Exposure and Response Prevention

[Two One]

Hello, everyone. I'm not sure how many people on here have OCD, but over the past few months my anxiety has (unfortunately) returned with a vengeance. My psychiatrist and my therapist have identified my OCD and phobia as the biggest issue. Lately I have realized how powerful my OCD has become. The obsessive and intrusive thoughts are impossible to control, but I always assumed they were ruminative worry as part of GAD. It wasn't until I learned that mental checking can be classified as a compulsion that I realized OCD truly is the major problem. Even my phobia is categorized as OCD-spectrum. I spend a great deal of time with both my obsessions and compulsions. It has once again overtaken my life. It has impaired my ability to function; and I am once again unable to attend school because of how severe the anxiety is.

This has prompted me, my psychiatrist, and my therapist to seek more intensive treatment. I began looking into several OCD/anxiety clinics, and while I ran into a few obstacles due to finances and issues with my insurance, we were finally able to find one. I'll be undergoing intensive outpatient treatment that will be primarily composed of exposure and response prevention therapy as well as more focused CBT. The only downside is the wait time. It will be nine weeks before a spot is available, this means I have to cope in the mean time. At this point that's no easy task. I struggle to get through the day. I'm hoping I can wait that long.

Anyway, now that I got my venting/rant out of the way, does anybody here have an experience with exposure and response prevention therapy? If so, what was it like? Was it effective? I'm well aware of ERP entails, I will literally be facing my biggest fears... However, after everything I've been through and the way I've been feeling lately, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get well. I am tired of this, and I'm done living this way.

[Nowuccas]

Hey Two One,

Have you tried EFT for OCD, in the post below*, and the technique for reprogramming negative thoughts** on intrusive thoughts?

* http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?33595-My-Anxiety-Story-and-Diet-Questions&highlight=obsessive+compulsive+disorder

** http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?34059-At-a-loss!&p=224394#post224394

GAD: http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?33964-New-to-the-site-and-looking-for-help&p=223989#post223989

Posts on the most common types of phobia may be found at http://your-mental-health.weebly.com/v.html

Phobia - unspecified:
Systematic Desensitisation Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy have been shown to be effective in the treatment of phobia. "A fear avoided is a fear strengthened; a fear faced is a fear reduced". Also worth considering are hypnotherapy, particularly from a reputable professional hypnotherapist, and EFT. Give EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. It is free via the searchbar at * http://eft.mercola.com - or www.tapping.com or www.eftuniverse.com www.emofree.com or YouTube EFT - Professional is best. - There is a version for use in public places,* (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you massage/lightly tap your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind: "Even though I have a fear of ... ... ... , I deeply and completely accept myself." as you employ the acupressure massage/tapping technique. Anyone from any country should closely examine the advice at the following websites, before beginning their search for a suitable therapist: http://1-800-therapist.com/index.html and http://www.metanoia.org/choose/

RECOMMENDED READING: Anxiety, Phobias, & Panic: A Step-by-Step Program for Regaining Control of Your Life by Reneau Z. Peurifoy, & Triumph Over Fear: A Book of Help and Hope for People with Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Phobias by Jerilyn Ross, & The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition by Edmund J. Bourne, & *The Tapping Cure: A Revolutionary System for Rapid Relief from Phobias, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and More by Roberta Temes Ph.D., from your bookstore, Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com and enter "phobia; media" in their searchbars for more.

"Even if we have some vague idea that we are not our feelings or our thoughts, when we are experiencing painful feelings or painful thoughts, we believe we have to feel them or think them just because of the fact that they are occurring to us. But painful feelings can be indirectly controlled by physical action, and changing our present thoughts for different thoughts (since feeling occurs as a result of thinking.) Painful thoughts can be directly controlled by choosing replacement thoughts for the ones that are troubling us. Sure, it takes some practice to change a habit of suffering. But it can be done. Of course it can't be done if we choose to believe that it can't be done. But, since the choice is ours, why not choose to believe it can be done, and do it?" Read: Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think by Dennis Greenberger and Christine Padesky, & "Feeling Good." The New Mood Therapy. Harper Collins.1999. ( updated sequel to his US bestseller about treating depression & anxiety; very comprehensive), by David D. Burns, M.D., & Change Your Thinking by Sarah Edelman.

Hypnosis is merely a heightened state of suggestibility, in which you are better able to communicate with your subconscious mind; view http://myfavoriteinterests.com/hypnosis/ about what it is, and isn't. 85% of people are suggestible to some degree; 15% - 20% highly so, and 15% - 20% aren't much at all, so you could either preferably seek professional hypnotherapy, or, if not an option, hypnosisdownloads.com has one about overcoming fear and anxiety, or asktheinternettherapist.com has: Stop Fears and Phobias, CD, & MP3. Professional advice is to use only one, or up to a maximum of 2 at any one time.

Hoping something in the above helps.