OCD Straight Talk
By Chris Leins, MA, NCC, LPCC-S
OCD Straight TalkOct 26, 2021
When OCD Says "This" Means "That"
Chris discusses fears and case-examples that involve physical symptoms and environmental experiences, and that the OCD says "this" is evidence of, or means "that." These can be difficult to deal with, because there's something real and observable thrown into the obsessive-compulsive "mix."
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star rating, and subscribe to the podcast for more structured help with you anxiety- or OCd-symptoms.
Is My Anxiety Interfering with My Sex Life?
Chris discusses some literature and case-examples relative to how anxiety- and OCD-symptoms can interfere with individuals' sex life. Most notably, he shows that most common forms of sexual dysfunction, in both men and women, are caused or maintained by Sexual Performance Anxiety.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with your anxiety- and OCD-symptoms.
Kimberley Quinlan, LMFT of Your Anxiety Toolkit
Chris sits down with Kimberley Quinlan of the great podcast, Your Anxiety Toolkit. They discuss various topics from the history of their careers and supervisors who were pivotal in shaping who they are as clinicians today to what techniques they favor in therapy and why.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
I you've OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with your OCD- and anxiety-related symptoms.
2 Rules of Thumb: the Difference between OCD and Skin Picking Disorder
Chris responds to a listener's question about the difference between OCD and excoriation disorder. This is an important question, because many OCDers report that they pick at their skin "as a compulsion." In many cases, they can just stop. But what happens when they can't?
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating, and subscribing to OCD Straight Talk for more structured help with your clinically significant anxiety-symptoms.
The Chain is Only as Strong as its Weakest Link
Chris finishes the series on SCAMP and the Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors. In this episode, he focuses on the last two trigger-categories (Movement and Place) represented in the acronym. This episode was made possible by NOCD.
Feel free to reach out with any question you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with your anxiety and OCD-symptoms.
Manage Feelings; but F*** Anxiety
Chris continues to series on OCD-Related disorders, this time talking through the "A" (for Affect) in the acronym SCAMP. The important idea is effectively manage triggers, to include feelings. There's one notable exception to this rule. And I'll bet you can guess what that is. This podcast was made possible by NOCD.
Feel free to reach out with any questions to might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating, and subscribing to OCD Straight Talk for more structured help with you anxiety and OCD-symptoms.
Talking Back to Thoughts in Hair-Pulling and Skin-Picking Disorders
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving OCD Straight Talk a 5-star review and subscribing for more structured help with your anxiety or OCD symptoms.
You Play Offense for OCD. You Play Defense for Skin-Picking and Hair Pulling Disorders
In this episode, Chris starts off by re-emphasizing the importance of identifying and preventing relevant behaviors when dealing with a number of common mental health conditions. And he continues the series on the so-called "OCD-related disorders." This episode is made possible by NOCD.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found this episode helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating or subscribe to OCD Straight Talk for structured help with your anxiety-related symptoms.
Got Triggered? What Now?
Chris discusses evidence-based strategies for dealing with triggers relative to the anxiety-related disorders, like PTSD, OCD, Specific Phobia, etc., and other conditions like trichotillomania and excoriation disorder. There's an important difference between these strategies. Tune in to learn more.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found the podcast helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star review; and contact the Kentuckiana Treatment Center for Anxiety and OCD at KentuckyOCD.com.
What Do I Do When I Don't REALIZE I'm Doing Compulsions?
Chris poses a question of what OCDers are to do when they are engaging such habitual and routine compulsions that they can't stop doing them?
Feel free to reach out to chrisleins04@gmail.com with any questions you might have.
If you've found this episode helpful, consider giving OCD Straight Talk a 5-star rating. And for treatment, visit KentuckyOCD.com, or contact Kentuckiana Treatment Center for Anxiety & OCD.
It's about Tolerating the Itch and Stopping the Scratching Response
Chris discusses the idea that a lot of people tolerate the scratching behavior with the hope of getting rid of the itch. But success in the fight against OCD is about tolerating the thoughts and the anxiety that they cause and instead focusing on stopping the compulsions. This is where grit and resilience, along with a touch or two of uncertainty, are you ally.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you found this episode helpful, consider giving the podcast a 5-star rating. And for treatment, visit KentuckyOCD.com.
Grit & Resilience in Your Fight Against OCD
Chris discusses patients who demonstrate grit and resilience in the therapeutic journey. Being willing and able to tolerate psychoemotive distress is ESSENTIAL to stopping compulsions. And resisting and stopping compulsions is the active ingredient to making progress against the OCD.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, considering giving the podcast a 5-star rating. And for treatment, visit and contact us at KentuckyOCD.com.
It's Easier to Act Yourself into a New Way of Thinking Than It Is to Think Yourself into a New Way of Acting
Chris discusses a general principle that applies not just to the management of OCD and anxiety-related symptoms, but to problems and conditions that people commonly face.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating, and reach out to KentuckyOCD.com for treating for your anxiety-related symptoms.
Why Do I Have These Intrusive Thoughts?
Chris discusses the question of why individuals experience certain intrusive thoughts? In this context, he also presents the value of embracing uncertainty.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star review, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with you anxiety-related symptoms.
What's the Difference between Facts and Fears?
