If thoughts are just thoughts and feelings are just feelings, why do we do anything? Or how can I tell what I really want?

@Mariam200 The constant ruminating or analyzing is the compulsion itself. Now, reflection about something can be useful. Perhaps we’ll learn something that can help us grow or improve. But if we keep revisiting the same event, and then constantly scrutinizing or questioning ourselves then that becomes a fruitless exercise. No thoughts, in and of themselves, are wrong. They’re just there.

@Mariam200 The breaking down and trying to find a conclusion to something that doesn’t quite have an answer is what gets us stuck.

@NOCD Advocate - Carl Cornett Yeah I guess that's how it feels for me too. Like I have a lot of intrusive thoughts thay I want to become bad and I can't tell if they are real but if I don't figure it out they might become true

@Mariam200 No, I wouldn’t say it always does. Besides, figuring out your intentions retroactively seems like it’s besides the point. It doesn’t change the event that happened itself. You’re not able to do anything about it, so how useful is revisiting it repeatedly?

@NOCD Advocate - Carl Cornett I mainly review my feelings and desires. I am afraid i want to be a bad prrson and leave my religiob which I love. I am afraid I want a start doing things against my religion and break free and my counselor said it sounded like I did. I am so afraid. Is this my OCD do you think?

@Anonymous It’s impossible for me to know whether or not what particular thought might be a symptom of OCD or not. Even if it is or isn’t, the same principle of mindfully observing the thought without being pulled along by it would be a good course of action either way.

@NOCD Advocate - Carl Cornett Okay. But what if it is true? How can I tell?

@Anonymous If thinking about it a lot gave you a solution, wouldn’t you have figured that out already?

@NOCD Advocate - Carl Cornett Good pojnt