Recovery Will Take Whatever Time It Takes!

[taurean]

Don't we often see on the boards sufferers - who tend to find us when they are in quite a bad way (as I did myself) - looking for a quick fix, and wanting to set a short time limit on their recovery?

But some then go on to not taking our advice, not making the necessary thinking and behavioural changes, and thinking CBT therapy is not for them. 

Well, CBT therapy is for everyone. It is the recognised gold standard treatment for OCD.  But it will only work if sufferers are prepared to believe what it teaches them, and committed to taking on short term pain for long term gain in the homework and exposures they will be required to do.

As my therapist said to me - when I told her I wanted to get better within two months - recovery will take whatever time it takes. And this will vary according to individual circumstances, individual work and commitment.

And what is paramount for sufferers to understand is this. Carrying on giving belief to OCD, connecting with intrusions and carrying on undertaking compulsions, will only dig deeper into the rabbithole that is this disorder.  

Edited February 9, 2019 by taurean

[Guest OCDhavenobrain]

As long as it gets better it's a great success!

[malina]

This is a good reminder, thank you Roy! I think you also have to prepare yourself for the ups and downs of recovery. It will feel better for a little while and then flare up again and then get better again and so on. It's really hard not to be disappointed and worried when it does flare up or feel worse. I guess it's important to remind yourself that this is only temporary and that you've just hit a barrier or some rough terrain in your path, but that you're still making progress on your overall journey.