What is some OCD advice you heard that you thought wouldn't help when you first heard it, but it actually did help?

Honestly when someone told me that you need to treat the thoughts as irrelevant I thought it was impossible. But over time I’ve practiced it and I’m much better for it

Not talking back to the thoughts and refocus on something else. At first this is terribly hard, but it gets easier as time goes by.

Honestly? ERP in general. “I’m supposed to make myself anxious ON PURPOSE? Yeah right, man.”

I spoke to a therapist who recognised my reassurance seeking behaviour, such as searching online for answers to my obsessions. She apologized and said therapy would not help me answer my obsessions but it would help to recognise it as OCD behaviour and find ways to live with it. This was both frustrating and liberating!