How is everyone doing today?

Good morning, Karlavnor, You are correct about "thoughts are just thoughts." until you allow your OCD to assign a meaning to them, then you begin having doubts and uncertainty that the intrusive thoughts may actually be real., but you're not sure. The following is an article on NOCD's website about differentiating intrusive thoughts vs. thoughts that align with your values. “There’s a major difference between intrusive thoughts and thoughts that align with your actual values or intentions—and if you’re so worried about these thoughts, that’s a good sign that they are, indeed, intrusive.” (Warren, E., KilDuff, A., MA, LPC 2024 Apr.) Let me offer you one thing, that might slow you down in your recovery, because I want to see you get better as soon as you can. Be very careful what you say to yourself in those "little talks." Sometimes when we talk to ourselves, without realizing it, we could be seen as giving self-reassurance to ourselves and as you may know, that is a compulsion. You can come up with a response prevention tip, such as "be comfortable with the uncomfortable" and use that to remind yourself that our goal is to live in the doubt and uncertainty of not kowing, but we are not going to try to eliminate it. You sound like you are headed in the right direction and if you would like more and faster forward progression, please contact our care team by email and give yourself at least two sessions in the beginning. We then will book you out on your therapists' schedule for about eight sessions twice weekly. If you have never had an opportunity to be involved with ERP, it is an evidence-based modality, the gold standard of treatment for OCD. I would at least try two sessions to allow your self time to learn about the OCD Cycle, what keeps it looping and makes it stronger, and what can beat it, and actually how ERP is conducted. https://www.treatmyocd.com/what-is-ocd/info/related-symptoms-conditions/what-if-my-intrusive-thoughts-are-real OCD can be so debillitating and attack the things that you value the most and I would love the opportunity to help you get better so the current level of anxiety you are experiencing will lessen when these intrusive thoughts begin to enter your mind.