DO YOU NEED MORE HELP WITH OCD & ERP? 👉🏼 If you are tired of your OCD and need help treating it with ERP so that you can feel better, I can help you. Find out more about my course for OCD here: paigepradko.com/ocd. 👉🏼 Here is a link to a FREE SELF ASSESSMENT for OCD: www.paigepradko.com/ocdquiz 👉🏼 Here is a GIFT for you. A PDF for The Top 10 Things to Know to Practice ERP for OCD, Phobias & Anxiety: www.paigepradko.com/erp
Steps for ERP 1) Identify your triggers 2) Assign each trigger a SUDS score ('Subjective Unit of Discomfort'-Scale) 3) List your triggers in order from the lowest to highest score 4) Practice ONE exposure from the list, start from the bottom 5) Refrain from doing compulsions. Stay until anxiety decreases 50% 6) Practice that exposure daily 7) When it no longer triggers you notably anymore, start the next exposure from your list Maximum efficacy 1) Work with a therapist 2) Combine ERP with Cognitive Therapy (challenging the actual thoughts) 3) Cognitive Bias Modification (Cognitive Bias in OCD = interpreting benign situations as dangerous, percieving yourself as more responsible for things than what is true) 4) Be completely committed (Remind yourself that even though it's really hard, it will be worth it) 5) Watch for avoidance and escape behaviors 6) Watch for secondary gain (Is your brain getting benefits from you having OCD? For example people helping you more than necessary) 7) Consider medication - consult with a physician. (Be aware that Benzodiazepines renders ERP completely ineffective) 8) Watch for safety behaviors (Compulsions to try to 'take the edge off' the exposure) Important notes - Your brain must remain highly anxious (Until anxiety decreases on its own) - Relaxation techniques make ERP less effective - You must be highly challenged
Wow….this took a lot of work. Thank you for doing this. You did a great job! I have evolved my practice of ERP slightly since making this video to incorporate the latest research on inhibitory learning theory. The changes include no longer assigning a SUDS score and adding more variety to the exposures, and focusing on learning experiences and tolerating anxiety during the exposures. 🙏😊
Thank you so much for this comment I really needed this in Written form so I can copy it up to my notes. It makes it a lot more easier to have these bullet points at hand
This topic was very well presented. I appreciate your videos and channel. I am a grad student doing my clinical internship, and I needed to understand ERP better.
Love the video, it really helps put things in perspective. I’m a compulsive checker and let me tell ya doing the exposure is torture, but if you can power through it, it’s very worth it.
Thankyou so much for helping me Mam I've beated my RELIGIOUS OCD,just a question Can't a mentally strong person prevent further relapses or different OCD themes in future,if he practiced ERP well???
Madam, why is RU-vid not allowing me to post comments under your videos specifically? Do you have any idea why .. if so please reply madam .. I post a lengthy comment under your videos and after a couple of minutes return back to view my comments and it's gone .. This comment got posted , thank god and did not vanish after a couple of minutes .. Please reply madam ..
Hi Arjun. RU-vid seems to not allow the posting of longer comments. I have noticed that when someone leaves a long comment, I will see the comment, as RU-vid sends me an email. But, it will not post and I will not be able to reply to the comment if it is too long. It is unfortunate.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy wow madam, you replied sooo fast thank you .. I wanted to whole heartedly thank you for answering my query 4 days back wrt more explanation from your side on DBT TECHNIQUES .. THANK YOU MADAM SOOO MUCH .. I am compelled to keep my comments short here ..
@@PaigePradkoTherapy THANK YOU SOO MUCH MADAM .. OCD & ANXIETY elimination has changed transformed me as a human being, I feel I am a totally new reborn individual now .. feel soo light headed, clear minded .. emotionally balanced .. Thank You soo much madam .. Arjun ..
Woah, that secondary gain statement just blew my mind. The statement that my brain could be seeing benefit in the OCD was an angle I was blind to. The revelation from that statement was realising I’ve built much of my social circle, job, and daily life around enabling my OCD. I’m glad I found this, it may have just changed my life.
Yes, ERP is difficult, but it works. You have to be determined and having a therapist or support group to help you stay accountable helps. It is like facing your worst fears ...I get it. The first week is the hardest. It gets easier after your brain begins to respond. I wish you the best.
First few weeks was extremely difficult. During after the 1st week of therapy is when I experienced the highest level of anxiety. It was so debilitating for me that it greatly affected productivity, because I was doing some important projects at work during the time. There were times when I felt that there is utterly no hope, and I can't even do the simplest task. I was questioning if this was all worth it. I was reduced to a point where all I can do is summon the willpower to resist the compulsions, while clinging to my therapists promise that 'it will eventually subside because that is how the brain works'. I noticed that after the first month my anxiety did subside, a little, as I no longer experience the same debilating anxiety, and the strong urge to 'get out' by doing a compulsion like I did in the first week. After a few months I can't say that it is completely gone but I could say that I have come to a point that the anxieties I experience are manageable as they come and go. If you are looking for relief to your obsessions by doing ERP, it's not going to give you that. I never really experienced 'relief', but what I think it will do is help you desensitize to the same triggers. If you keep at it, one day you'll wake up and notice that your obessions does not have their effect on you like they used to. One other thing, If you are going thru a tough time, like say, if you are working on a difficult project, or you are having a financial difficulty or just lost a loved one, I don't think this would be the best time for you to start the therapy. But in any case if you are going to go through it, make sure that you are extremely committed and prepared to go though hell.
