{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6a28fef5262000e4756a83cc/6a28ff066642088a10f4ae06?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"This Artist Illustrates What OCD Actually Feels Like","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/6a28fef5262000e4756a83cc/9af081af68d65d051493b509a1f5f49d.jpg?height=200","description":"<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">In this episode, host sits down with writer, illustrator, and mental health advocate Mia Mason to explore her book Worry's Whispers — a collection of illustrated poems woven together with a graphic-novel section that follows Drew's journey through OCD and anxiety, from isolation all the way to seeking help, diagnosis, and resilience.</p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Mia shares her personal journey, including her own lived experience of OCD as \"sticky\" intrusive thoughts, morality fears, and reassurance-seeking compulsions, and discusses how therapy-inspired drawings grew into the book's unique format. She reads a poem depicting health anxiety and the spiralling \"why\" of intrusive thoughts, and describes OCD as a ghost named Worry whose whispers can fade to background noise with the right treatment. The conversation also touches on values-based action — doing meaningful things despite fear — and why the book resonates not just for people with OCD, but for anyone who loves or supports them.</p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Watch the video version of this interview on YouTube: <a href='https://youtu.be/TeU0uxR1gP8'>https://youtu.be/TeU0uxR1gP8</a></p>\n\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">About Mia Mason : Artist, actress, author, and mental health advocate. Mia uses storytelling and illustration to build compassion and connection around anxiety and OCD — blending emotional honesty with advocacy so others feel understood, supported, and less alone.</p>\n\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Links: Instagram: <a href='https://www.instagram.com/worrys_whispers/'>https://www.instagram.com/worrys_whispers/</a> Worry's Whispers on Amazon: <a href='https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G1BQWW63'>https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G1BQWW63</a></p>\n<p> </p>\n\n\n\nStories &amp; Stanza\nA podcast for curious minds\n\n\n \n\nFollow Us\n<a href='https://www.facebook.com/storiesandstanza/'>Facebook</a> <a href='https://www.instagram.com/storiesandstanza/'>Instagram</a> <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@storiesandstanza'>YouTube</a> <a href='https://x.com/storiesnstanza'>X</a> <a href='https://wa.openinapp.link/wjcwe'>WhatsApp Channel</a>\n\n \n\nListen &amp; Read\n<a href='https://spotify.openinapp.co/storiesandstanza'>▶ Spotify</a> <a href='https://apple.openinapp.link/u3ui2'>▶ Apple Podcasts</a> <a href='https://openinapp.link/ion0e'>✎ Read on Substack</a>\n\n \n\nTools We Love\n<a href='https://vidiq.com/storiesandstanza'>↗ Grow on YouTube with vidIQ</a> <a href='https://get.descript.com/stories-and-stanza'>🎤 Edit Podcasts with Descript</a>\n <a href='https://ko-fi.com/storiesandstanza'>☕ Buy me a coffee</a> \n© 2025 Stories &amp; Stanza · All rights reserved","author_name":"Abhra Pal"}