Disagreeing with therapist about over-exposure

[hippychick]

People eat food that has been on the floor and leave bathrooms without washing their hands everyday. Millions of times a day and manage not to fall down dead from it. The problem is that you are very fearful of germs to the point that it overwhelms you. What your therapist is trying to do is make you expose yourself to these 'threats' so you will learn that you can do it and survive.

It seems safer to keep the phobia than try such 'risky' things right? That is a normal feeling. We have so much built up in our brains as life threatening that it is hard to simply expose ourselves. It's like if I was scared of getting hit by a car and someone suggested I jump in front of one to cure it. I would see that as life threatening, risky and stupid. This is how emet feels. We equate vomiting with dying and to risk it is the same as jumping in front of a car. This is our incorrect and flawed thinking because it is actually not the same.

Talk to your therapist about everything you have said here. You should not be forced or pressured into an activity, this will do nothing to help overcome your fear. Tell her that although over exposure might be something that is helpful to you in the future, for right now you need to work on being able to even consider it because that is how deep rooted your fears are! You guys are working together on a cure for you.

Although your therapist might have the knowledge and the tools to help you, you have to be ready and willing or nothing will help. Don't feel badly for not being at that stage yet, just discuss it with your threrapist and work on something that you can push yourself on. Never stop pushing the boundaries of your fears but don't be ashamed if you have to start small like only washing your hands 95 times a day instead of 100. Good luck!