Hi all, wanted to share some recent insight I hope can help people. So from my understanding, the emotional brain doesnt understand logic, this is why its often said you cannot think your way out of anxiety, or any emotion necessarily, you need to let them wash over you. It understands behaviours, how you engage and choose to react with the thoughts/feelings. This is probably why some, or most of you when you guys have come out of an obsession, when the old one pops up and you are no longer reacting to it by ruminating etc, you realise how bizarre it was that it upset you before. It is the rumination (analysing, reassurance, rationalising) and other compulsions it then leads you to do other compulsions such as googling etc, which is one of my big go to's. The thougt content does not matter. Choose to not get into it, to take the risk and not answer the questions it poses, your brain will start to go oh, we're not reacting with behaviours or fueling further emotions, we'll start sending those thoughts and emotions less and less, and with less intensity. Just be careful not to try and use this as suppression, you ARE acknowledging the thought but instead going, whatever and getting on with your day, sure, it won't be easy at first. But an attitude adjustment and a refusal to engage in the behaviour that keep you stuck will take you a long way. The part of the brain keeping you stuck understands behaviours, don't engage in those behaviours that keep you stuck (compulsions) and take the risk to just live your life with healthy behaviours, again, you'll start to gain more clarity when you are out of that rumination cycle. Rumination is controllable, when you get your next "what if" do not engage or answer it, or engage in any other compulsions, this is the aim of ERP. freedom from OCD is through more of a non-doing with your thought and emotions, it's the rumination and other behaviours that keeps you stuck.