If you’ve looked into treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you’ve probably heard of exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy before—and for good reason: it’s widely recognized as the gold-standard. But while ERP’s clinically proven ability to reduce the severity of OCD symptoms is certainly noteworthy, there’s another benefit of this treatment that’s equally worthy of attention.
ERP therapy has the ability to impart life-changing lessons and equip you with lifelong skills for managing OCD. By teaching skills that can help people make choices based on their values, not what OCD wants for them, ERP can reshape people’s perspectives on OCD, their thoughts, and even themselves.
And for many NOCD Members, it’s done just that—as we learned when we asked our community to share the most valuable lesson they’ve learned in ERP therapy. While each person’s ERP experience will be shaped by the OCD symptoms they’re experiencing, these powerful insights from our community offer a glimpse into the transformation that’s possible with evidence-based treatment.
What OCD really is
“Honestly just learning more about what OCD really is! Coming to terms with my diagnosis & finding more compassion for myself.” -Bedandy
“That thoughts themselves can be compulsions, and that I fit the pattern of someone with OCD even though I don’t act these out physically.” -Anonymous
OCD is a liar, a bully, a leech and a thief. And I can handle each one!
Dee C
“This is my OCD and I choose not to engage with it at this time. Also that OCD is a liar, a bully, a leech and a thief. And I can handle each one!” -Dee C
Thoughts are not facts
“Thoughts are not facts!” -Anonymous OCD Conqueror
“Sassing my OCD right back—no, I don’t have to spend my precious time engaging these thoughts. They are not protecting me. I can cope.” -WhimsicalWitch
“Treating my unwanted thoughts like junk mail. It’s like when you scroll through your emails and see a message saying you’ve won a free iPhone. You know it’s not true, so you acknowledge it, mark it as junk, and move on without letting it affect you. Then you look back and find it kind of funny how ridiculous it sounds because of how untrue the “junk mail” (OCD thoughts) are. This approach has been a game changer for me!” -Anonymous
“Being able to catch negative/intrusive thoughts and work through them by checking their cognitive distortions.” -Sunshine22!
We can help you tackle your intrusive thoughts, no matter what they are
You’re strong enough to face fears and anxiety
“To approach my fears—never run from them.” -dirholly
I can handle feeling anxious.
Anonymous OCD Conqueror
“That I can handle feeling anxious. That the anxiety might never go away, but I can still choose for myself and live my life regardless.” -Anonymous OCD Conqueror
“Be scared and do the thing anyway!” -leahhhh
“Leaning into the fearful thoughts and feelings. Don’t try to make them go away; allow them to be there and even hope for those negative thoughts and feelings to arise so I can practice feeling anxious without pushing it away. This is so important for OCD management. It’s probably the hardest thing I have ever done but the most effective by far.” -DunderMifflin
There’s power in accepting uncertainty
“Sit through your uncertainty. It’s part of life and you’ll always need to. ERP is about handling the uncertainty instead of fixing/acting. I think ERP lets us stop acting on our impulses and compulsions so that we can act on our goals instead.” -ShovingMyselfTowardSuccess
“Let the thoughts be there. Resist engaging in them. Accept uncertainty.” -Anonymous66
“ERP helped me rediscover my strength—to tolerate uncertainty, work through my fears, and live a life according to my values.” -MichelleV
“The concept of ‘ride the wave’ and facing my feelings and embracing uncertainty.” -Rocd-friend
Practice pays off
“Do the response prevention and do it often. Never slack on the response prevention.” -Anonymous OCD Conqueror
“Definitely the fact that ERP pays off! It can be so so hard, but when your OCD is bothering you, do ERP, and get ahead of its games! You’ve got this!” -ConqueringisPossible
“Never stop doing exposures.” -Suzeme
You can do hard things and see changes when you stick to it.
ssierra22
“Don’t get discouraged if it feels hard right now. Our brains are used to a certain way of responding, so when we challenge our usual response, it takes time to retrain our brain. What we once saw as a threat, we are now showing our brain actually isn’t. And that takes time. Show plenty of compassion and love to yourself in this time. But also know that you can do hard things and see changes when you stick to it. Like working out a muscle at the gym, it’s hard at first but over time, you see muscle definition.” -ssierra22
What will ERP teach you?
Perhaps you’ll learn to view your intrusive thoughts as “junk mail,” or discover the strength to face your own fears head-on. Maybe you’ll tap into your ability to embrace uncertainty, or realize that you’re capable of feeling anxiety without having it control your life. The lessons you learn through ERP have the potential to reshape your relationship with OCD and open doors to a life guided by your values rather than your fears.
If you’re struggling with OCD and want to take the first step towards conquering it, our therapists can help. Every NOCD Therapist specializes in OCD and receives in-depth training in ERP therapy, giving them a deep understanding of OCD and the most effective ways to take its power away. Book a free 15-minute call with our team to learn more about getting matched with a therapist and starting treatment.