Understanding OCD: Intrusive Thoughts, Compulsions & the Misconceptions That Keep People Silent with Sophia Dawson #15

Welcome back to The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast 🤍I'm flying solo this week for an episode I've wanted to record for a long time. I've worked with clients with OCD for a number of years, and I've seen firsthand how earth-shattering and debilitating this disorder can be. It's also the focus of my PhD research, which is now in the data analysis phase, and while the literature has taught me a lot, nothing compares to sitting with well over 50+ people in the recruitment stage of my research and hearing their experience of OCD firsthand, as well as working with OCD for many years in the therapy room.In this episode, I walk you through what OCD actually is: the intrusive thoughts, images, doubts and urges that feel so completely misaligned with who you are, and the compulsions that promise relief but feed the cycle. I share some of the lesser-known ways OCD can show up, from relationship OCD to harm OCD to some of the most stigmatised and underrecognised forms, and why OCD so often grabs onto the very things that matter most to you.We also need to talk about "I'm so OCD." It's said lightly, and never maliciously, but for the many people carrying graphic intrusive thoughts and secret rituals in silence, it can be deeply invalidating. There's a reason the time between the onset of OCD symptoms and diagnosis can be up to 17 years, and shame sits right at the heart of it.Whether you're navigating OCD yourself, love somebody who is, or simply want to understand this misunderstood disorder better, this episode is honest, warm, and deeply human. I’ve created this episode with everyone in mind, and if you think that someone in your life may benefit from learning more about OCD - this is the podcast for them. In this episode, I explore:✨ What OCD actually is: the two elements of obsessions and compulsions, and why intrusive thoughts feel so alien to who you are✨ Why compulsions bring short-term relief but make the thoughts more pervasive, urgent and frequent over time, like feeding a monster that only grows✨ Why 99% of us have intrusive thoughts, and the meaning-making that separates OCD from a passing ‘weird’ thought✨ The different faces of OCD: relationship OCD, paedophile OCD, contamination OCD, harm OCD, and sexual orientation OCD✨ How OCD targets what you love and value most, and demands a certainty it can never actually deliver✨ The shame that keeps people silent, and why diagnosis can take up to 17 years from symptom onset✨ How OCD differs from health anxiety, and where the two can look almost identical (a wonderful listener question from my socials!)✨ How to support a loved one with OCD: gradually reducing reassurance, externalising OCD, and teaming up against it together✨ Why exposure and response prevention (ERP) is the gold-standard psychological treatment for OCD, and why the right support changes everything✨ A gentle note from me: this episode discusses intrusive thoughts across a range of OCD themes, including harm and other confronting thought content. Please be kind to yourself as you listen, and come back to it whenever you feel ready.If you heard yourself in this episode, you are not alone. OCD is treatable with the right practitioner, and there are so many people out there to support you. If you're in New Zealand and would like support, my team and I would love to hear from you via the link below.Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here's where to find more support and resources:Website & Client Enquiries: wholeisticpsychology.com Join the Newsletter: wholeisticpsychology.com/thewholeedit-signup Blog: wholeisticpsychology.com/blog