Hello, i have pure o and my main compulsion is rumination. Doing erp for me requires imaginal thinking of my fears but i ended in just ruminating the thoughts. :(
If friend is asking 100s of compulsive questions per day what can I say instead of repeating answers? Ocd triggers are many different words and themes related to insecurity and jealousy. Should I stop all answers (impossible) or 1 hour per day no answers or some other progressive change?
It is important to be compassionate and kind, but it is not helpful to give repeated reassurance. You can say something like, “It seems like your ocd is really triggered today. I know this is difficult for you, but giving you reassurance is not helpful for your ocd. I care about you and do not want to support your OCD.”
Please doctor I started doing medication and spending time with family and friends going out eating walking and shipping and taking care of my body Does this make my ocd stronger because It knows I'm trying to escape it Or is this okay? Like can I do things that make me happy?
what if the client is too exhausted because of many years of trying to overcome the OCD before coming for therapy, and does not want to make the hierarchies. which therapy would work then? Basically, a resistant client.
There are a few different options with a resistant client. And, this video is a few years old and I no longer use hierarchies, but encourage people to mix up exposures and intensities of the exposures. But, with a resistant client, I would work for awhile on why they want to get better, and what they have missed out on in life due to their ocd. I would work on establishing well identified motivation and values and reasons to want to get better. Then, I would investigate how they did ERP in the past. Many people do not do response prevention after exposures are over or set specific rules as they work their way up to response prevention. And if they absolutely do not want to do ERP, I might suggest that they do a therapy called I-CBT (Inferential Based Cognitive Therapy).
Thank you so much, Paige. I've improved drastically a couple times using ERP but I've always fallen back into OCD. It's very difficult to maintain an OCD-free state of mind because it can sneak in when you think you are cured and have your guard down in my experience. This video gave me a better understanding of how ERP works and how to do it correctly. I will continue trying even though it is extremely difficult and can feel hopeless at times.
Yes, continue to treat it. I cover a few more techniques and nuances of ERP that may help you in other videos, Here is a playlist you can look through: ru-vid.com/group/PL1lUhuKpYUYqeYEMpq99fWkjLMxFR4ySU. And, here are more resources for help with OCD: The Top 10 Things you Need to Know to Practice ERP: Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD, Phobias and Anxiety www.paigepradko.com/erp OCD Self Assessment Quiz www.paigepradko.com/ocdquiz OCD course www.paigepradko.com/ocd
Yes, this is a common subtype of OCD. People can reread over and over. They are often have doubt that they understood it correctly or they are trying to get a certain feeling. But, yes, it is OCD. Here is a self assessment www.paigepradko.com/ocdquiz
First of all, thanks a lot for your work. I'm struggling with a problem that is not properly classified as OCD but has a lot in common with it. Retroactive jealousy. I'm suffering a lot and I'd like to apply ERP to this problem. Do you think it could work? how can I do the exposure with a PURE O-like problem?
Thank you for your great efforts. I have pure O and I am not sure how to challenge myself when the thought is just humiliating me telling me I am a failure and they keep repeating all day long. I also have noticed the thoughts keep changing their theme according to the most important thing i have at the time.
Yes, obsessive thoughts will change the theme. It helps if you can remember that the theme does not matter, because the treatment is the same. We treat our thoughts as just thoughts not truths. The more that you can do that, the less anxiety you feel when you have a thought. Your job is to tolerate the unknowing of the truth of any thought.
Hey! I have pure O as well. I have the exact same thoughts and they can be brutal. I’ve been telling myself when they pop up, out loud “NOPE, not engaging with you” and throw myself completely into my activity. Or I laugh at the thought, or I let it just drift by. ANYTHING other than engaging with it. The thoughts themselves are harmless but they can make you feel like dirt. So I understand you completely.
Also, my compulsion after these thoughts come is to seek reassurance that “am I going to be okay?” So I’ve asked my support system to extremely limit reassurance with the goal of removing it all together. The goal is to be able to reassure ourselves. Easier said than done but we can do it.
I do not have trigger its just feeling which keep coming without trigger. Any advice how to deal? Seems they are always in the background sometimes coming automatically. There is no emotional pain but they are painless feeling which are not stopping
Yes, OCD obsessions can include more than just thoughts. They can include feelings or emotions, images, urges or sensations you feel in your body. Response prevention is important for treatment. Do your best to not respond to what you are sensing or feeling.
I've had OCD for years now. I know what actions I do repeatedly but I frankly don't know what triggers it. Can u please help how to finds out my triggers. Is it coz i overthink alot.
Hi Stephanie. Almost anything can trigger ocd. Yes, even a thought or stress in your life. It is important to identify what your core fear is. That is the what you fear may happen if you don’t do a compulsion like rumination. That is the fear you will need to trigger on purpose in your exposures.
thanks a lot for putting so much effort into your videos and into helping people! do you have any advice on physical symptoms and on like social interactions? i feel like interacting with other people is super hard for me at the moment, my symptoms (like pressure on the chest) get worse and i feel like i'm not really able to have a regular conversation, do the physical symptoms decrease over the period of recovery just by accepting them and doing exposures or are there certain methods especially for the physical symptoms? :)
Thank you for your comment. Yes, there are specific techniques if your anxiety is exacerbated by physical symptoms and social environments. First, I advise all of my clients with anxiety to practice square breathing and breath focused meditation daily. You can find those videos in my series on Calm the Body. Second, if your anxiety gets revved up by body sensations like a rapid heart beat, I recommend doing Interoceptive Exposure Therapy. You will find my video on this type of exposure on my video page. It is even proven to be more effective than CBT techniques like cognitive restructuring. And finally, if your anxiety is tied to social interactions, than, exposure therapy is going to be important. Many people make the mistake of not doing exposures in enough variety of situations and environments. I also have struggled with social anxiety and made a video on what I learned and what has helped me. I hope you check that video out too. I relate personally to your question and I look forward to hearing from you after you have experimented with some of these techniques. I personally look at social anxiety and many anxiety disorders as lifelong challenges. We can make incredible progress, but we have to keep challenging ourselves. Thank you again for your comment 😊
Great question. There are research studies documenting the evidence that antidepressants, specifically SSRI’s help people with OCD. What I notice in my clients that choose to take them is that it cuts down the rumination considerably and they are more easily able to resist their compulsions. Benzodiazepines suppress the nervous system and can have long term harmful side effects if taken daily. Research points to difficulties storing new learned information and consolidating it into long term memory when taking a benzodiazepine. However, there are times when someone might use a benzodiazepine on occasion (not daily) when doing an exposure for the first time. That may help them get through the exposure and then be able to redo the exposure without the medication soon after.
Thoughts may randomly pop in your head….and for others… they can be triggered in many ways such as by seeing something or hearing something or checking to see if they are thinking of something.
Thank you so much for this wonderful video. With research and self-observation, I think I have HOCD - it’s been a bit debilitating, to be honest. Recently, my main concern has been whether this might lead me to develop another [more severe] mental condition - or in typical parlance - whether it may make me “go crazy” in the long run. Ironically, the thought of this possibility drives me nuts (LOL), I still deal with it every single day. There are moments that are quite overwhelming when the anxiety hits me: I lose focus, feel a bit dissociated from myself, become irritable (so I hate it when anyone from my family talks to me while all this is happening, because their mere voice becomes unbearable for me), and then in a matter of a few hours, I am able to bounce back. As compared to other [more severe] cases, I think I’m relatively doing well -- and perhaps this is all just to say that hey, I chanced upon your video. These have been my symptoms for the past several weeks. They can get shitty, to be honest, but your words have given me love and light. Two lovely things I learned today: (1) I am not alone - my HOCD is a shared experience (and then, of course, that thoughts are just thoughts); and (2) I HAVE the power to reclaim myself despite these difficulties. This may sound trite, but by all means I CAN decide to live the truth of a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life because I CHOOSE how to react (or not react!) to my own thoughts!
I love your comments, because so many people are experiencing these intrusive thoughts, and your message is intuitive and hopeful. I have a new video on intrusive thoughts coming out later this week that I hope will help you. It talks about all of these second level of fearful thoughts like...am I going crazy. They are all just thoughts.
Here is a FREE PDF Gift for you to help you with ERP. The Top 10 Things you Need to Know to Practice ERP: Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD, Phobias and Anxiety www.paigepradko.com/erp
This was interesting. How can you do ERP exposures for fear of harming family members (violence) and sexual intrusive thoughts against others? How to expose yourself to these routinely?
I recommend using a strategic approach on these thoughts. Label them as OCD, and then do not interact or argue or give the thoughts attention. It is OCD, so you cannot dispute with something that is made up by your brain. Tolerate the anxiety associated with the thoughts. And let time pass. Do this repeatedly when the thoughts arise. Identify and label the ocd thought, tolerate and float through the anxiety, the anxiety and thought will die down on it’s own.
I wouldn't advise touching a doorknob and then touching your face in Covid times! What was maybe valid before the Pandemic kinda doesn't make sense in the strange "new normal" in which hygiene precautions have a purpose: to avoid contagion.
Thankyou mam. Im suffering for relationship OCD although I'm only 16. I want to stay with my partner but my OCD keeps giving me anxiety if i think about him or be with him or talk to him at all but i want to have a future with him and im very serious. At one point we also had to break up but i went back to him but im having the OCD and anxiety again i want to learn how to do erp i discussed this with him he told me i will get better but im scared to loose him. I don't know what to do im just very scared
Hi Paige, thank you for all the information and the helpful techniques you share. I've been struggling with different types of OCD for almost 7 years and I was feeling desperate since I can't afford a therapy. So, I can't thank you enough for your videos. I tried to do ERP on my own but I didn't know if I were doing it right or how to do it correctly. Thanks to this video, I've just wrote down the list of strategies you give and I'm starting to do them gradually right now :)
Thank you for your comments, Selin. It makes the work worth it to hear that it helps. Working with a therapist is best, but, therapists trained in ERP are hard to find and afford. I do not want to overwhelm you, because too much information at once is not good. But, as you become more curious, here is a playlist of videos on the treatment of OCD.ru-vid.com/group/PL1lUhuKpYUYqeYEMpq99fWkjLMxFR4ySU
Hello. I want to sincerely thank you for what you are doing. It's true that there are not so many therapist around who can help patients with their OCD. Even in Slovakia I could not find someone who is specialized in this area. I've been suffering OCD for 15 years. It started since I was child, when I experienced my first obsession (harmful thoughts). I did not solve those thoughts properly at that time. After 10 years (OCD was sleeping in my subconsciousness), it started getting worse. Each day my mind found new problem that caused obsession and then I've done compulsive reactions. Everything was contamined for me, I thought I may harm anybody everywhere, or be extremely careful, which resulted on trying to stop those thoughts intensively or checking the people or the place I've visited). Two months ago, I realized that I have OCD. I immediately visited doctor, started to administrate an SSRIs and listen to the online therapists like you. Personally, I've found ERP as the one of the most useful methods. In the beginning, when I was exposing to the uncomfortable situations, I felt like devil in the hell. Bad thoughts was trying to stop me from doing anything. But I won. Now, the little monster called OCD is hidden somewhere in my brain and I am the dominant one. I feel very happy and my life started to get sense. And I forgot to mention one thing - I told about my OCD to almost every real friend or family member. I think noone should be afraid to talk about it. People will understand us.
You are incredible. I am sorry that you suffered so long not knowing what the condition was even called. I am so glad the videos have been helpful. Keep up with ERP anytime it resurfaces. And I am glad that you are educating people around you. There is no shame in having OCD, it is a condition that is treatable and it is very common and most people inherit the condition genetically. Thank you for sharing.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy Hi Paige! Just and little update. It’s been year since I started ERP therapy. The results are amazing!!! Now I am still very happy, enjoying my life. I almost forgot or erased all bad thoughts. When they come to my mind (happens very rarely) I can fully control them and forget them in a seconds! Wow. Thank you for your incredible videos. You’re the angel. Believe me :) sending a huge hug and regards from Slovakia.
@@naomio.7503 thank you ❤️ I am glad that we can share our experience and motivate each other. Feel free to write me in fb (Nick Ro Bes) if you want to talk to someone about it.
What about existential ocd, where there isn’t anything physical for us to touch for example to make us anxious. I think over the years my anxiety has now become existential ocd. I ruminate a lot about the meaning of happiness, I ruminate about whether or not a selfless act truly exists, etc… I also ruminate about everything else also like if I’m in a new city I’ll ruminate about the landscape like where is this like this, who decided that this building was going here, how do they organise the infrastructure, etc… I’ve also ruminated about things like a tv show. I once ruminated about a show because the good guy in it lost a fight even tho he was a lot tougher than the bad guy and I couldn’t stop ruminating about it. It’s sounds all crazy but whenever I’m uncertain about something I’ll ruminate about it even tho I don’t want to. When it comes to existential topics obviously there no definite answer but when they’re questions about reality or philosophical things it makes me feel very disconnected and that reality isn’t how I think it is
I’m sorry about the music. I have eliminated music in my more current videos. Here is an ocd playlist that you can look through to understand more: ru-vid.com/group/PL1lUhuKpYUYqRtx-_xbr5gofDxBYIBdq0
Hi Gabe. Good job. It’s ok to feel scared or anxious. If you felt like it was more than you can tolerate, they ease up the exposure. But, often people can feel anxious for hours afterwards. But, I do recommend doing your exposure with an attitude like you are determined versus white-knuckling it the whole way through. I hope you feel proud of yourself for your courage to face your fear.
How much time usually does it take to feel high improvement? (I mean for a really severe ocd) cause i use medications for about 10 years and did anterior capsulotomy & limbic leucotomy but they were totally useless & i wanna go for dbs. Cause i felt very little effect from rtms.
If a person has multiple OCD like harm and contamination and both goes hand on hand how to make ERP Strategy and also how to make response prevention in harm OCD where ritual is mental compulsion
Hello mam. .. To see this video I can Do ERP therapy to my sister who is suffering from OCD.. But plzz help me to do this therapy step by step so that she feels comfortable by this ERP therapy...
Thank you for posting this video. I am following this amazing doable outline. I’m Finding therapists who can help me expose myself to my triggers to reclaim my life & try NAC to support my process.👍
That’s great news, Judith. If you ever need more support, here is my ocd course that can also be used to supplement your therapy: OCD course www.paigepradko.com/ocd
Thanks for the guidance! I'm a therapist and am working with OCD clients with contamination-bodily excretions focus. This is never an example in trainings, and I would greatly appreciate some examples of how to do exposures with them.
@@lilag2290 yes, this is a much, much needed topic. I cover it in detail in my course, but on youtube…it would likely be censored. Feel free to drop me a line at paigepradko.com and I will try to give you some pointers. 😊
Hi Sera. This is an ocd theme that I only see occasionally, but it can still create suffering. Jonathan Grayson’s book, “Freedom from OCD” has a chapter on this type of OCD. I would begin with scripts and have him write and record several scripts that target his fear of losing things that he cares about. It would be helpful if your son could work with an ocd specialist. If this is not available, your son will have to want to work on it and want to do ERP. Here is my latest video on how to prepare scripts for ERP. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HrjM091rcXc.html
Because flurazepam is a derivative of benzodiazepines, it calms your nervous system. This means that your amygdala is also not as active in your brain. New neuropathways and connections are not formed as easily when the original ocd (fear) pathway is not activated. This is a long explanation to say that it is my understanding from what I have read and witnessed in my clients that benzodiazepines make ERP less effective. How much less effective….I do not believe we know the answer to that question.
Those themes do require different exposures. More recent research has shown that hierarchies are not as important (working your way up to more challenging exposures), as doing the exposures and tolerating the discomfort. You may vary the difficulty and vary the exposures. But, harm ocd may require chopping food with knives, and contamination exposure may involve not washing hands, and religious scrupulosity may involve writing and listening to scripts of your worst feared scenarios. These are all different exposures. It may be possible to combine exposure themes and create exposures that trigger more than one core fear. For example, you could write and listen to scripts about your fears in all of those themes while chopping vegetables and not washing your hands. The more you mix things up while still triggering your fear, the better.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy ma'am ! I have an example that confuses me . Suppose i have a doubt while praying to GOD that did i wash my hands properly after coming from washroom ? It has contamination + religious / moral + harm (god will punish me ), which theme category should it be put in ? Kindly guide.
@@prakarshbhardwaj563 , yes, this is a great example how ocd can combine themes. In your case, you can trigger your fear in all of these themes by not washing your hands properly on purpose and sitting with those fears. You can combine fear triggers and themes and get creative in triggering them as the example you gave. I share more details in how to combine exposures in my ocd course: www.paigepradko.com/ocd
Hi Meighen. If you would like help with ERP, I have a wonderful course that will take you through step by step on what to do. Here is more information on my course Free from Pure O and OCD: www.paigepradko.com/ocd.
Yes, ERP is draining and difficult. I want to encourage you to keep working at it. Every time you practice ERP you are making progress, every exposure is good. It does take time, and you have to be willing to be uncomfortable. If you can remember that you are willing to be uncomfortable in ERP in order to have improved wellbeing overall.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy hello mam Is it ok to cry heavily after erp therapy,actually i was dealing with intrisive blasphemous thoughts.SO finally i gave that thought a intentional way and what followed was Heavy cry.Is it normal
This is a great question. There has been quite a bit of research on this in the past 10 or so years. Researches like Catherine Pittman and others noticed that exposures and ERP were not effective on those patients taking benzodiazepines. They believe it is because the medications interfere with the brain’s process of storing new information into long term memory. The psychiatrists that work in university hospitals and specialize in treating OCD patients know this research well. Unfortunately, not all physicians are familiar with this research.
How do you stop a teenager from compulsions?? ERP is possible once you can get them to stop the compulsive behavior.. that itself is the BIGGEST challenge... It's easier said than done....
Thank you for your question. Yes….it is easier said than done. I find in practice that people must want to do treatment and must want to change. I might ask them what they are not doing in their life because of their OCD, or how much time their OCD takes up and what would they like to do instead…or what would it be like to not have to do compulsions. They have to be motivated for change. If someone is not motivated for change, you cannot force them. Many teens take my ocd course because they prefer learning what to do at their own pace. If they are interested, here is a great option to learn what to do to stop the compulsions. www.paigepradko.com/ocd
Hi Paige,i think all your videos,and information is very helpfull to many people,keep all of them coming and more because it"s hard to get this kind of information for help just anywhere, and it all kind of shows what it"s all about thank you,love Denny😘🙏
Hi Miha. The International OCD Foundation recommends SSRI antidepressants for OCD. Some of my clients choose to take them, some do not. Benzodiazepines can actually make OCD worse.
Recommendations by the International OCD Foundation include Luvox, Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Anafranil, Lexipro, and Effexor. These are the brand names.
Thank you. I am just one of many therapists that treat ocd. I am creating online therapy classes to offer help to more people that will be available later this year. Unfortunately, my practice is full and I refer people to IOCDF.org for a list of trained therapists by state.
Can ERP totally cure ocd please tell me i am from India Its been one year i am taking medicines now i decided to do ERP and stops mediciene very soon please tell me
Hi Yash. ERP is a treatment method for OCD as are SSRI medications. Some people use both. We do not use the word, “cure” when we talk about OCD. Just like one does not “cure” anxiety, we cannot “cure” ocd. We treat ocd and can successfully do so with ERP and in combination with other treatment methods. If you are interested in learning how to do ERP for OCD, I have a course that teaches you what to do … step by step. Here is a link for more information: www.paigepradko.com/ocd.
Some people do fine without having to do ERP again. While others may have ocd creep in again, but know what to do and treat it with ERP immediately before the compulsions take hold. Maintaining your recovery means recognizing when ocd is triggering you and knowing what to do before it takes hold.
I’m sorry, Scott. I don’t know the details in your treatment and there are a lot of nuances to treatment. It’s important that you stay consistently in response prevention and feel recontaminated after any kind of washing or cleaning.
I take a very small amount of Clonazapam.25 mg twice a day. Is this rendering my erp totally useless? Now I’m a little concerned because I can’t just stop taking it, I have to ween off of it.
I am so sorry but I cannot give medical advice and want you to do want is best for you under your doctor’s care. Benzodiazepines are not recommended for OCD and yes, withdrawal must be very slow over many months based on your withdrawal symptoms. But, you will have to decide what is best for you long term along with your physician. There are cases where people begin their ERP with the help of a benzodiazepines and then titrate slowly off of them under their psychiatrist’s care.
Subscribed. I have horrible OCD. Please do a video on toileting contamination OCD. It's near debilitating for me just to use the bathroom. I can't even shower unless the bathroom is clean. I have Medicaid and have a prescribing psychiatrist. However, getting erp and cognitive therapy hasn't happened. I need it desperately. There is a months long waiting list.
I am so sorry you there is such a long wait list. I will add this to my list of topics to cover. I do have an OCD playlist that may help you, but have not made a video yet specifically on your topic although it is covered in my OCD course.
There are several variations of ERP. You can do very focused ERP, or you can do more subtle or passive ERP like listening to a script in the background while working or doing other activities. Try to mix it up and try different methods. Here is a pdf that may help you called, The Top 10 Things you Need to Know to Practice ERP: Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD, Phobias and Anxiety www.paigepradko.com/erp.
Should I try anything that gives me anxiety and obsession? For example licking dirty toilet floor get me super anxious and it has about SUDS 100 but is it healthy to do that? s there a limit for exposures? How should I know the difference between my obsessions and unhealthy behavior?
Hi Ali. I understand what you are asking. Your exposures will depend on what your core fear is. If you are afraid of getting sick and dying, then you will have to exposures to “feel” contaminated. Of course you will not do something that is literally life threatening…..but you do need to trigger your fear. I am creating a therapy course for contamination ocd that will be available soon, and in the course I walk you through step by step what to do. I have included updated information in the course on how to do contamination ocd exposure and response prevention. If you think you might be interested in my therapy course for OCD, please send a message on PaigePradko.com and I will send you more information when it is available.
