Dr Celin Gelgec Facebook ad: “Here’s an example of an extinction burst in…”

About this ad

Meta Ad Library ID

1394305405404796

Platforms

Facebook, Instagram, Audience Network, Messenger and Threads

Relaunches

0

How we count

Ad text

Here’s an example of an extinction burst in action. Let’s say you have OCD with health related themes. This part of ERP (exposure therapy) can feel terrifying. To help resist compulsions…… You stop googling symptoms. You resist checking your body. You don’t ask for reassurance. And suddenly your anxiety explodes! You experience new sensations. scarier thoughts, and a crushing sense of dread and urgency. You think: “What the hell have I done? I’ve made a mistake”. But here’s the thing… you haven’t. This phenomena is called an extinction burst. When OCD stops getting fed by checking, scanning, seeking reassurance, Googling, or spending hours on forums and chat GPT,, the brain panics. It turns the volume up in one last attempt to get you to go back to the old safety behaviours. OCD thinks: “If I make this feel serious enough, maybe they’ll check again.” Feeling worse in this moment doesn’t mean ERP isn’t working. It often means it is working and you’ll be on your way to freedom if you hold the line and stay consistent. What keeps recovery moving is… • Not checking your body “just once” • Not Googling “to be sure” • Not asking for reassurance when the fear spikes • Letting uncertainty sit there — loudly, uncomfortably • Repeating the same response even when your brain screams Giving in during an extinction burst teaches OCD that escalation works. Holding the line teaches your brain that checking doesn’t work. The last ditch spike in discomfort isn’t danger. It’s your nervous system learning a new rule. And that learning phase is uncomfortable, but it’s also temporary. So next time you’re in a spike of anxiety, ask yourself, could this be an extinction burst and do I need to just keep holding the line?

Where the ad sends people

https://www.drcelingelgec.com.au/

Dr Celin Gelgec