Four Steps vs Exposure Therapy

[Guest marky1982]

Hi

I was wondering does anyone switch between these two methods when treating your OCD? I've been doing exposure therapy but I find it really exhausting mentally, so today I did the Brian Lock thing of refocusing on to something when my OCD started up. Is it okay to do this or is it better to stick to one type of therapy?

cheers

Mark

[Guest Francis]

I've tried a cut down version of the 'four steps' system lately, with good effect. Using a simple script:

Relabel - this is an intrusive thought; it needs no action or response

Re-attribute - my anxiety about it and its frequency are both connected to my OCD

Re-focus - I'm not going to ruminate. I am going to do/think something else

My therapist seems happy for me to 'play' with any techniques. He only has zero tolerance on a couple of thing: engaging with the thoughts and avoidance

I think Pentzel said in one of his essays that being 'creative' is a good start to handling OCD. I would say - 'experiment' - as OCD sufferers we all run the risk of creating other worries if we try to be too rigid - eg 'Oh god, am I doing this therapy properly, what if I'm not etc etc etc'

Good luck

[Rheon]

I've been doing the Four Steps since April, and by now I have reduced them to simply shrugging and saying "that's my OCD. I'll go and do something else now." And if it's bad I'll revert to concentrating on the Four Steps separately.

From what I've read, I think you can use the 4 steps with exposure therapy, to make the ERP less painful.

[notgivingup]

Ive started doing the four steps im reading the book at the moment and hope the more i go through it the more i will understand how to put them in practice.

I would have thought doing the exposure technique is ok as well long as you don't take to much on. I know if i try and battle everything at once it's just to overwhelming and i end up avoiding doing it.

You sound as if you have done really well with the four steps

Good luck with the exposure therapy aswell

NGU

[Guest everclear81]

I've never heard of the 4 step strategy.. could someone link it to me? I've had CBT before but I don't think this was mentioned :|

[catherine]

Try taking a look at this info on our main board......hope it helps

http://www.ocduk.org/2/foursteps.htm

[Guest lauralee]

Hi. Personally I think the four steps in conjunction with exposure therapy works best. i.e. you put yourself in a situation that you fear and then work through the four steps to help with the anxiety.

Its really hard though!!!

Lauralee

[Caramoole]

I'd agree with Lauralee, I think it's both possible and effective to work on both things together. Do the exposure whilst using the 4 Steps method to deal with the resultant anxiety that it creates.

Good Luck with it

Caramoole

[Guest aqua]

I do both; depends on the situation. I think you need to be very courageous to do exposure, but the result is rewarding.

[Guest Muse_Man]

Overtime I have found both techniques very useful. I find using the combination of the both can be very effective, as long as its approach is planned and broken down in small manageable exercises. Four steps is a very gradual treatment, I found very good for dealing with intrusive thoughts and ruminations. I found exposure therapy very demandind at first, the anxiety is very debilatating, it was easier postponing my resultant rituals for a small amount of time and gradually building up the time I resisted the ritual.

I find mindfullness is also a great techinque, observing whats going on with the OCD thoughts and making a written rercord of whats going on. Its a long process, but once on the road of CBT its possible to make good headway. It helps to accept there will lots of knockbacks and relapses. Focusing on OCD as something that overexagerates my fears and fixes on the worst case scenairos helped bring my thoughts and worries into perspective over time.

Stuart :original: