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Get to know OCD
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
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An OCD Flare-Up Doesn't Mean You're Not Getting Better
03:45|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/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd
When Binge-Watching And Doomscrolling Becomes An OCD Compulsion
05:42|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/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd
I Wanted To Make A Bigger Impact As A Therapist
19:30|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_careersFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd
Emilia Fart Reveals The OCD Behind Her Online Persona
39:01|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/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd
Why You Can't Think Your Way Out Of OCD
04:10|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/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd
The Hidden Behaviors Keeping Your OCD Alive
06:20|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/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd
Why OCD Therapy Did NOT Work The First Time
06:32|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/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd
Why OCD Says You Can't Live Until You Feel Better
05:51|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/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd