Help motivate me to do my ERP therapy.

[goestoeleven]

I've managed to find different excuses for myself and for my psychiatrist as to why I've put off my ERP therapy for the past 3 weeks. It wasn't really working at first, and then when we finally found something I felt would be beneficial, I put it off out of laziness and dread. And recently, I told myself to hold off because I was having some trouble with my girlfriend and that was causing a lot of anxiety. That's since been sorted out, and I'm sitting here staring at the tape recorder which I'm supposed to be using to dictate and listen back to my anxieties and just not doing it. I can't really bear the thought of subjecting myself to the anxiety that has been plaguing me for months. I've just patched up my relationship, and the last thing I want to do is immerse myself in all those negative thoughts about her, especially since medication has been so effective in reducing the anxiety. I know that in the long run, the medication won't cure anything, and the therapy will help finish off the OCD, but I just can't seem to get myself to commit to the therapy.

Any tips, help, or just inspiration?

[ocdengineer]

I can't get you to your therapist, but I can tell you that the best results for OCD are with a combo of meds and therapy, so medication should not be off the table. 

ERP will definitely help you over time as will other things such as CBT, meditation, or simply better health and sleep.  Sometimes it is hard to keep up the routine, but trust me, if you have a really bad bout of anxiety and OCD at some point then you will have no choice.  It would probably be easier and better for you in the long run to work on yourself before your body and mind force you to.  I learned that lesson first hand at one point, so now when I feel anxious or have intrusive thoughts, I immediately take action and it forces me back to my meditation and relaxation techniques.

I hope this helps,
OE