I'm really impressed that you've read so much of the book. That's so great.
I let my intrusive thoughts go on for a longish time - I was so terrified to tell my DH as I just couldn't imagine saying the words out loud. I thought my kids would be taken away, i thought I would be sectioned, I thought I would kill myself.
Eventually I had a sort of break down, and we both went to the GP who put me on medication, and i got a private referral to a psychiatrist.
The psychiatrist was the turning point. I said in an earlier post, I just clicked with him and he made me feel understood and trusted. When he talked about OCD at first I just didn't relate to it; I'd always been a 'are the straighteners off, check and check again' type person but I didn't associate myself with OCD at all - I imagined it must be hand washing, patterns, routines etc.
He referred me to an anxiety & OCD therapist.. I couldn't believe she was happy to have me in her clinic - didn't she think I was a danger to her? But she was incredible,
I talked about obsessive thoughts I'd had on my life but hadn't recognised, and then how they had spiralled after having a baby, hormones and responsibility.
One of her questions was always "why?'.
Eg. I'd say, "as a passenger in a car on the motorway, I'd be paralysed with anxiety that I'd pull the handbrake on".
And she'd say "why would you do that?'
And I'd say, "I don't know, just what if I did?"
She'd say "and would you?"
And I'd say "no, I guess not!"
That's a flippant example but she'd use the technique with the more hideous stuff too.