Danielle Jhiani explains how to maintain OCD recovery for life: stop compulsions completely, treat exposure and response prevention as a permanent habit, watch for life changes that might trigger old patterns, and get help when you're stuck. ERP works when done right and can free you from OCD.
So how do you get there? Where people make a mistake is that they don't work with somebody that can help them identify every single one of the things that they're doing that's compulsive. We have to stop doing them completely. The next way is you look at ERP and the other recovery skills as a way of life. You make them lifetime habits. Mental health, just like physical health, requires regular practice and good, healthy habits that you do for the rest of your life. Number three, you are aware of when life becomes uncertain or imperfect. If you can be aware and catch those things early and apply these new skills, you're not going to spiral back down. And lastly, you're willing to get help when you feel stuck. Just remember, ERP always works. When it's done properly, you too can live a life free of ocd. We'll talk to you very soon.
