- Username
- Belle91
- Date posted
- 3y ago
- Username
- Lms526Lms526
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Talk therapy doesn't work for OCD. Prior to realizing I had OCD, I did about 10 years off and on of therapy with several different therapists. I did everything I was supposed to, but never made an progress. ERP is not fun or easy, but it works and will change your life. I made more progress in 3 weeks doing ERP than I ever did in talk therapy. The key to ERP is starting slow and gradually working up. Also, not doing a compulsion during or just after an exposure. The hardest part is when your anxiety is going crazy. It feels like an eternity, but its only a few minutes. Then your anxiety will peak and start to decline. It also helps if you can channel your rage and anger about OCD into ERP. I read a really good book about ERP. Its called Daring to Challenge Your OCD by Dr. Joan Davidson. She does a good job of explaining ERP, how and why to do it, and also barriers that can hinder your progress. Available on Amazon. Good luck! You can do it!
- Username
- OCD WarriorOCD Warrior
- Date posted
- 3y ago
I’m also doing talk therapy and while I feel good about talking about what I feel, I don’t think it’s been effective in alleviating my OCD symptoms. I’ve heard great things about ERP and people swear by it, so if you don’t think talk therapy is helping, maybe you should consider ERP. You can always back out if you think it’s making things worse. I hope things get better for you!
- Username
- Belle91Belle91
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Thank you. I'm gonna try this. I'm determined to get rid of this or at least get control of it.
- Username
- OCD WarriorOCD Warrior
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Good luck! Keep us posted. Rooting for you!
- Username
- outdoormanoutdoorman
- Date posted
- 3y ago
So my best advice to you is- any thought your brain throws up at you, is bananas. Thoughts are like farts. They mean nothing. When you fart, it’s just your stomach doing natural digestion and the fart is the by product. When you have thoughts, just think of it as brain digestion, because that’s all it is. Your brain can throw up ANY thought and that’s perfectly fine! How we get into this mess is by performing compulsions to get rid of the “unwanted” thoughts, feelings and sensations we don’t like. When in reality we can experience ANY thought, feelings or sensation and still carry on what we value! You are not your farts or your thoughts!
- Username
- Belle91Belle91
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Thank you!! This is great advice!
- Username
- Belle91Belle91
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Thank you. I'm definitely gonna look for this book.
Related posts
- Username
- Amanda1988
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Hello I am looking to start ERP on here with a therapist. I am quite nervous about it incase it doesn't work, I've had BWRT Therapy, CBT privately for months and I'm still horrified and scared of these thoughts. I haven't been officially diagnosed either which leads me down a horrible thought path.. but every therapist I have seen has said I have got harm ocd/pure o. Any advice on starting ERP? Thank you
- Username
- KS24
- Date posted
- 46w ago
Intrusive thoughts/urges - Harm OCD
I’m wondering if anyone could please give me some advice/tips on breaking this cycle? I have had OCD for 12+ years, however I have only recently been officially diagnosed. I’m struggling significantly with harm OCD, involving thoughts/urges of harm towards other people, particularly my loved ones. This is incredibly distressing to me, as I don’t want to harm anyone and it is constantly sending me into severe distress and panic attacks. I understand that I need to lean into the discomfort/accept my thoughts to move forwards, rather than pushing it away as this adds fuel to the fire - but every time I do, I have a panic attack. My mind constantly tells me I have to act on the urge to get relief and that it’s the ‘only way’ out/to feel better.. I’m stuck in this habitual/learnt behaviour cycle, as I’ve always acted on my urges (not involving harming others) for the past 13 years to get temporary relief and to neutralise thoughts - Every time I think that I need to act on the urge or as though I’ll snap and act on it, I feel terrified and scared, then feel very distressed or have a panic attack.
- Username
- sawyersaucee
- Date posted
- 27w ago
Terrified to work on ERP, any advice?
Hi, I’m new here. I’ve been dealing with OCD since I was 9 or 10 but only got diagnosed at 19, and started actual treatment a few weeks ago. I’m 21 now. I have severe emetophobia that fuels my health ocd and my intrusive thoughts have been so bad lately that I can hardly eat or leave my house. I don’t go anywhere except my bedroom and work. I even get anxious thinking about going to my living room. I started ERP with a new therapist, and I want to get better, but the therapy is so scary and overwhelming. I’ve lived this way for so long that confronting my fears feels impossible and I’m so scared to do it. I do everything I can to avoid anxiety attacks. I feel so unsafe in my own body because of the way I can’t stop fixating on certain actions and sensations. Does anyone who’s gone through something similar have any advice, or encouragement? I’m doing my best, but I don’t know anyone else with my ocd themes. Thanks y’all <3
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