Get to know OCD

NOCD

Tune in each week for a deep dive into all things OCD with host Dr. Patrick McGrath, NOCD's Chief Clinical Officer. We’ll be sharing inspiring real-life stories of people who’ve faced OCD and came out the other side, as well as practical tips for understanding and tackling OCD. We hope you enjoy the podcast and it helps you get to know OCD.

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Thursday · 6 min
Why OCD Makes You Feel Like You Have To Confess Everything
OCD can take something as simple as honesty and turn it into a rule: if you don’t say every thought out loud, you’re hiding something. That pressure can make people feel like they have to confess intrusive thoughts, explain every detail, or keep clarifying until someone else finally gives them relief. In this educational video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why that urge to confess can quickly become an OCD compulsion, and why learning to sit with the discomfort of not explaining everything can actually be an important part of recovery. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sunday · 8 min
5 Pieces Of Advice That Can Make OCD Worse
"Trust your gut” or “just stop thinking about it” — these might sound like helpful things to tell someone struggling with OCD, but they can actually make things worse. OCD already thrives on doubt, reassurance, and the urge to get rid of uncomfortable thoughts, so advice that pushes someone toward more certainty or more control can end up feeding the disorder instead. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath looks at common pieces of advice that aren't helpful for people with OCD. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 20 · 44 min
She Worked On Beetlejuice And Jurassic Park And Did Not Know She Had OCD
Lynette Eklund spent decades building creatures and effects for some of Hollywood’s most recognizable movies, including Beetlejuice and Jurassic Park. Behind that career, though, was something she didn’t understand. Since childhood, Lynette had lived with rigid rules, terrifying fears around food, an intense need to avoid failure, and thoughts she knew didn’t make logical sense but could never talk herself out of. She simply thought she was “weird” — and kept most of it to herself. It wasn’t until Lynette was 57 that she finally recognized those experiences as OCD. In this episode of the Get to Know OCD podcast, Lynette joins Dr. Patrick McGrath to look back at how undiagnosed OCD quietly shaped her childhood, relationships, and Hollywood career, why finally understanding her own mind took so much power away from the disorder, and why she wrote her memoir Weird in hopes that someone else might recognize their OCD decades earlier than she did. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 16 · 16 min
My OCD Recovery Inspired Me To Become A Therapist
Tandy Cyrus didn’t begin her career in mental health. She spent years working in juvenile probation, helping young people navigate difficult circumstances while slowly realizing she wanted to make a different kind of impact. But after the birth of her daughter, her own life changed. Severe postpartum OCD pushed her into treatment and gave her a firsthand understanding of how consuming the disorder can become. That experience eventually led Tandy back to school and into a career as a therapist. Years later, while trying to help a client with significant OCD, she saw how limited specialized resources still were and how many people continued to misunderstand the disorder. In this episode of the Get to know NOCD Therapists podcast, Tandy joins Dr. Patrick McGrath to talk about the personal experience that shaped her career and the path that led her into specialized OCD treatment. If you’re ready to deepen your ERP skills and work somewhere specialized OCD treatment is the focus — not an afterthought — explore joining the team at NOCD: https://learn.nocd.com/therapist_careers Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 13 · 5 min
Thoughts Are NOT The Only Thing Intrusive About OCD
OCD isn't just intrusive thoughts. OCD can also create unwanted experiences that go far beyond thoughts — vivid images, uncomfortable feelings, intense urges, and even physical sensations that can feel incredibly real. And when those experiences seem to go against who you are or what you value, it’s easy to start questioning what they mean about you. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath breaks down the different ways OCD obsessions can show up and why those experiences can feel so convincing. He also explains how people can get pulled into analyzing a sensation, reacting to an urge, or trying to make sense of an image — and why the real problem often isn’t the obsession itself, but the compulsions that follow it. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 9 · 4 min
Why OCD Can Make You Feel Detached From Yourself
Feeling unreal, numb, checked out, or like you’re watching your life from the outside can be terrifying. For some people with OCD, that disconnection becomes another thing to obsess over — checking whether they feel “normal,” questioning whether they’re really present in their own body, and getting pulled even further away from the moment. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains how depersonalization and derealization can show up alongside OCD, and why constantly monitoring those sensations can actually make the disorder stronger. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 7 · 14 min
