stopping therapy

[peter117]

Hello

I have been having CBT with ERP for intrusive thought OCD for a total of 11 weeks now and saw my therapist on Friday.

She says I have been doing very well with the ERP and says that our next appointment on 21st April (due to bank holiday) will be our last.

After the meeting I felt anxious and today I have felt very depressed at times, with high levels of general anxiety over OCD thoughts which I had under control. I am not doing the checking compulsions but find myself ruminating again.

I was wondering if other people had experienced increased levels of anxiety when stopping therapy?

 

 

[paco5959]

I think it's very normal to feel any sort of anxiety/fear with any pending change. Especially stopping something that has been so helpful in easing the OCD. And naturally with the rise of anxiety, there comes the OCD thoughts. Can you continue on with the therapy? If not, remember the tools you've learned and congrats for coming so far! Remember if in the future you ever need it again, it's there for for you. 

[peter117]

Thanks for the support. I think I didn't realise the benefit of just being able to talk to someone who understands OCD as well as the CBT and ERP

[paco5959]

Yes it is such a relief to be able to talk to someone without having to explain exactly what OCD is and the different forms it can take. If it works, keep going! If it has to end for now, that's fine too. It can always be revisited in the future. 

Edited April 6, 2017 by paco5959