How to you overcome your thoughts?

What has worked prior to therapy (starting soon) treat your inner monologue/ voice like you would a toxic friend. A toxic friend loves to see your downfall right? Give it a name. Like anything because it's your brain right so YOU pick who they are. Just like a toxic friend when it suggests something say no and immediately distract yourself with something else. Why? For one thing just like a toxic friend can peer pressure you into doing something you know is wrong and can have a drastic outcome your ocd does the same. It is a villian. It's not looking out for you. It is looking for desperation and feeds off of it. Just like a bad friend you put them in their place they'll try a little and come back here and there but once they know the ball is in your court they back down. Ocd typically works the same. I've literally lol and mocked my ocd as if it was standing there next to me. So wait let me get this straight you're going to "hurt my children or me" if I go have a cigarette or have this delicious chocolate cake? Haha okay it's logic is a joke. Once you relate to ocd being a joke because it twists your wants and needs into taboo feelings. You can start gaining the strength. Trick it into giving you a scenario you know won't happen! Once said scenario is completed. You won. You defeated the voice. It's weak. Continue to do it. Mine threatened everyone I loved and finally it gave me no option but to rebel it's insanity. Guess what? Loved ones and I are safe and sound. My toxic friend comes back everyday with their shenanigans and I'd be lying if I told you there weren't moments where I double take. However in order to beat it you have to live through the trigger. You have to show it that it's threats are not real. Your brain can't force things to manifest and butterfly effect the world around you but it tries to convince you it can. It wants to take the life you're trying to live and destroy it. Why because it's toxic. Remember you're not alone because you have friends. Whether in person or on this app but you have real friends here going through it one day at a time. So live. Live! The hardest part for me was getting through the 10 sec of ignoring the compulsion. Distract your brain for a minute and you destroy it. It will try to fight back laugh at it. It helps convince your brain that your "friend" is not in control and the the impulses and thoughts drop significantly. Therapy helps because just like any phobia it forces you to confront it. Like being afraid of spiders. You still may not like them but saving one from being squished shows you are in control. You may still hate the way they look just like ocd will still pop up but it's all mental. Just like a phobia. You can do this! I speak from what helped me. A therapist is your best option. Above is what helped me. Best of luck ❤️