What The Lindsay Clancy Case Gets Wrong About Intrusive Thoughts
As the Lindsay Clancy case continues to receive national attention, references to “intrusive thoughts” have caused understandable fear and confusion for people living with harm OCD, postpartum OCD, and other mental health conditions. For someone already terrified by unwanted thoughts or images of harming a person they love, seeing those same words associated with an unthinkable tragedy can reinforce one of OCD’s most painful fears: What if having the thought means I could actually act on it? Traci Ibrahim has lived with harm OCD for more than 40 years, experienced postpartum OCD after the birth of her third child, and spent decades treating OCD as a therapist. She explains why intrusive thoughts are not intentions or predictions of behavior, and why it is critical not to conflate OCD with the different symptoms and diagnoses discussed in the Clancy case. Traci is here to clear up all the misinformation spreading. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 6 · 33 min
I Wish I Asked For Mental Health Help Sooner
Rebecca Voskanian remembers sitting in a high school classroom shaking uncontrollably, heart racing, with no idea why it was happening. For a while, she assumed maybe everyone felt that way and simply didn’t talk about it. This would last for years. It wasn’t until she finally found a therapist that things began to change. Treatment gave Rebecca tools to manage her anxiety, but it also gave her the confidence to pursue a master’s degree in psychology and eventually help others facing many of the same fears she once struggled with. Looking back now, there’s one thing she wishes she could tell her teenage self: it won’t always be this way, but you have to be willing to ask for help. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 2 · 5 min
The Wrong Way To Support Someone With OCD
When someone you care about has OCD, your instinct is to help. You reassure them, check the locks one more time, answer the same question again, or help them avoid whatever is making them anxious. It feels supportive in the moment — but those well-intentioned actions can quietly strengthen OCD instead of weakening it. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains the difference between supporting someone with OCD and accommodating the disorder. He also shares practical ways loved ones can set healthy boundaries, respond without feeding compulsions, and become part of the recovery process instead of the OCD cycle. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 30 · 4 min
Can You Really Have High-Functioning OCD?
Someone with OCD can show up to work, keep up with school, maintain relationships, and appear completely fine... while still spending hours trapped in mental compulsions no one else can see. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath questions whether “high-functioning OCD” is even a useful label, explains how it can minimize serious internal distress, and argues that the better question is whether OCD is shrinking your life, shaping your choices, or stealing your peace—even when everything looks normal from the outside. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 26 · 3 min
An OCD Flare-Up Doesn't Mean You're Not Getting Better
When OCD symptoms suddenly get worse, it's easy to believe you've lost all the progress you've worked so hard to make. But a flare-up doesn't erase your recovery. Stress, major life changes, fatigue, and uncertainty can all make OCD louder without meaning you're back where you started. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why OCD flare-ups are a normal part of recovery and how to respond without falling back into compulsions. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 23 · 5 min
When Binge-Watching And Doomscrolling Becomes An OCD Compulsion
By itself, "watching one more" episode or scrolling through social media isn't an issue. But if you're using screens to escape your own intrusive thoughts, anxiety, or uncomfortable feelings, that might be a classic OCD safety behavior. The relief feels real — but only until the screen turns off and OCD comes rushing back. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains how binge-watching and doomscrolling can become compulsive avoidance, and how to recognize when screens are helping you relax versus helping OCD stay in control. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 19 · 19 min
I Wanted To Make A Bigger Impact As A Therapist
Dylan Mckelroy didn't become a therapist just to listen — he wanted to help people make meaningful, lasting change. After working in community mental health, he found himself searching for a more effective way to treat people, especially those struggling with OCD. That search led him to ERP, specialized training, and a completely different approach to therapy than he was accustomed to. In this episode, Dylan shares why he left traditional talk therapy behind, what it was like learning to treat OCD from the ground up, and how seeing measurable change in people's lives reaffirmed why he became a therapist in the first place. If you’re ready to deepen your ERP skills and work somewhere specialized OCD treatment is the focus — not an afterthought — explore joining the team at NOCD: https://learn.nocd.com/therapist_careers Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 16 · 39 min
