My boyfriend thinks he might be gay. Could it be a symptom of OCD?

How do I get my partner to overcome his embarrassment, speak to a doctor, and confront the possibility that his feelings might be real?
  
  

We are in this together Photograph: Troels Graugaard/Getty Images

I’ve been with my boyfriend for nearly a year, and a few months ago he told me he has intense and (to him) shocking feelings that he may be gay. I’d read about types of OCD that can zone in on thoughts about sexuality, and thought it sounded like that. He’d been to a GP a few years before and been given the same diagnosis, but he refused CBT and didn’t take the medication offered. It seems to me that he thinks that the truth is that he is gay, but is supressing that truth and feels anxious and stressed. I’ve tried to encourage him to speak to his doctor again but he feels embarrassed. The main trigger seems to be that, if he’s walking down a street, men stand out to him more. My feeling is that counselling would be helpful. Does this seem like the best option and how can I convince him it’s a good idea? I’m also worried that OCD can be slightly misunderstood.

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