But how does one do ERP for obsessive/intrusive thoughts, not OCD behaviors? How do you know when the anxiety has truly died down? For me, I feel like I am just "swallowing" it, which then causes acid reflux and upset stomach.
There are several methods for doing ERP for pure O ocd or intrusive thoughts. The main compulsions include ruminating, analyzing, neutralizing your thoughts with positive thoughts, praying and self reassurance, etc. You can plan exposures like using imaginary scripts or you can use techniques like my I. A.M. method when you catch yourself ruminating. Here are some resources and playlists to help you: The Top 10 Things you Need to Know to Practice ERP: Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD, Phobias and Anxiety www.paigepradko.com/erp OCD Self Assessment Quiz www.paigepradko.com/ocdquiz Pure O OCD playlist ru-vid.com/group/PL1lUhuKpYUYqKvEwlGXoRPDu_8blhbaq-
13:00 Exposures don't work if we make ourselves less anxious .. so going by your explanation .. _should we stop meditating regularly since that makes us less anxious and more calm .. please explain madam_ .. great video madam . . Thank You .. please elaborate on my above doubt ..
Meditation is a wonderful practice for everyone. Exposures require a certain amount of anxiety or discomfort, at least at the beginning of the exposure. If there is no anxiety, then you may not be challenging your core fear, or you do not need exposure therapy or have possibly habituated to your fear. The anxiety does not have to be extremely high. Please keep meditating, but not during your exposures.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy yes madam correct you are right .. meditation should be done when there is no exposure or trigger around. . we should not meditate during an exposure .. Meditation as far as I have observed tends to reduce the intensity of an exposure (deliberate exposure or sudden unplanned exposure) or trigger ... .
Dear Paige I have developed an anxiety about ERP where I seem to stop myself from feeling the anxiety- in order to sabotage my ERP. It's so scary- please let me know if there's anything that can help
There are different methods of treatment. Another method is an incidental erp approach. When an intrusive thought pops up, you allow the thought to float there, but do not examine it or engage with it. Then, shift your focus in the moment to something else, while the intrusive thought just floats there. The thought popping up is the exposure and allowing it to float. There. Not engaging is the response prevention. And shifting your focus is just you moving on with your life. You can repeat the process as often as needed.
Hi paige. Im really intersted in your videos about ocd because i want my son to recoverr from ocd. It seems that the medication given to him is not enough. What is your recomendation for my sons recovery. . Asi in everyday he keeps on repeating her obsession of buying toys and i if you dontt want to follow him than he makes compulsive disoeder. His doctor prescribe him the ff medications. Neurotain capsule 2x aday, valparin 1 capsule 2x aday, 1/2 tabet tesperidon at bedtime. . I’vebeen asking if there is another theraphy for him and no suggestion at all. I pity my son because he Sometimes crushes a lady if he saw it. I told him how theu like him if does not show a good behavior. I am willing to cooperate if you can help my son’s recovery. Thanks mam
I wish I had done ERP when my OCD was contamination focused. Now my OCD is focused on something that doesn't lend itself to real world exposure too well
Yes, you can do exposures as many times a day as you would like. I encourage people to plan to do at least an hour a day and break that down into segments if desired.
I can do anything. Use public restrooms, Go into a Dr.'s office as long as I don't come home. If I sleep in a hotel I'm ok. However when I come home then begins the decontamination rituals. Showers, laundry, car cleaning, can't sit anywhere till I shower. ( which means no drinks at the movies or local restaurants) This goes for any one who went with me which causes tears and arguments. I'm ok as long as I don't come home. Why do you think this is? When I'm on vacation I feel free till I come home then I feel filthy, contaminated. What's so special about me entering my home?
OCD does not make logical sense…but your brain can send you the urgent messages to compulse anyway. If you would like help…I have a program that would be great for you. I walk you through exactly what to do to give you your freedom back when you walk into your house. If you are interested, you can find out more here: www.paigepradko.com/ocd
Hi Mrs Paige. My name is Chibuzo and am 16 years old. I dont know whether I'm suffering form OCD but I feel like I am having these symptoms of OCD. Some of these symptoms include tightness in the chest, Awareness of my breath. And I try as much as possible to help myself to get relief of these symptoms. I also get scared a lot. So please Mrs paige, Can you help me please?
Hi Chibuzo. I am sorry that you are being bothered by those symptoms. It sounds like a type of OCD that I have as well. It is called Sensorimotor or Somatic Awareness OCD. It happens when an unconscious body process or sensation becomes conscious. Like you, my breathing comes into my awareness and feels like I somehow have to consciously breathe. Just like any other type of OCD, ERP is helpful. In my case, I prefer the I. A.M. technique. Here is a link to the technique ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9nEC8yIgFKg.html. However, if it hits when I am trying to sleep, I just try my best to be non reactive and allow it to be there as long as it wants to be in my awareness. But, I do my best to not go checking on it. The compulsion here is checking to see if we are aware … and if we check for it, of course we will find it. I hope this helps.
I have been trying ERP on my own and your video was extremely helpful for what I am doing wrong! Thank you so much! This is not my first time practicing ERP but before I was very young and diddnt even realize I was doing erp I just know my ocd calmed down no barely bothersome until now. My contamination OCD is led by my very real and deathly allergy to Strawberries and walnuts and I am struggling with how to find a common ground between being safe but not being completely careless. I did ask a few people who have severe food allergies what they do for cleaning and what they do to keep cross contamination to allergens down but answers were not very clear other than keeping those allergens out of the home. Any advice?
