ERP making me really anxious

[paradoxer]

8 hours ago, Handy said:

Actually I brought up humor 2 or  so years ago in this forum & I’m requoting the responses I got. Touché 

If those responses were overwrought, misplaced or fatuous, why repeat them? Absurd. 

[gingerbreadgirl]

I think there's a huge difference between choosing to see the funny side of certain aspects of your own ocd and laughing at ocd in general. 

I've known people show gallows humour when suffering from cancer and dementia. It doesn't mean they find those things funny just that they are using a coping mechanism. My parents joke about death often not because they find the idea of dying funny (!) but because it cuts things down to size and makes them more palatable. 

[malina]

Most therapists that I've seen in the past try to use some humour during the sessions. I have never felt like they were trying to laugh at me but were just trying to lighten up the situation and make things more comfortable. Seeing the funny, less serious side of things really helps me and, I think, a lot of people. Not everyone is the same, that is totally fine.

[malina]

On a completely different note, my anxiety has gone up again, it's worse than it has been in months. I'm honestly not sure what to do sometimes, I am trying not do do any compulsions, although I know rumination has shown its face again. It's just that sometimes it feels like my body is completely taking over, it's a physical reaction and now I am just exhausted, I even lost a little weight overnight. I am trying hard to just see this as another learning opportunity to sit with the anxiety and I am having some success with this because I feel better now than I did last night and am probably handling this better than I was a few months ago. It just makes me feel so powerless sometimes.

[leif]

6 hours ago, malina said:

Most therapists that I've seen in the past try to use some humour during the sessions. I have never felt like they were trying to laugh at me but were just trying to lighten up the situation and make things more comfortable. Seeing the funny, less serious side of things really helps me and, I think, a lot of people. Not everyone is the same, that is totally fine.

I agree. I have a lot of people in my life that laugh with me over my ocd. It lightens the mood and helps me. Humour can definitely be tricky though...wouldn't want people to feel like they were being mocked or ridiculed.

5 hours ago, malina said:

On a completely different note, my anxiety has gone up again, it's worse than it has been in months. I'm honestly not sure what to do sometimes, I am trying not do do any compulsions, although I know rumination has shown its face again. It's just that sometimes it feels like my body is completely taking over, it's a physical reaction and now I am just exhausted, I even lost a little weight overnight. I am trying hard to just see this as another learning opportunity to sit with the anxiety and I am having some success with this because I feel better now than I did last night and am probably handling this better than I was a few months ago. It just makes me feel so powerless sometimes.

Sorry to hear you are continuing to have a hard time with this. But it sounds like you are definitely making some good progress and it's to be expected that it will take some time. Anxiety is really difficult because we can know theories about how to cope with it but it really is felt so powerfully that it's hard to not do what we can to try and just stop it however we can. I know what you mean about how exhausting it is. I really feel that a lot. So we need to remind ourselves that these short term attempts to escape the anxiety, just lead to reinforcing it in the longer term.

Easier said than done though i know--I'm struggling to continue with my plan around public washrooms. I go to use one and my anxiety starts to climb immediately now and i keep opting for the easier way out...(which is the flight option haha)...i know in theory that each time I'm fleeing I'm making it worse but it's hard to put into practice.

This path we are on is a marathon. You are doing great in continuing to face up to what you need to. I applaud you. And it is great that you recognize that you are handling this better than a few months ago--so that's great progress!

Try to do very nice things for yourself when not doing the exposures. Treat yourself especially well--take nice relaxing baths, go on nice walks, go out for a special coffee...

Wishing you well malina