Guys and gals, i here just few days but i want to say that im very happy to see how well we are coping with our demons. The community here is great! Ill share with you my story in short: I suffered from OCD most of my life. It didn't developed until 12 when i first experience really frightening thoughts that were devastating for 3 years. My period of in middle school was hellish, like every time the devil himself giving me a stab in my soul, hourly. I was so struggled with bad thoughts, false memories and poor self esteem. It was too much for a young guy, that was what i thought. I knew its ocd, but i tried not to put labels on it, but i felt so damaged. Slowly, i start to try to develop some techniques that were very helping me, because i could find my self going back and forth in the house at 3am, try to figure out those thoughts! I feel that I'm not them, but they're really strong! But in 2011 i start go get better, and better, and better - until i got 7 YEARS BREAK of those layers and and had such a peaceful mind. 7 years clean from intrusive thoughts. People didn't knew from where i came from, with all of the things i got my the last episode - its like working out hard everyday and after the thoughts are not longer there, you get a mirror and you can see how freaking strong youre. Now, this is just 1 part of my personal story and here im going to give you my advices: 1. Try not to 'treat' it as an illness, try to figure out what's going on in your mind. For most of the people ERP is amazing, and it is! But you can also try to think about "from what i am scared?", "what's going on deeper?" Those are very questionable things, but for every obsession there is core of realization. Were very, very smart creatures. Ocd use fake fear to affect our lives! Would we let it be? No! Were strong! Were warriors! Were smart and were worthy to be calm and peaceful! So therefore, it can take part of ERP - some obsession can be cured from this sight only, from my own experience. Its very hard, demand alot of focus, but its worth it. 2. The moment of the realization kick in immediately after we see that there is no real thing to worry from. It make us to "forgot", to be stressed, to feel scared but when youre after a decent therapy time - you feel that the thoughts was just a layer that is no longer exist, just because its not real! 3. If there is a doubt, there is no doubt - its ocd. When you got this idea, you treat 50% and start to cure yourself. 4. DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOURSELF! As 12yo i discovered that i love to write. I became really talented and really professional with it and today i writing songs, poems, scripts, stories and I'm a proud wrestling booker (: do something that you can be focused on because this is the strength that you have to not letting ocd rule you. Art is really suggested because with it you can express yourself. 5. Try to minimize everything toxic in your life - bad job, bad people, bad programs, bad reactions. Try just to minimize it. 6 ..... its the bigger one - DO NOT AVOID YOUR FEARS! i remember myself get the realization at 14 that i can't avoid things in the name of ocd or in any name because this is the way the bed demon get heavier. Once you learn it - youre free from ocd. 7. Dont forget practice until its became something that can be separated from you. Dont worry, its just another tool of wisdom we hold. Thank you!