I can understand how your ocd could be exacerbated by your allergies. I would read ingredients before eating a new food, and then purchase an epi pen to have on hand just in case I ate something I was allergic to by accident. I would then make sure that I was not compulsing by excessive washing and cleaning.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy ah yes. I have already stopped the compulsive handwashing. I started wearing gloves when cleaning things (that I should be wearing gloves like the litter box) and I got accustomed to only washing my hands when appropriate and it was not again and again and again. I feel like I am making progress because my IT that would lead me to compulsions come and go just as fast without any reassurance from myself (which I learned from your video last night that telling myself it's okay and that it is safe is wrong!) Unfortunetely I cant use many medications because of another allergy to some unknown possible binding agent? and drs have never been able to figure out if it is even safe for me to have an epi pen.. It is a Rollercoaster but I am grateful how far I have come and I have all the motivation not to give up.
If ones OCD revolves around more thoughts (intrusive thoughts) about other people, would we do ERP in the form of ‘thinking’ those bad intrusive thoughts? Like allowing ourselves to think those scary thoughts and allowing them to come in and accepting them or saying them out loud? Instead of trying to resist?
Yes, that is exactly what you do. You allow the thoughts and do not resist them or argue with them or try to figure out if they are true or false. You’ve got it!
Do u think u can overcome intrusive thoughts alone ? When I say alone I mean like educating myself through yours and other videos but doing this process by myself ? Thank u
Hi Danny. I wish I could say, “yes”, but the answer to that question seems to vary from person to person. If you ever need more help, I have a course where I walk you through step-by-step what to do for treatment and to sustain recovery and get unstuck from your intrusive thoughts. It is designed to help people with Pure O and OCD. Should you be interested, go to www.paigepradko.com/ocd. The on-demand course is being offered beginning 4/4/22. You may join a waitlist on that site to be sent a reminder. 😊
Hmmm would this apply to the bathroom? I have IBS which causes anxiety about leaving the house and doing things because a lot of the time it results in unpleasant bathroom experiences. Now I obsess over using the bathroom a ton of times before actually leaving the house. Would that be considered a form of OCD? Cbt therapy is not helping me at all.
Hi Danielle. Believe it or not, what you are experiencing is very common. (Of course, I cannot diagnose based on a comment on RU-vid, but, I am giving my general opinion based on what you have shared. It is not exactly OCD, but, it is treated in a very similar way. It sounds like you may have a form of agoraphobia (without panic disorder) where you are anxious about whether or not you will have an ibs episode and whether or not you will have access to a restroom. I treat people with this condition often. Exposure therapy ERP is central in the treatment as you build up confidence that you can tolerate the anxiety without avoiding situations and environments. I am working on an online therapy course right now (literally) for treating agoraphobia with and without panic disorder. It will not be out for about 90 days. If you email me at info@paigepradko.com, I will email you more information when the course is available. Here is a playlist for more information on how to do exposures. I address your symptoms and treatment specifically in my course, but not in these videos. But, they will give you ideas on how to begin exposures. ru-vid.com/group/PL1lUhuKpYUYoJdExc0g8zVZuekW2zhGG7
Hi Colin. I am hoping to do a separate video on sensorimotor ocd this year. I get the issue with hyper awareness of breathing myself at times. There are 2 methods of ERP I recommend. One is just allowing the awareness as long as it wants to be there with an attitude of complete acceptance. The second is to go deeper into the fear and tell yourself that this breathing awareness may be there forever and may result in complete insanity. This is a strategy to move into your deepest fear. You could even record a script where you describe yourself forever focused on your breath and going insane...and then immerse yourself listening to that script several times a day. It sounds absolutely horrible, but, it works.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy thank you so much Paige been having this since last August had it about 10 years ago aswell and sort of got over it dont k ow how though. Sleeping is a mjor major issue at the minute trying to get to sleep. If i could manage some sleep i think the anxiety would drop.dramatically sorry for the long reply
That’s exactly when mine acts up too...when I am having problems sleeping. Try your best to just allow what ever comes up and do not try to fight it in any way. Here is a playlist for insomnia if you haven’t seen it. ru-vid.com/group/PL1lUhuKpYUYoq2g2GlxmYyjz2yg1L6gJ9
Hi Kevin. I made a video about benzodiazepines that you can watch here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xyIxRnuRSQc.html. Basically, the reason that ERP / Exposure Therapy is used for OCD, phobias and some anxiety disorders is because new neuropathways are created when the amygdala (fear center of the brain) is activated (the person is anxious when exposed to their fearful thought or situation) and then new safety learning takes place. These new neuropathways override the old fearful network. No new neuropathways are formed over that fearful network if the person is not anxious. The researcher, Catherine Pittman who wrote Rewire my Anxious Brain, and Rewire my OCD Brain has researched and written about how benzodiazepines suppress the nervous system, and prevents the amygdala from being fully activated and therefore this new network is not created. In addition, new safety learning is not consolidated to long term memory as efficiently when a person is on benzodiazepines. There are certain circumstances especially for a person with severe agoraphobia, when they may use a benzodiazepine at first, to allow them to do an exposure and then the medication is withdrawn and the exposures are continued.
