OCD Straight Talk

Chris discusses the OCD-system, the pieces and parts that make up the whole. And he identifies the common reaction of making "feeling better" the end goal for most OCDers. But the minute we focus on feeling better as our primary aim, we instinctively seek to do something to achieve that goal. What that response is most liklely meets the definition of compulsion.

Chris explains the thinking and assumptions of many people and patients about what "compulsions" are, and are not. Often, it's the assumptions we make about such behaviors that allows them to continue-on unchecked.

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Chris discusses common patterns across years of cases. Many patients struggle to make progress early in treatment (or because they are not in it to start with) for one or both of two reasons. Making efficient progress is first about distinguishing obsessions from compulsions, and second about finding the needle-compulsions in the behavioral haystack.

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected].

If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with your anxiety-symptoms.

Chris sits down with Dr. Mark McMinn to discuss scrupulosity and religious scrupulosity. The two talk through various issues, though, the simple issue. They also talk about spiritualty and psychology and how or where the two bodies of knowledge intersect.

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected].

If you found the podcast helpful, give us a 5-star rating; and consider subscribing to OCD Straight Talk for more structured help with your anxiety-symptoms.

Chris discusses the idea of meta-cognitions: the thoughts we have about the thoughts we have; and he answers a listener's question about intrusive images. He points not to the images or thoughts we have, but what we think about those thoughts or images that makes them scary. 

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected].

If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with you anxiety-related symptoms. 

Chris discusses the idea of overriding your urge to manage your thoughts and feelings. This isn't easy; and nobody (at least nobody who knows what he or she is talking about) is saying it is. But it certainly is possible. To further unpack this, Chris gives the example of behavior-change within the context of depressive episodes, and explains its longitudinal effect. He then shows how behavior-change within the context of clinical anxiety or OCD is not only a similar concept but also enjoys the same results. 

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected], and subscribe to OCDST for more structured help with your anxiety.

Chris takes on the question of the degree to which OCD is unlike the anxiety disorders and more like Trichotillomania and Excoriation Disorder. It comes down to emotionality and what specifically to focus on managing.

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]; and consider subscribing for more structured help with your anxiety. 

Chris tackles a good question relative to exposure therapy: How informal is too informal? Many of us walk into exposure-work with the idea that it has look a certain way; and that way is often accompanied by some preconceived notions. Some of these are good and accurate. Some of them are not. Well, which notions or "parameters" are actually helpful, according to the literature? 

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]; and consider subscribing to OCD Straight Talk for more structured help with your OCD or anxiety-symptoms.