OCD has been a massive part of my entire life and only recently did I know what it was, then I was able to with some difficulty, really accept it as an illness and is part of who I am it’s part of what make me who I am and is not to be despised or loathed even tho it can cause severe distress. As soon as I hate it and myself then I am not accepting who I am, OCD does not make me a bad person it makes me a sick person with a mental illness that is 100% recoverable but not curable - I have been doing therapy for 14 weeks and it has literally changed my life. Yes there are down days but it does not cripple me the way it did and acceptance is a huge part of that. ERP helps me to identify, sit with and stay free from judgement of myself whenever intrusive thoughts or urges come, they do not define me as a person. My name is Lee I have OCD and I love who I am.