- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y
I was the same way for months! Have you tried breaking up exposures into baby steps? I find that it's helpful to take things slowly (rather than not doing ERP at all). Example: I have a ritual when I treasure my daily medication that involves washing my hands at 3 separate intervals for 60 seconds each time. My first step is to reduce each time to 40 seconds. Once I can handle that, I'll reduce to 30 seconds, and once I can handheld that, I'll continue to cut back so that eventually I can take my medicine, wash my hands once for a reasonable amount of time, and move on Werth my day. Breaking things down still challenges our OCD, but it's doable and not as scary as just diving in 100%. I have had success doing this, though my progress is slow. Better than staying stuck though! I believe in you and *know* to can do hard things. Best to you. 😊
*take, not treasure.
That’s a good idea. I think sometimes I judge myself for having OCD in the first place and think I should just be able to do the hard exposures and get over this already. But when I’m actually facing it, it just feels so tough.
ERP is never going to be easy. It is hard and uncomfortable. But you get out of it what you put into. So when you do an exposure your anxiety will surge, peak, and decline. You have to do the exposure more than once. The key with ERP is not doing a compulsion during or after the exposure. Doing so will make the exposure ineffective. ERP is the best way to achieve recovery from OCD. But you are going to have to fight for it. You can do this. Its okay to be scared. Better do to the exposure afraid than not at all.
Thank you. Yes, I think that’s what I’m dealing with. I’m at a crossroads, wondering if I’m going to fight for this or not. Both seem super hard. But I know I don’t want to live in debilitating fear anymore, so maybe ERP is worth it.
@mamabeloved It is totally worth it. But you will have to fight for it.
Please read this article on how ERP helps in the treatment of OCD. It explains how exposures help to change the brain and enable sufferes to change behaviours & emotion. https://beyondocd.org/expert-perspectives/articles/self-directed-treatment-for-ocd-the-irony-of-doing-the-opposite
Thank you!
hi. so one big factor of my OCD is rumination. i met a guy who i have a crush on the idea of (idea bc there are red flags). my biggest fear is not finding true love, my ex told me no one else would deal with what i have (my ocd, specifically reassurance seeking and getting overstimulated after intimacy). a few weeks ago, my friends and family all gathered and tried to give me advice that sounded like “you’re shy and you’ll never find someone.” after that, i’ve felt off. i’ve been using an unhealthy coping skill, daydreaming, and i’ve just felt unbalanced. my ocd makes everything feel different sometimes, i can’t explain it. life, myself, almost like being in a dissociated state. has anyone else experienced that? i don’t know how to remain balanced during my off times and i know pms exasperates it all. i take ashwaghanda and omega 3s in a multi vitamin daily. i take them all together in the evening but i’ve missed three days recently and also messed with my rocky sleep schedule because of fun times with friends. i hope these supplements work, because i don’t know if i’d be brave enough for medication. i had a bad reaction on prozac and often am forgetful. i just have been battling my OCD consciously for almost ten years now and unconsciously for longer. i am so tired, as my mental health extends beyond my OCD. i’m in talk therapy with some cbt aspects but i only see her twice a month. i’ve broken down so many times and promised myself id get on track or that certain things would work, but it’s like i am stuck in a circle that gets smaller when i’m able to help myself. i just want to be normal. i want to be able to mess up my sleep schedule to enjoy good times and not suffer horrible consequences or fear that i will be entirely thrown off balance. i don’t want to worry or doubt or feel so dissociative that i squint my eyes for a moment and wonder why i feel so unreal. i will never understand why god has allowed me to go through this. i cannot let it be for nothing but i don’t know how much more to bend and contort my body and brain to get somewhere stable but how lovely it would be if i could. i don’t have much of a schedule right now, i get apathetic and give in with things from time to time. one thing can trigger me and i am back to square one wether in a week or month. any advice, any and all is so helpful. your stories, your thoughts. maybe feeling less alone and knowing what has helped you is exactly what i need right now. thank you 💗
Hi everyone. I'm feeling kinda scared because I have to wait a whole month to start ERP therapy, but I feel like I need to start doing exposures now because the longer I wait, the more anxiety I get. It just feels like the OCD monster is getting worse. One thing that helps me is asking one person about an obsession I have...asking a person that I trust, and then doing an exposure after I get the "ok" to do it. I feel like I do need 1 reassurance and then I can go ahead and do it. I know i'm not supposed to ask for reassurance at all, but i dont think you're supposed to do ERP on your own right? Does anyone have any suggestions for what to do while waiting for therapy? PS-the reason there is a wait is bc she's on vacation. After she's back we will meet regularly.
Specifically how can my fiance best support me without offering reassurance? I'm trying to encourage myself to grow and keep trying ERP, but I'm not sure how I can include my partner in a healthy way. I plan on talking to my therapist about it soon, but I wanted to hear thoughts from people who have been dealing with it themselves.
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