Does anyone else feel not as triggered during your exposures vs when the intrusive thoughts come up out of nowhere???? I am starting back in on the ERP sessions for my subtypes that hold the most power over me. It is very uncomfortable. Feels so awkward and silly TBH to even entertain these thoughts and yet... HERE I AM! Thanks OCD. I am going go commit to the homework that my therapist has sent and hoping for the noise to quiet down soon
I completely feel way more triggered when I encounter intrusive thoughts “in the wild”! Even if I use something that came up “in the wild” as an exposure later, it’s never as triggering as the first time I encounter it
Yeah. I think this why the last round of ERP was equally as frustrating. But I will push through. Eventhough the exposures she wants me to do are uncomfortable and awkward, I understand why she wants me to do them. Dealing with the subtype is really hard.
Oh yeah, for sure! The stuff that isn't an exposure that is just everyday life is way harder than what we can plan for and choose, but the exposures are training and helping is gain skills, I think eventually as we get to higher level, those skills help the higher level feel like a lower level too, so unless we skipped to a high hierarchy item that we aren't prepared for, it may not get to the same intensity as real life thoughts. But, I can say that I hope that as real life things come up that are harder that I can sit with them longer and do fewer compulsions and hope that they help drive me to the net goal. I wish that for you too. I hope that you are able to sit with the thoughts that are currently bothering you, I am having something I didn't choose either, it is really hard, but I am trying to get through it too, I can say that a few months ago, it would have set me over the edge and I'd be doing compulsions constantly.
ERP you are expecting it to be hard. Out of the blue triggers take you more off guard but are such great practice for using what you know: Noise or signal? Noise This is an anxiety disorder, not content disorder. Sit through anxiety…. It is ok…
OCD and ERP so difficult. ERP is so difficult, I want to try so hard. As I do not want to waste these sessions but as some days I feel like I cannot do it. Like how do I change my mindset.
Newly diagnosed with OCD but have struggled with depression, anxiety, ptsd, and night terrors for about 20 years now. Never knew it was OCD! Anyhow, I struggle with existential OCD and perfectionism OCD which has always caused me to dislike “regular” talk therapy because it never worked, there was no point, and I was worried I wasn’t doing it right. Well I’ve started ERP with my therapist, and now every day that I have therapy, I anxiously spiral about how it’s going to be bad, and I’m not going to get better anyway because I’m not doing it right, and what’s the point in getting better anyway. Sorry for the run on sentences. Does anyone have advice for getting motivated for therapy sessions and not fearing them? TL;DR: Does anyone have advice of how to stay motivated for ERP therapy with doubts of failing/anxiety/existential thoughts?
Treatment - ERP Hey so basically I'm just soooo scared to do ERP. I started doing erp with one service and I couldn't cope with our first exposure which was just sitting alone for 20 minutes and accepting intrusive thoughts with no compulsions'. I found this so distressing and hard. I've been moved services and probably will be doing ERP with them but I really don't want to do it. I know it's the gold standard treatment for OCD but it scares me so much knowing I have to do it. I'm scared it will make me way more sick and at this point in my life I cannot afford to be more sick (I'm starting year 13 next month and doing my A-level exams in may) I want to trust that this will work but I'm just very scared. I'm scared that this service will be just as bad as the other one. One of my big fears that we did my hierarchy for with service 1 was around science practicals as that was the only fear that therapist 1. I'm scared that therapist 2 will focus on the same scenario (which is a scenario that I struggle A LOT with) but I can't do that, I'm not sure what my hierarchy will be this time. I can't think of any harm exposures at all but I'm sure she will be able to.
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