Unwilling to do ERP

Because...well, hell no lol. Maybe that opinion will change in the coming months. I'm doing therapy that's mostly DBT but my therapist is integrating ACT and probably ERP at some point. Right now my main problem is depression, but recovery from depression is inhibited by OCD and core beliefs. What's odd to me is that I don't really get intrusive thoughts, instead I have extremely rigid beliefs and perspectives that I view as facts, and I give a ton of credence to my thoughts and emotions as a whole, as well as a lot of things related to identity, which was spurred on by BPD's (borderline personality disorder) lack of a stable identity. All this is totally messed up lol. I've been in some type of therapy for a nearly-consistent 14 years and every day I feel an immense amount of shame for that. Anyway that's the spark notes version of my being here. I'm not asking someone to tell me to do ERP, but I'm just wondering if anybody has felt the same, and did that change? Naturally with time or did you have to force yourself or? Or perhaps you couldn't finish it? I just want to hear others' struggles because whenever I'm affronted with the fact I have OCD and the ONLY treatment besides medication seems to be ERP I am struck down by hopelessness and dread.

Username: lolplzhelp lolplzhelp

Date posted: 33w ago

when i initially was struck with really bad ocd, there was NO chance i was doing ERP because in my head nothing was going to work. eventually, i started being exposed to things anyway and id try and work up my confidence to let myself be triggered by them and keep moving - at this time i was still heavily against it - but i ended up doing it subconsciously and that’s what ended up working for me, i was free of those thoughts for 3 years until i stopped taking my medication.

Username: monarchy-in-my-brainmonarchy-in-...

Date posted: 33w ago

I hope the same thing happens to me lol. Even working on my depression is a bit of an exposure in and of itself because it's become such a huge part of my life and my identity, and change is terrifying to anybody, but I think it's even more terrifying to people who have OCD.

Username: EstridEstrid

Date posted: 33w ago

I can relate. I had ERP 20 years ago, I hated it, and said to myself "never more." 15 years later things have changed, I gave it a try again and it heloed me a lot. I have also integrated it with ACT, DBT tools, minfulness abd MCT (meracogntiv therapy) Hang in there - there is hope.

Username: monarchy-in-my-brainmonarchy-in-...

Date posted: 33w ago

I'm glad I'm not the only one lol. It's tough when ERP is currently the gold standard but it's exactly the kind of thing people with OCD or phobias are terrified of, so I can't help but wonder how many people continue to just live with it because ERP just seems like too much, too intolerable. Thank you for your comment :)

Username: EstridEstrid

Date posted: 33w ago

@monarchy-in-my-brain You are welcome. I agree with you. Have you heard of ICBT - I worked with that module with the help of a book, for some people it's a break through. Check it out.

Username: AW

Date posted: 3y ago

I have been suffering from OCD for many years. I am on numerous medications through my psychiatrist and have been in therapy for over a year. I don’t feel like things have necessarily gotten better. While ERP has been a big part of my therapy, it has become harder to trust in the process. Has anyone experienced treatment-resistant OCD? I take responsibility for not being as dedicated to ERP as I was when I started, but I am so frustrated with my lack of progress. Any feedback would be appreciated!

Username: aj.ocd

Date posted: 2y ago

Just kind of an ERP vent. Anyone wanna talk about this experience? It’s bumming me out. So I’ve been doing ERP exercises daily to help myself get over this theme. I started out with ERP towards the gender I have had intrusive thoughts about (men), and it helped knock out a lot of the intrusive stuff and false attractions, but working on my ERP towards women has been rather difficult. I’m still getting mental blocks. I’m trying to expose myself to them and get over false anxiety and other negative false emotions. It’s worked, but it feels like I’m stuck right now. Anyone else getting frustrated? I know ERP is a process, but it feels like it’s taking absolutely forever. Anyone wanna talk / vent about ERP frustrations?

Username: Syd!

Date posted: 33w ago

ERP not for everyone?

So, I do have OCD. That’s not a question (Pure O mainly. Compulsions are mental and emotional checking and ruminating and comparing). And my OCD was ramping up pretty bad a while back so I started ERP counseling through NOCD. I learned some basic skills and good ways to respond and not engage to thoughts. But now, I think the therapy just brings things up that didn’t need to be that big. It makes minor things bigger. It brings overwhelm thinking I have all this “work” to do, when I think what I need is to let go. Of course with OCD letting go is not a simple task, but hear me out. I didn’t do therapy for over a month and started feeling better. I used some of the tools I learned a few times and things just seemed more minor and less serious. I’m now postpartum with anxiety panic and ocd so I upped my therapy and I truly think it’s making things worse. Does anyone else share this opinion or experience? I also think back to when OCD was darn near nonexistent and I was not in ERP therapy. I know things come and go but I’m just realizing this.

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Unwilling to do ERP

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