all for a stuffed animal

It's working. I'm doing intentional ERP as opposed to incidental ERP for the first time in a while. All for a little stuffed giraffe. "Bribery gets you everywhere," as someone used to say. "Almost," as my OCD would be careful to add.

I've even put masking tape over the spot on my alarm clock where a light shows that my alarm is set! I've read about doing that sort of thing to stop the kind of checking you do by glancing at something, but this might be the first time I've done it myself. And I'm not repeatedly rechecking my cell phone alarm, either. I've succeeded in one evening so far. The anxiety did bug me for a bit, but I really want that giraffe. :)

Being a penny pincher, or perhaps just an OCDer with scrupulosity issues regarding wasting my money, I've planned to do seven things to earn this seven dollar toy. Not recheck my alarms, stop "protecting" my laptop from starting a fire (I'm in a hurry for this giraffe and to get the ERP over, so I was sure to set it in a "bad" place this morning), get my dishes all cleaned up, at least twice, clean my bathroom, submit my applications for patient assistance for two of my medications (yes, my anxiety is definitely getting in my way), read my devotions only once (I've been rereading more and more), and one more thing, which might be taking my dead batteries to the dump or might be getting the giraffe with only six things done, there bye breaking my "rule" and potentially "wasting" my money, or maybe something else.

But the giraffe is working wonders, at least for this first 24 hours. Once, I started trying to figure out if I would be to blame if the apartment caught fire because of my exposure. But instead of figuring it out, I felt more like, "Who cares? I want that giraffe." I guess I'd call it forgetting the purple elephant because you are focused on a stuffed giraffe.

Comments

  1. Tina Fariss BarbourAugust 14, 2012 at 6:14 PM

    Hey, if it works! Good for you for doing the ERPs. I've never heard of putting masking tape over the alarm light, but that is a good idea. Show us a picture of the stuffed giraffe once you get it--I like giraffes, too :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AbigailAugust 16, 2012 at 5:06 PM

      Thanks. I'll remember to take a picture for you :)

      Delete
  2. ElizaAugust 15, 2012 at 6:58 AM

    You mean it is possible to NOT check the alarm clock repeatedly???? I struggle with that a lot!!!

    I'm glad the bribery is working!

    I'm going to try a piece of tape over the alarm light.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AbigailAugust 16, 2012 at 5:07 PM

      Good luck!
      When I first started ERP, setting fewer alarms was something we worked on. But with meds, I now set multiple alarms, and with not working on it, my checking of the alarms sneaks back in. :)

      Delete
  3. UnknownAugust 15, 2012 at 9:26 AM

    I wish I could put masking tape over everything in my house..I should just take all the pictures off the wall (I check to make sure they are hanging straight) because I am not enjoying them anyway.
    I never thought of a reward for doing ERP...that sounds right up my alley. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AbigailAugust 16, 2012 at 5:09 PM

      Thanks! It's going well so far. What if you tried hanging a picture crooked on purpose? Maybe then the OCD would shut up eventually on that issue? I don't have that particular OCD obsession, so I don't know how hard that would be... And yes, rewards are something I sure like. :)

      Delete
  4. 71ยบ & SunnyAugust 15, 2012 at 6:42 PM

    Hey really, really great work!!! I'm super proud of you. I hope you enjoy that giraffe!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnnAugust 15, 2012 at 6:44 PM

    That's great!

    ReplyDelete

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