One of the main mistakes that people make when trying to overcome OCD is to make their exposure session easier on themselves by doing them with a certain degree of ritual, or transfer of responsibility, or reassurance. Ultimately, this has the effect of diluting the exposure and reducing (or stopping) it's therapeutical effect. Here are some common pitfalls - all safety-seeking behaviors - to look out for:
-- Only carrying out an exposure exercise after discussing it's potential for harm with someone
Carrying else.
-- Only carrying out an exposure exercise after discussing it's potential for harm with someone
Carrying else.
-- Only carrying out an exposure exercise after carefully calculating the risk involved.
-- Running over the exposure session in your mind to check for any possible ways in which you may have caused harm.
-- Always talking over the exposure task with someone after you have done it.
-- Doing a ritual after exposure.( Remember always to transfer 'contamination' to your body or possession to make this more difficult.)
-- Carrying out neutralizing or a 'covert'(in your head) ritual in place of an 'overt' (behavioral) ritual during or after the exposure.
-- Doing exposure, then using avoidance to try to 'contain' the exposure (e.g. touching the floor but then avoiding touching other surfaces).