
@Danielle Yes me too. They are worth the struggle to fight this.
Nzz Nzz
- Date posted
- 4y
Don’t be! Honestly sometimes they’re even kinda fun. You both got this !
lifeisworthit lifeisworthit
- Date posted
- 4y
Really? What was fun for you?
JustmesadlyJustmesadly
- Date posted
- 4y
@Danielle Right ??!
🌙🌙
- Date posted
- 4y
if an exposure was fun for you i highly doubt it was actually a useful exposure...
Nzz Nzz
- Date posted
- 4y
You start w easier exposures and work your way up to the more difficult ones. My OCD is most prevalent when I’m in romantic relationships. I feel guilty for everything I do or say or think. I feel bad if I even could’ve technically lied. And so confessions were my compulsion. Some of my exposures included reading articles where women were keeping deep secrets from their partners. Some other ones were telling white lies to my friends. Writing scripts. Wearing certain clothes or things that might provoke guilt. Of course the exposures get harder as you work your way up the ladder. But reading articles/doing exposures with my therapist or completing the homework shed give me and reporting back w how it went was the “fun” part. I can only think of one exposure that made me emotional. Of course everyone is different and I do have other OCD subtypes I worked on that don’t have to do w relationships or romantic partners.
NickDNickD
- Date posted
- 4y
Thank you this was very helpful
lifeisworthit lifeisworthit
- Date posted
- 4y
That was so helpful, mine are related to relationships too. Thank you for sharing this, it’s encouraging to hear that there is light at the end of the tunnel 😊 I totally have confessions like that too. How strange.
Michelle GMichelle G
- Date posted
- 4y
Nick, have you made your heirarchy yet? Part of the reason you make it is so that you can titratethe levels of anxiety that you will experience. As you do the lower levels of the heirarchy, your ability to tolerate the anxiety and fear will increase, so the things at the top will be tolerable. Keepin mind that this is YOUR therapy. Although ERP is definitely going to make you uncomfortable, you have a big say in how fast it progresses, how scary the exposures, etc.
lifeisworthit lifeisworthit
- Date posted
- 4y
Me too😣
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- Date posted
- 24w
Nervous about starting counseling
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Looping
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 22w
ERP/Therapy
I find while doing exposures, rarely does my anxiety lessen. It usually amps up and stays that way for the remainder of the day. I could be having a fairly decent day, but dutifully do my exposures and then the rest of my day is anxiety filled. I guess that’s just how it is now? Also, I’m wondering if my therapist even believes I have OCD. I totally understand my therapist cannot provide reassurance. But it’s to the point it seems my therapist acts like I actually did the thing I fear. I feel so isolated.
hereintheUK
- Date posted
- 18w
Please help 😭
I’m feeling really scared I’ve been left in the lurch by my therapist today as she said she doesn’t feel comfortable doing anymore therapy with me unless I increase my mirtazipine (Remeron) as my OCD has spiked a lot since I started with her and I’m only just at the beginning, but I’m not sure increasing my meds is the right thing to do so much as what she’s doing is causing it …….. basically my OCD theme is it tells me I’ve done horrendous things like I’ve harmed people, it’s in the affirmative tense not the “what if?” anymore, I guess it’s a bit like it tries to give me false memories but isn’t quite the same,and I just feel so unarmed how to deal with it and I’m really scared I’m going to end up in a very very dark place again 😭
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