I have to gag myself with my toothbrush 8 times every morning before brushing my teeth or I feel like something bad will happen. Any one else do things like this?

Magical thinking

I don't have rituals but I would choose one path instead of the other bc I am convinced that If I don't I won't be with the person I love or something

Oh yeah I used to do that! I don’t do it anymore. I know it sounds obvious but the only way I got through it was to replace it with having to touch the dry tooth brush to my front teeth first four times then wet it and touch it to my front teeth again 4 times than I used erp to get rid of that compulsion. I replaced to semi dangerous compulsion with an annoying but less dangerous compulsion before doing erp. Took time and it was uncomfortable but it worked. If you can stop it all together obviously that’s better but it’s tough.

I used to do this thing

kind of different I suppose but in the past when I had like intrusive thoughts (still do) I used to repeat mantra's in my head.

Daria is right it’s called magical thinking where neuropthways in your brain get crossed by associating an anxiety with an unrelated action (if I blink 5 times my mom won’t trip on her way to work kind of thought) Exposures are much easier to do on these because they’re so distinctive, so don’t allow yourself to do that compulsion and sit with the anxiety until it comes down halfway. I used to have a few magical thinking compulsions and exposures have made them stop almost completely! You’ve got this!!!