I used to see a lot of stuff online that said stuff along the lines of ‘you are not your thoughts, you have to differentiate OCD/intrusive thoughts from your values/beliefs/gut instincts’ (and this was reassurance to me sort of saying I wasn’t questioning my sexuality it was just OCD putting more value on random stuff) but I’ve also seen a lot that says it’s a compulsion/self reassurance to say to yourself ‘it’s only OCD’ when you get an intrusive thought. So I’m confused as to whether I should just be accepting uncertainty and shrugging at my intrusive thoughts and not saying ‘oh it’s ocd’ , but then that also makes me think well if I’m not sure whether it’s ocd then maybe my thoughts do have meaning? Does that make any sense? Would appreciate some help as to what mindset will help me heal the most going forward.

I think the key for me has been recognizing the OCD thoughts and then allowing myself to shift my mind to something else. This hasn't become a compulsion by any means as I've had to struggle to get past these moments and still do, so it's not an immediate fix so to speak, but that mindset has helped me a lot.

You aren’t going to “outthink” OCD. Even if you come up with an answer or resolution, your OCD will probably find a way to falsify it, sending you back down the road of rumination, analysis, reviewing memories, etc. (Ask yourself has this been your experience?). Uncertainty is the core tenet of OCD treatment. Embracing it is a big part of your path to recovery. It takes a big mindset shift but it is very possible. A OCD specialist can help you pull that thread.

Does it ultimately matter whether it is OCD or not? “Maybe it is my OCD, maybe it isn’t. I can’t be certain, and I may never get the certainty that I want. Maybe I am gay, maybe I’m not. Either way I have a life to live and I’m going to get on with it whether I am or not.” Can you embrace this mindset of uncertainty?