Emilia Fart Reveals The OCD Behind Her Online Persona
To millions online, Emilia Fart appears fearless, creative, and completely unapologetic. But behind that persona, OCD was quietly dictating her daily life. It influenced her relationships, her creative process, the way she dressed, the objects she carried, and even whether she felt able to leave the house. What looked like confidence on the outside often masked a relentless need for certainty and control. In this episode of the Get to Know OCD podcast, Emilia shares why she hid her OCD for years, how she finally recognized the invisible compulsions shaping her life, and what changed when she stopped letting OCD make the rules. She also opens up about sobriety, marriage, perfectionism, and why real recovery came from learning to embrace discomfort instead of trying to eliminate it. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 12 · 5 min
Stop Trying To Make Bad Thoughts Go Away
The first instinct after an intrusive thought is usually to get rid of it. You tell yourself it isn't true. You try to prove it wrong. You replay it in your head, search for certainty, or avoid anything that might trigger it again. It feels like you're protecting yourself, but those reactions are often exactly what keeps OCD alive and thriving. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why some of the most common ways people respond to unwanted thoughts actually make them stronger. Instead of focusing on what you should do, he breaks down what NOT to do, including why learning to stop fighting your thoughts is one of the most important steps toward breaking the OCD cycle. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 9 · 4 min
Why You Can't Think Your Way Out Of OCD
When you have OCD, thinking can feel like the solution. You replay conversations, analyze your memories, research every possibility, and search for the one answer that will finally bring certainty. But no matter how much time you spend trying to solve it, OCD always comes back with another "what if?" In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why rumination is one of OCD's most common mental compulsions, and why in the end, you can never outthink the disorder. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 5 · 6 min
The Hidden Behaviors Keeping Your OCD Alive
Most people know that compulsions keep OCD going. What many don't realize is that some of the behaviors feeding OCD are much harder to recognize. Rumination, avoidance, reassurance-seeking, distraction, shame, guilt, and even trying to "fix" your thoughts can all become subtle safety behaviors that strengthen the OCD cycle. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why these hidden habits keep OCD alive and how to spot them in your own life. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 2 · 6 min
Why OCD Therapy Did NOT Work The First Time
Trying therapy for OCD once doesn't always mean you received the right treatment. Many people leave therapy believing it "didn't work," when in reality they were never treated with exposure and response prevention (ERP), the gold-standard therapy for OCD. Instead, they were taught coping strategies that can actually feed OCD instead. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why OCD therapy sometimes falls short, how to tell whether your previous treatment was the right fit, and what to look for if you're thinking about giving therapy another chance. He also shares why progress — not perfection — is the goal, and why today is the best day to start moving forward. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 28 · 5 min
Why OCD Says You Can't Live Until You Feel Better
OCD has a way of convincing you that life can wait. If you can just find the right answer, get rid of the anxiety, or finally feel "okay," then you'll be able to relax and enjoy yourself. But that moment never comes. Instead, OCD keeps moving the goalposts, trapping you in an endless cycle of compulsions, reassurance, and waiting to feel better before you start living. In this short video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why OCD is so good at creating this trap. He also explains why getting better from OCD isn't about eliminating discomfort — it's about learning to live your life even when uncertainty is still there. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 25 · 44 min
One Month Into OCD Treatment: How I'm Getting My Life Back
After the unexpected death of his brother, Matthew Testa's mind became consumed by health fears, rumination, and an endless search for certainty. Every new "what if?" felt like a problem that had to be solved, but no amount of thinking ever brought lasting relief. Instead, OCD kept finding new questions to ask, trapping him in thought loops that quietly took over more and more of his life. In this episode of the Get to Know OCD podcast, Matt reflects on what OCD stole from him most: time. Time spent stuck in his head, time lost to rumination, and time he wishes he could have spent being present with the people and moments right in front of him. Now, one month into treatment, he shares what’s already changing and why he finally feels hopeful about getting his happy back. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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