Hi everyone. I hope you are all well. As for me, I've been 8 days clean without my addiction and while it's really hard to ignore the urges and stopping myself mid way in engaging with them completely, I've been trying my best. I've been doing great lately and I hope everyone else has been getting better. I've been in a very good mood. I just wanted to take some time to share some advice that has helped me when it comes to OCD. I hope this can be of use for anyone that stumbled upon this post. :) 1. Calming down and letting the anxiety pass: It's usually not a good idea to judge yourself under the feelings of anxiety when it comes to thoughts. Anxiety can be a response in the body that leaves the brain unable to think critically. On one hand you may feel very horrible in the moment but as it passes, you may feel better, and you may even be able to sit with the thoughts. In the same way you are not your thoughts, feelings do not mean facts. 2. Accepting the possibilities of the thoughts or whatever the thoughts throw at you: Always remember: Accepting is NOT agreeing with them. Big difference. If you agreed with the thoughts you wouldn't be so anxious over them. Think of it this way: if you are confident in being a straight person, would your OCD try to convince you that you are? No. Instead, it will try to convince you that you are the opposite. Your worry inducing response to the OCD can bring some positivity believe it or not. The fact that you feel so much shame/guilt/worry about the thought or past event alone shows you that you are met with OCD, a mental disorder. And that you've grown from your past self. HOWEVER, this should not be used as a compulsion in of itself. 3. Self compassion: Don't beat yourself up when it comes to OCD, no matter what theme. You're trying your best to get better and you have a community that is always here to help you one way or another. Your thoughts can get to bad places. It happens to everyone! You aren't alone. OCD's job is to convince you of the things you don't want to be true and it will try to distort everything it can think of. 4. Mindfulness. Staying in the moment always helps. Whenever your mind shifts to the past or the future, it helps to catch yourself doing it, and following these steps to bring yourself back. 5. DO NOT CHECK: Seriously, checking does nothing but make things worse. People check themselves with the use of very self destructive tendencies and after doing so, even if they feel they proved they aren't what they fear, they will then feel immense guilt for the simple fact that they gave into the compulsion alone. This can also be said about addictions. You are better off not engaging with them at all, even if your thoughts or urges tell you that it will take all the pain away. 6. It's never too late: I've learned that from what I've seen when it comes to people with OCD, whether it'd be something of the past, a thought that trembles them, a traumatic event that has happened, or low self-esteem, we can all get the help we very much deserve. I'm more than glad to have this community and to be with so many people that understand a struggle that is not exactly understood by society as a whole. Keep fighting, ladies and gentlemen. It won't last forever. :)