For today’s episode, I answer a question from C. She wants to know what she can do about her dissociation and memory loss when she becomes triggered and/ or overwhelmed with anxiety. What’s worse, she feels this way when she tries to do ERP and wonders whether or not the dissociation will make her efforts toward exposure fruitless. I offer her some ideas on how she can work with her dissociation.

I am also joined by Erika McCoy, an IOCDF advocate, who shares about her passion for Creative Corner. This is an event being held at the upcoming summer IOCDF conference offering space, materials, and encouragement for creative and artistic expression about OCD and the experience of living with, and fighting against, OCD. It was a really fun conversation and a great opportunity for anyone attending the conference!

The post #226- Dealing With Dissociation, and Creative Corner with Erika McCoy appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Jenn wrote to me asking about how she can deal with the feelings of shame and embarrassment after her family has heard the details, and been the recipients of, her compulsive confession, reassurance seeking, and other compulsive behavior. She’s struggling with the shame that happens after years of compulsive vulnerability and wants to know how to put her relationship back together after they’ve seen and heard what they’ve seen and heard.

To address this I revisit shame and OCD, and how people can give themselves compassion, love, and support to let their relationships rebuild. Allowing herself, and her family, to have new interactions and opportunities filled with love and validation will help to off-set the stretch of shame and unworthiness.

The post #225- Shame and Rebuilding Relationships After The Worst Of OCD appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Kallie sent me a question that I’m sure every single person who has listened to this podcast has asked– “Why does OCD feel so real?!” She also asks why her specific subtype keeps showing up despite other subtypes coming and going, so there’s a little something for everyone. This is a tricky question to answer, but I discuss some of the tricks OCD plays on the brain, and how the brain is uniquely susceptible to these tricks, to help us understand this very annoying (or debilitating) phenomenon.

The post #224- Why Does OCD Feel So Real? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s episode includes two questions and two answers, both having to do with memories. For the first question, the listener wants to know what can be done about false memories. So, we have to discuss False Memory OCD and Real Event OCD! The next question is from a listener who struggles with the fear of forgetting what just happened. Their obsession branches out to a lot, and also finds some of its roots in Need To Know OCD! So, lots of memory talk on today’s episode of the FearCast!

The post #223- Fear Of False Memories, and Fear Of Losing Memories appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Max emailed me and asked a question that has never been asked on the FearCast before. He shares that he struggles with Intrusive Musical Imagery, or intrusive mental snippets of songs, and he wants to know how to deal with them. This is a great question that, even Max acknowledges, does not have a lot of information out there. But, I did some research to find some good and helpful information that could be helpful for those of you interested in, or struggling with, Intrusive Musical Imagery.

The post #222- Intrusive Musical Imagery: What Is It, and How Do I Stop It? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s question comes from Rick and Emilie. Rick struggles with feeling terrible over the fact that he even has POCD related thoughts and worries they reflect something terrible about himself. Furthermore, he feels worse now that he doesn’t feel as bad as he did before! What could that mean?! Emilie is similarly struggling with guilt, but the kind rooted in Real Event OCD and False Memory OCD. Did she cheat on her boyfriend? Everyone says ‘no,’ but her OCD says ‘yes.’ Who to believe?!

For more on Pedophile OCD (POCD), check out this article from The California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center

For more on Real Event OCD, check out this article from The California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center.

The post #221- What Kind Of A Person Has POCD Thoughts, and What If I Cheated? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s main question comes from a listener who seems to be stuck in a memory from two life events and she cant seem to get herself out of, away from, or past them. She’s tried ERP, but nothing seems to work. But, what if ERP in this instance wasn’t the solution? A OCD Therapist not immediately suggesting ERP?! Outrageous! And yet, what if ERP wasn’t the fix, but instead living and learning would get her past them better?

The post #220- Stuck In A Real Event Obsession: ERP, Or Live And Learn? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s question is a fun one (for me). PotatoChipFiend emailed me asking me how they should deal with recurring thoughts about their childhood crushes and whether or not it is a form of POCD? In this episode I offer some guidance for exposures, ways to rethink the meaning of the story for him, how he can separate the fear into different parts that may be easier to accept, and ways he can apply CBT and ICBT tools.

For more on Pedophile OCD, or POCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center

The post #219- I’m Attracted To The Memory Of My Elementary School Crush… Is This POCD? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For this week’s question, Sisi emailed me asking about the best exposures for Sensorimotor OCD. So, while of course I offer some suggestions and ideas, I also use this as an opportunity to discuss Attention Training as a way to help build your skill to allowing distraction while intentionally, and non-compulsively, directing your attention. Trigger warning, I read some poetry in the episode. Consider yourself warned.

For more on Sensorimotor and Hyperawareness OCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center

The post #218- What Is The Best Exposures For Sensorimotor, And Attention Training appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Maya messaged me recently with a question about her Real Event OCD. She decided to finally say “no” to a confession compulsion as part of her Real-Event cycle, but this has re-triggered the OCD theme! What should she do? Sometimes we are stuck in situations where there is no perfect outcome, so we have to do our best, make a choice, move forward, and suffer consequences if and when they come. But, that’s the trick, isn’t it…

For more on Real Event OCD, check out this article from The California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center.

The post #217- Saying “No” To Real Event OCD Has Triggered My Real Event OCD! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.