Do your intrusive thoughts mean you have OCD, or does everyone have them? In this episode of RECOVERable, host Terry McGuire sits down with OCD therapist Jenna Overbaugh to explain what obsessive-compulsive disorder really is, beyond neatness and hand-washing.
Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https://recovery.com/
Host Terry McGuire sits down with Jenna Overbaugh, a therapist who spent nearly ten years treating the most severe OCD and anxiety cases at Rogers Memorial Hospital's residential program. She also has her own lived experience of OCD, which began after her son was born. Jenna explains that OCD is a two-part problem. Obsessions are unwanted intrusive thoughts, images, impulses or feelings that are ego-dystonic, meaning they go against your values. Compulsions are the physical or mental rituals you use to ease the anxiety those thoughts cause. She covers common types of OCD, including harm OCD, contamination OCD, hit-and-run OCD, 'just right' OCD, scrupulosity and sexual intrusive thoughts. She also explains Pure O and hidden mental compulsions such as rumination and self-reassurance. Finally, she covers how OCD differs from anxiety, why it's called 'the doubt disorder', and how genetics and stress combine to cause it.
Jenna describes exposure and response prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for OCD. She explains why you should treat OCD like an allergy, not a diet, and how the simple phrase 'I'm having the thought that...' helps you step back from a frightening thought. She also points to the International OCD Foundation as a place to start. For families, she explains how reassurance and family accommodation feed the OCD cycle, and how to set caring, collaborative boundaries instead.
Whether you are wondering if your own thoughts point to OCD or you are supporting someone you love, this conversation offers clarity, practical tools and real hope: OCD is one of the most treatable mental health conditions.
Subscribe to RECOVERable for more expert insights on mental health recovery. Leave your questions in the comments below, and share this video to help someone who thinks they're the only one with these thoughts.
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: OCD Is More Than Neatness
09:20 – OCD Myth or Fact Lightning Round
16:20 – What Is OCD? Obsessions vs. Compulsions
19:00 – Types of OCD: Harm, Contamination, Just Right & More
21:40 – What Is Pure O? Mental Compulsions Explained
29:20 – Isn't Everyone a Little OCD?
33:00 – OCD vs. Anxiety: What's the Difference?
34:40 – What Causes OCD and How Is It Diagnosed?
39:00 – ERP Therapy: How to Manage Intrusive Thoughts
46:40 – The OCD Cycle Explained
58:20 – Family Accommodation: What to Say Instead
Questions the Video Answers:
- What is OCD and what are its symptoms?
- Is OCD just about neatness, hand-washing, and germs?
- What does ego-dystonic mean in OCD?
- Does having an intrusive thought mean you secretly want to act on it?
- Isn't everyone a little OCD?
- What is Pure O OCD?
- What are the most common types of OCD?
- What is the difference between OCD and anxiety?
- What causes OCD and is it hereditary?
- How is OCD diagnosed?
- What is exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy?
- How do you manage intrusive thoughts without making them worse?
- Does reassuring someone with OCD help or make it worse?
- How can family members support a loved one with OCD without accommodating it?
#OCD #IntrusiveThoughts #MentalHealth
