Re: Question about ERP/CBT not working....

[Guest guest]

Hi Debbie, with the recent switch in meds, you may have to wait for

the Lexapro to get up to a good dose, get in her system well, etc.

But generally, anxiety and OCD will increase as they do CBT/ERP.

I don't know what all the workbook has, do you think she's doing too

much at a time? Like maybe doing half the pages would be better?

Sort of like where you pick 1 to 3 OCD things to work on that are low

on their anxiety hierarchy.

You say when she hasn't worked on OCD that days can be

almost " normal. " Does that mean she isn't having problems with OCD

interfering or she just gets thru things much faster...? Asking as

one thing worked on was just getting thru some of his

rituals/compulsions faster.

I know she hates to talk about OCD. But you might find time to ask

her what she feels is working best for her. I had to back off

at one point and let him take things on at his own pace, in

his way. It did end up working better that way for him by then. I

also complained he didn't seem to be " trying " against his OCD but he

was, it was just more internal than external. I complained, OFTEN,

he just seemed to let OCD take him wherever it wanted, etc. But it

was always an internal fight. So - try talking to her about what she

feels will help.

Hope things have settled a bit since you wrote. The excitement of

holidays, school out, Christmas, etc., can raise OCD a bit sometimes

too.

>

> > Has anyone here ever had the experience of ERP making things

> WORSE??. Because of our busy schedule, we don't always get to the

> ERP stuff each and every night; it's about every other or every 2

> nights or so. And we do her workbook, only 5 or 10 pages at a time

> though.

> > But every time, without fail, when she does it, the next day

she's

> worse! Much more anxious, upset, looking at shoes everywhere, you

> name it! It's hard to get into her therapist, but even when she

went

> once a week without fail, it just makes it worse. I've talked to