Yes, ERP as well as other treatments can be used to treat sexual orientation OCD. My clients’ prefer an incidental ERP treatment called the I. A.M. method that is used the moment you have the thought instead of a planned ERP session. Response prevention is always the most important aspect of any ERP method. Make sure that you are not doing anything to try to reassure yourself or check on your attraction level or ruminate about it. Here is a video where I describe the I. A.M. method. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-c-HKZNh88dQ.html. If you need more help with treatment, I cover SA OCD treatment in my course. You can find out more here: www.paigepradko.com/ocd And here is a pdf that may help you: The Top 10 Things you Need to Know to Practice ERP: Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD, Phobias and Anxiety www.paigepradko.com/erp
Just curious. What if your ocd tells you that you spelled your name wrong on the new therapists information sheet and unless you know 100 percent it’s spelled right you won’t get any better?
Hi Sal. We call OCD the doubting disorder, because it makes you doubt yourself. Even things you know are true. OCD never makes “logical” sense. You just tolerate the anxiety associated with writing your name and thinking it’s wrong. You practice getting better at tolerating that feeling of doubt and do nothing to try to ease your discomfort. If you are trying to do everything “just right” then, you may want to do things “wrong” on purpose for ERP.
I have read several research articles and have had clients prescribed NAC by their psychiatrists. To be honest, I have not seen any break through, impressive results in my clients. But, the research is positive. This is an area that needs more study.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy Thank you. I never had OCD until it showed its head when I was about 35 yrs old. Been taking NAC for a few months as well as Maca root powder. Something is helping because my stress level as gone down and not as fearful of situations.
Mam i am from india. I dont have money for therapist. I just only concentrate on my work inspite of high anxiety. I just allow let them come and i use to start keeping myself busy in high anxiety. Is it okay to do. I dont have handwashing and touching obsession. My whole problem is fear and fear from imagination
Yes, allow the thoughts to be there and float through he anxiety...it sounds like you are already doing ERP. You can experiment with having the thoughts on purpose and tolerating the anxiety instead of distractions or trying to not have the thoughts. Keep up the good work.
it was a great explication! I would like that youtalk about ocd reading or if you could to share information about it. I have problems with reading. I can't remenber the text so I repeat it more times. It is stressing and I have problems with University.
What is your core fear? Is it that you fear that you won’t stop thinking about them? You will have to identify your core fear and then you could write a script about that fear coming true.
The field of psychology is constantly evolving and progressing as we learn more through research. I am continually updating and shifting my techniques as the field of psychology evolves.
Yes, unfortunately, reassurance can become a compulsion. Instead, we want to challenge ourselves to become masters at tolerating uncertainty and anxiety in our lives. But also remember that none of us are perfect and we all try our best and do so with self compassion along the way. 🙏❤️
@@PaigePradkoTherapy Recently I am so much uncomfortable and restless that I cant live my life if I dont find an answer that gives 100 percent certainty….There is some incident I am obsessing about which happened 5 years ago and I am researching consequences of it even after 5 years and not getting an answer which gives 100 percent clarity is what is the frustrating me and I cant focus on anything and cannot talk to anyone unless I find the answer….I am searching this answer on google wasting almost 4-5 hours not doing anything else …..And some fearful thought about it gives me the urge to find that answer as quickly as possible otherwise something bad will happen and I dont deserve to move on with my life … I am trying really hard to follow ERP but not sure if i need medications or if i need a therapist….This is almost paralyzing me for the whole day
I am so sorry that you are suffering with OCD. Rahul, seeing a therapist specializing in OCD and possibly seeing a psychiatrist to discuss taking an SSRI would be what is recommended for this condition. Unfortunately, 100% certainty is impossible. Part of treatment is learning to tolerate uncertainty. Everyone on the planet must tolerate uncertainty. I am offering an online course on Pure O and OCD and it can help you when it becomes available in the coming weeks, but I recommend that you seek treatment with a therapist trained in ERP and OCD. If you are interested in more information about my course please contact me at PaigePradko.com.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy I will definitely check that out …..Thank you for the info …🙏🏻🙏🏻Unfortunately tolerating uncertainty is what is the hardest for me at this point but I have to somehow learn it …..
Yes, recovering is a process. You will learn. Here is a playlist to begin the process of learning. Please have compassion for yourself as you learn more about treatment and healing. ru-vid.com/group/PL1lUhuKpYUYqeYEMpq99fWkjLMxFR4ySU
Hi Joe. That's a great question. I have made some more recent videos where I explain some updates to treatment including the part where I talk about anxiety. New neuroscience research has come out that has shown that we do not need to be as concerned about out level of anxiety. It is more important to do the exposure and the response prevention regardless of the level of anxiety. More videos are coming soon about OCD and how important it is to always practice response prevention. In fact, your goal is to not compulse or avoid or use safety behaviors before, during and after the exposures. I realize this is very difficult, but this is your ultimate goal. If I can help you further, please send me a message at PaigePradko.com and I will try to answer your question. Be sure to subscribe so that you can catch my new videos about practicing ERP. Here is one video that may help you further.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0xpDmuIe53E.html
I'm trying my best but I cant stop my intrusive though it's very shameful and blaming myself I have a newborn baby, I cant stop too Horrible Want to start with tablets..
I am so sorry. It sounds like you are thinking your intrusive thoughts are significant and may be true, and therefore you have to analyze them and try to get reassurance that they are false. This is the OCD trap. Do not fall for it. Label your thoughts as OCD. Then stop. No analyzing or trying to prove them wrong. Label them OCD, float through the anxiety, they have no meaning or significance. They are just thoughts with no meaning.
Yes, you can do ERP on your own. Research has shown that it is helpful to push ourselves to do more challenging exposures. Even if we were to occasionally have a negative reaction to an exposure is actually beneficial to teaching us that we can tolerate high anxiety. It is challenging, but there is really is no danger in doing ERP on your own.
