- Date posted
- 13w
Curious about ERP
I'm just laying here avoiding being an adult and wondering if during ERP the therapists are mean. Like, is it a "tough love" type of situation? That makes me anxious
I'm just laying here avoiding being an adult and wondering if during ERP the therapists are mean. Like, is it a "tough love" type of situation? That makes me anxious
No, not mean. Unless they are insulting you in some way. You are being challenged and that can feel like an attack. And it is also life-changing, which means you have to ultimately be on top of things and do the hard work (which takes a lot of time and energy) in order to get better, but it’s definitely worth it.
Definitely not mean! I think it can be hard to not feel “attacked” sometimes when your compulsions are being challenged, but to truly benefit from ERP I do believe you need to be open to feedback and constructive criticism. ERP is a slow burn, my therapist pushes me but also respects my boundaries and will stop if I feel triggered. For me, it comes down to communication and self advocacy :))
Thank you! I'm bad at self advocacy but maybe I can improve with time.
The right therapist knows how to read where you're at and meet you there. Personal experience is that my therapist pushes me when I need to be pushed when he knows I can handle it, but I have been going there for a long time
But he has never ever been mean. I would absolutely walk away from a therapist I thought was terrible. I've walked away from a doctor like that before. Listen to yourself
You will know when it's the right one! And ERP they know is hard. But you gotta do the eork
Some therapist can deliver it in different ways. But ERP has definitely saved me. Start slow and then build your way up if you’re having trouble with the homework, they are giving. Just don’t stop. The more you get used to doing things that make you feel uncomfortable And sitting with the discomfort the stronger you will become I promise. And it’s OK if you mess up and give into a compulsion. Don’t let that derail you. Just keep continuing the practice overtime. You will see how beneficial it is. And then you will be the one commenting on peoples posts to help them.
COULD NOT AGREE WITH THIS MORE
ERP is meant to be a teamwork. If the therapist is mean, walk away!! I have done that...but it was many years ago. You deserve a kind therapist who get that you have to work together. In my last therapy I decided what exposures to do and how fast. It's totally normally to feel anxious before starting therapy, you are in good company.
I believe in tough ❤️ but I also believe in you should be able to accept what you dish out. (Not saying this toward therapist). I was thinking about a family member that I needed help from, few months later she needed me in the same exact way and I regurgitated her words back to her. I love those moments in life! When people need you they NEED you. Why make things harder for them or make them feel worse asking for help. I hate people that do that. Makes you jump through hoops of fire, giving you all sort of details to judge you and make you feel worse. Ugh! Who needs that $#@! ? Tough love... I believe, is an opportunity for you to teach a person "how to s". People who have a hard time listening to suggestions otherwise but is more open to "hear you" and more willing to try it a different way. But not to be used as a beat down. GUIDANCE <==> SHOW ME HOW
@sophea, everything that I don't want to do is boring to me. Lol But I do get some reaction from them especially when I first started them. Now it like... this is stupid to keep look at this? So do I change it? I'm still having trouble identifying my triggers. I've had anxiety soooooooo long (all my life) and it's ALWAYS high so I can't tell what is a trigger for me?
@Not2Day If you had a reaction before and now you're not, it's time to move up to more difficult exposures. Working your way up the hierarchy. And instead of thinking about what causes anxiety, think about what causes *compulsions*. This is something a therapist would usually help you with, which helps a lot, - especially if you're new to ERP - and I'd assume you're doing it on your own from your phrasing, which makes it less effective, unfortunately.
It's important to have a strategy implemented by ACT - by that I mean that the therapist should guide you to do exposures that give meaning to your life, in line with your values - so that you feel motivated to do the hard work.
ERP doesn't seem to work for me. It's seem mediocre at best. I do it because I know me. It's a boring, silly task that I feel takes up too much of my time that I can be doing something else that has priority (in my head). But it could be just me of course because I don't enjoy doing it, it doesn't seem natural to me and I'm in my head saying, "this is stupid. " But I have to do things that I don't want to do because what I have been doing apparently is not working? 🤷🏽♀️
@Anonymous If the tasks are "boring" and "silly" to you, you're probably doing exposures that are too easy. For most people, doing exposures with be quite upsetting, not boring. If your exposures aren't challenging you, of course they aren't effective.
Seeking new therapist that I can afford.
@sophea Most modalities teaches us to fix the problem versus teaching us how to fix what we think and how we approach it (NOCD does). Therefore, re-coding and re-wirijg our connections it has on our subscious thoughts. Whatever our biggest desires are, it is on the other side of our subconscious programming. I have the written down to myself in some odd and unsuspecting place. I find quotes like these everywhere in all my personal belongings from time to time. I can remember what I was trying to do when I wrote it. It's signed ~ Ancient Wisdom so it doesn't belong to me. But it must have connected with me when I came acrossed it, rather years, months or weeks ago. I still rings out to me. But it prove the struggle that we are in and it is one of many keys to help us understand. That's it for now. 🙂 Js, wanted to let you know I get what you was trying to say and the help you offered to us.
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.
I’m thinking about doing erp but my ocd is so severe the thought of accepting my fears happening to me makes me sick to my stomach. I also believe in the power of my words and saying I accept this Bad thing will attract it into my life. I’m not sure what I should do🥲
I read about ERP and have seen information about it on here. One of the goals is to say, "maybe I am this or that...ect." That terrified me. The thoughts and images that go in my head are disturbing and upsetting. I don't want to even think about saying, "maybe this or that." It's devasting to have these thoughts and question why you're having these thoughts. Doesn't the "maybe" make it worse? The one thing that helps me is that is to remind myself that these are just thoughts and I know I'm not a monster, even if I feel like one. Is ERP not for everyone? Has anyone else had a problem with the techniques used in this kind of therapy? I had cognitive therapy for years with an OCD specialist and that seemed to help a lot. Writing out the worst case scenarios would make me suicidal. Im having a difficult time not obsessing over the "maybe" after intrusive thoughts now. It doesn't make it better.
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