OCD And Exposure Therapy - An Honors Project

I personally have had exposure therapy for my OCD and even though I was skeptical of it at first, it made things SO much better. My symptoms didn't go away, but it's a lot easier to cope with them now. If you can find a good therapist that specializes in it, I think it's hugely helpful and also not as scary as it sounds.

@Pleiades20

I'm glad to hear that you had a good experience with exposure therapy! It sounds like ultimately you had a great attitude about it and welcomed it. <3

@SoftAlpaca10

Thank you for this amazing post! You've clearly put a lot of hardwork and in-depth research into this project. It is extremely informative and I've learnt a lot :)

Tagging the Anxiety Community to have a look - please be mindful of the trigger warning at the top of the thread ❤️

@0rangeowl1462 @24963534 @44Unicorns44 @70DarkChocolate @a1b1c2d2 @accuracy.sensation @AccuracySensation @AdamEmb @Adrjust1 @aethiecantsleep @affectionatecherry7576 @affectionateNorth4018 @Ai @Airily @ajb03 @Alabee @Alctim @alexelle @Allen @allnaturalNight50 @Amandacc48 @Amaruq @amazingKitten2022 @ambitiousBanana1116 @amethystunicorn @amiableWest298 @amicableStrawberries1852 @AMusicalSilence @amusingChestnut7102 @amyh105 @Andarielssoul @AnnaMarie21 @AnxietyAnnie0623 @AnxietyJanna @archerzvy @arenout @Ashemiya @asheroo92 @AshtheFab @AspergerAnxiety @astray @Aubrey2018 @Aubrynn @aud44 @Axxiie @ayja @AzureWinter @badoinkitydoop @Baguette26 @BangtanB @bballbrit18 @beautifulPudding72 @BenjaminaFicus @BeselfconfidentBike1626 @bethanybear @betweentheglades @bijoux16 @BlissfulMusic @blithesoul64 @Bloom97 @bluespruce123 @BookLoverBree37 @brainybrainy @brendenjnsn @BrightCircle @Broken513 @brunettealibi @Bumblebay @BurntSquare @caitlinsaunders @Calmdime1979 @CaloenasNicobarica @Cam202 @Campingpixi @capydat @carebear51785 @CaringBrit @CarnationFlower @CarolineFCY @casscub @Catlover1993 @Catmess @celestialnova @Chanie @charlottexoxxx @Charvey0910 @chasingghosts17 @Chels2002 @Cherm @chlowii @Christi125 @clamoris @clrmx @Cokefloats @coll23 @comfortingAngel @communicativePenguin610 @compassionateHuman8369 @Consideratetree2184 @CookieBears @CookiesLover @cooldinosaur @coppermorgan5269 @Countrygirl1231 @CourtneyMarir17 @CreativeCamp2095 @CreativelyAlone @Crisblues @crochetgirl0629 @cstorti @cupheaad @Cyupie888 @DanaMH @DanceGirl @Darkprincess420 @DayCap @Daydreamer47 @dayvidenda @DeadlyJazzhands @delicateWindow53 @deltaorion @Determinedsea4703 @DiJaniya @diplomaticTangerine7923 @DiscreetBeach2458 @Dprsdmom @Dragonfire0522 @DrDonut @Dreambeauty84 @Dreamm11 @drxell @DylanxYuzu @Earlyowl @easyZebra45 @Eccho @Egalite @ekimb @elaine.s @elegantquail @Elfdaughter @Elliejays @EllieKB @EmCal555 @EmikoKokoro @Emmur @EnchxntedRose @epitium @eprz88 @Ethereal21 @euphonic @evil.dragon.queen @EvilRegalsReadToo @Exist56 @fairmindedBlueberry4734 @FancyRiver25 @FangirlAfterDark @FantasiaSweetShock @fearlessPear8268 @fighter23 @firefly2021 @fluffystuff @forlife @FranklyMaple @Freetotalk333 @friendlyChestnut4964 @Friendlycoconut8027 @frostyOcean72 @funfettifrosting @GayAndDepressedAF @Geecat @Gentlecat @gentleWheel5883 @gettingup @GimmeTheMuffins @Glowingceiling37 @Goatmachine1 @Godborned @goldenbeach22 @goldenNutella51 @Goodoups @gopanda @GravityWin77 @greatfulheart94 @GreyWings @groundriot @hadley1616 @happdoghut @hardworkingTriangle4287 @heartbeat96 @helloworld1247 @highlandramtv @hipstermeme @hpoole @humorousBeing8966 @HydrangeaField @iammodmod @icantdothisanymre @idkconfused @IDunnoRick @imaginativeperson @ImaNinjaWolf3941902 @ImEditBtw @indigokite @IndigoRoses @intellectualHickory576 @intelligent_jet348 @intelligentLion4049 @intuitivePomegranate3684 @inventivePineapple2924 @Isha2017 @ItsKellyRenae @itsunaa @Ivywater @jandro21 @jaydaMango3456 @JejeDoubtDoubt @JellyBeanMom @jen6161 @jendonog @jennylynn36 @JessicaMae @Joann @Jodie48 @Joe2017 @josangel17 @jr50 @Julianna2 @k87 @Kaitlyn1204 @KarisSolace @Kat013 @Kateg2003 @KateriSua @Keanan @Kiari225 @Kimberp @KindDeer @kindPumpkin16 @kkline32 @KoiFish11 @Konigswombat @kritikaaa @LadyD2244 @LadyLorelai @Lakesunset01 @lalatin @Lasagna1 @Laterkater @lavenderSea804 @leahcxo @LePapillon @Lexie18 @Lillybluo @littlesugarcube @Lolowise475 @LooneyArtimus @LoonyLissa @lovelySpring74 @LovingArtist315 @lovingstrawberry @LPyMP @Lunaedis @LunaMoonbeam @LunaTheBreakout @Mablue @Maddie @maggiemay7312 @MajesticBear @MajesticCat @MajorMusic500 @Makayla124 @Mandegar698 @mandixann @manekineko87 @mangakasenpai @Mango1550 @Manol36 @marie86 @marigoldink @MarkIAG @Matsha @MaxAl @mel242 @melk @Mellietronx @MellowYell @Memi @meow_225 @Mich96 @michrubio @MicrobeT @midnightxdream @Mikathewolfdog @MiriB96 @MissSkeleton @Mochix @MonsterDreamer @montrealkl_99 @Moodyson @Moonstrike @Mszcherokee @munchkin4065 @Musicismyfriend @MusicMind @mycatmakesmeanxious7 @MyDreamIsToBeANeurobiologist @mysteriousDreamer76 @MzBatman300 @Nagisa @navyFarm1407 @navyPineapple7539 @navyPomegranate3551 @Ndraz @neatDog4877 @neatPomegranate6229 @Nermie @Nezo @niceTangerine6642 @NicoAce @Nicoleee26 @Nini108 @No715 @Nomadicmind @Noni @NothingGold @NotKhan @Nova @Numberz @NutellaPrince @observeroflife @Ocendade @offthebeat @ohfei @onacloud12 @onelastkiss @Onni @OptimisticEars65 @Orangeowl1462 @Ozzie212 @pamharley003 @Paperugg2013@gmail.com @pastellexoxo @Patronus123 @Peacefuloasis47 @Peachsicle @peeweekiwi2 @Penguinlover01 @PerfectStorm426 @PetiteSara @philosophicalPine9475 @Philosophicalpond5564 @philosophicalship9444 @pictishbluestocking @PinkDaisy83 @PinkLion666 @pinkmallow @Pinkorange1041 @pinkThinker6194 @PinkUnicorn808 @pioneerpal95 @Poppynose @PorcelainPetals @portableemo101010 @positiveBean6147 @PositivePixieDust @Ppd @Princess1982 @promisemehope @pundari @Puppy7718 @Pureriver55 @purpleSpring9321 @QUEENofGOTHAM @quickwittedKite5386 @QuietBumblebee @Rachel84 @Raya501 @Reblah @redlunch4107 @Regenerating @reservedVillage7837 @resourcefulbear6750 @RFlux63 @rilakkuma1304 @rissadawn @Rivan @Rivertamer102409 @Robin7cups @RockInASock @RoseAtDusk @ryleeangela @Sa.cou @sa3108 @sail46 @sakhare @Samar27 @SammyLouise @Sarahbeara222 @Sarlooswolfdog @ScarletPear1945 @scarletSpring3133 @scarletWheel8308 @ScotchTape @Sealiously @SeekingOkay @selfdisciplinedstrings4621 @sensibleCircle2116 @sensitivehoney @sensitiveLime1670 @sensitiveSail8431 @SereneStardust75 @SevenLeaves @shadowthewolf @shakyscarlett @Sharfa13 @shepardstrand @shweta2729 @silverFlower75 @Silvyy @Simplicity18 @sincereHuman4233 @singingslytherin @sleepjazz @SLL29 @smallPandaxX @smelborp @Sn13 @snakesarethebest @snowwhitepolarbear04 @SnowWolf967 @Soleena @SomerTheKechibi @Sooprmamauv3 @soulfulsoulshine123 @Spirituallvl @sporkchop @sprice0 @SSummertimeSadness @Stayp0sitiv3 @straightforwardTortoise2552 @straightforwardTortoise5225 @Strawberrypie122 @Stressportfolio @Stryfe2025 @summerssong @sunmoon1 @sunrisesweethear4514 @sunsetLion15 @sunshinelove2 @Surrealistic @suspiciouslookingcactus @SweetChocolatez @sweetcreahture @SweetMango91 @sweetSnow24 @taylorjensen @TCo @TeeMcGee @telyn @TenebrieltheDarkElf @TheAnxiousLioness @Thebrightsilverlining @TheCoatimundi @thedoctorsnerdgirl @theonewithshorthair @TheSeasonThatFalls @Thisonestargazer @Thomasw97 @Thoughtfulspruce437 @thrs6 @TinyTea @tjot86 @topiarytriangle @Totallovatic @toughcity7636 @tryingmybest7 @Tryingtoadult @Tryingtobefree98 @Tsam2200 @twentysomething27 @Underloved @understandingDrum849 @uneasymadi @UnraidPixels @UnreservedEA @versatileplane5254 @VickyP @Vimex22 @VioletMeadow7 @wallflower1996 @Wanderer21 @WandereringCat2017 @warmheartedLime603 @warmheartedSailboat2021 @WashedOutPink @Wawas @Whatever679 @wildatheart88 @wildOnee @WillowBranch @Wwart728 @XwonderlandgirlX @xXAnxietyHeartXx @xxharleyxx @xXvickyXx @yanasutcliffe1 @YouHope1Angel @YoureNotAloneLovely @YourQueen33 @Zammn @Zengrl

@SoftAlpaca10

My type of OCD is mostly intrusive thoughts related. rather than orderliness or having to have things be perfect. When I get a terrible or bothersome intrusive thought (thinking of a terrible disease or a distressful situation for instance), my deal is that I have the absolute need to touch something (a wall most of the time) or repeat actions (like going through a door again) so that the thought doesn't somehow manifest into my real life. What would you categorize this form of OCD as?

I've never been diagnosed (can't afford it) properly, but I do want to learn how to manage. Exposure therapy sounds iffy to me since most of my problem is intrusive thought related (who can really control thoughts?), but I'm not totally against it.

@mimameid

What you have described could potentially fit into a few categories, but since I am not a medical professional I am unable to actually distinguish which you have.

For intrusive thoughts exposure therapy could help because when people tend to have these thoughts there is typically an underlying believe that if I don't do this then this bad thing will happen and if once we were to not follow through with the action that will "prevent" this fear/possibility and see how it plays out, that would be considered exposure.

@SoftAlpaca10

Fine. Forget I asked then.

So it works by the therapist encouraging me to not do anything about a terrible thought I'm having? I think I've actually heard of it before, but applied to more generalized anxiety.

Hello

not feeling to good today