Chris discusses intrusive images and urges, noting that often they elicit anxiety because of what we think they mean. The question, of course, becomes, Do they REALLY mean that?
Feel free to reach out with any question you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCDST helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star review, and subscribe to the podcast for more structured help with your anxiety-related symptoms.
Compulsions Make the Thoughts Real
Chris talks through the idea that compulsive responses give credibility to the obsessional anxiety. The question becomes, What does it look like for you to not respond?
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with you anxiety-related symptoms.
Can You Imagine Anxiety-Producing Thoughts That Don't Produce Anxiety?
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating and subscribing to OCD Straight Talk for more structured help with you anxiety symptoms.
Introducing Dr. B: A Follow-Up on the System and Its Parts
Chris has a conversation with Dr. B, his wife, about the OCD-system and how it works. Enjoy.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with your anxiety-symptoms.
The System is Made Up of Parts
Chris discusses the OCD-system, the pieces and parts that make up the whole. And he identifies the common reaction of making "feeling better" the end goal for most OCDers. But the minute we focus on feeling better as our primary aim, we instinctively seek to do something to achieve that goal. What that response is most liklely meets the definition of compulsion.
Your Compulsions Hide in Your Assumptions about What is NOT a Compulsion
Chris explains the thinking and assumptions of many people and patients about what "compulsions" are, and are not. Often, it's the assumptions we make about such behaviors that allows them to continue-on unchecked.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving OCD Straight Talk a 5 star-review, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with your anxiety-symptoms.
The 2 Primary Reasons OCDers Don't Tend to Make Much Progress
Chris discusses common patterns across years of cases. Many patients struggle to make progress early in treatment (or because they are not in it to start with) for one or both of two reasons. Making efficient progress is first about distinguishing obsessions from compulsions, and second about finding the needle-compulsions in the behavioral haystack.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with your anxiety-symptoms.
Mark McMinn, Ph.D.
Chris sits down with Dr. Mark McMinn to discuss scrupulosity and religious scrupulosity. The two talk through various issues, though, the simple issue. They also talk about spiritualty and psychology and how or where the two bodies of knowledge intersect.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you found the podcast helpful, give us a 5-star rating; and consider subscribing to OCD Straight Talk for more structured help with your anxiety-symptoms.
What Does That Thought Mean?
Chris discusses the idea of meta-cognitions: the thoughts we have about the thoughts we have; and he answers a listener's question about intrusive images. He points not to the images or thoughts we have, but what we think about those thoughts or images that makes them scary.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with you anxiety-related symptoms.
To Panic or Not to Panic: That is the Question
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating or subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with your anxiety-related symptoms.
Act Better First; Feel Better Next.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating or subscribing to the podcast for more structured help for your anxiety-symptoms.
Focus on What You Can Control!
Chris discusses the idea of overriding your urge to manage your thoughts and feelings. This isn't easy; and nobody (at least nobody who knows what he or she is talking about) is saying it is. But it certainly is possible. To further unpack this, Chris gives the example of behavior-change within the context of depressive episodes, and explains its longitudinal effect. He then shows how behavior-change within the context of clinical anxiety or OCD is not only a similar concept but also enjoys the same results.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com, and subscribe to OCDST for more structured help with your anxiety.
What Disorders Are Truly "Related" to OCD?
Chris takes on the question of the degree to which OCD is unlike the anxiety disorders and more like Trichotillomania and Excoriation Disorder. It comes down to emotionality and what specifically to focus on managing.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com; and consider subscribing for more structured help with your anxiety.
How Informal Is Too Informal in Exposure Therapy?
Chris tackles a good question relative to exposure therapy: How informal is too informal? Many of us walk into exposure-work with the idea that it has look a certain way; and that way is often accompanied by some preconceived notions. Some of these are good and accurate. Some of them are not. Well, which notions or "parameters" are actually helpful, according to the literature?
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com; and consider subscribing to OCD Straight Talk for more structured help with your OCD or anxiety-symptoms.
"What the F*ck, Man?
Chris takes on three evident objections as to why some people may not want to do exposures on their own. Chris believes, ultimately, that some people are resistant to doing exposure therapy in their own, but he believes that the reason is beyond, and perhaps more complicated than these reasons would suggest.
The Anxiety's A Good Indicator
Chris provides a bird's eye view of the process-landscape. One of your questions at this point might be, Am I doing my exposures right? And that's a good question. Chris explains a few concepts and then connects them in such a way that will help you answer that question.
Is It A Compulsion Or Just An Anxious Behavior?
Chris asks listeners a question about the possibility of live-meetings, and invites feedback.
And he takes on the question of whether differentiating between so-called anxious behaviors and objective compulsions is truly helpful; and he provides a clinical principle that orients individuals in the clinical process.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com, and subscribe to OCD Straight Talk for more structured help with your anxiety symptoms.
"I Think It's More Nuanced Than That"
Chris reflects on a conversation he recently had with a respected colleague. They discussed the resistance some patients/OCDers appear to have toward doing exposure therapy on their own (that is, without the direct or immediate support of a therapist). Chris believes that under the right conditions, people may be willing to do exposure therapy despite not being in traditional treatment. The question is: If he's right, what conditions might those be?
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com, and consider subscribing to OCD Straight Talk for additional help with your anxiety-related disorder.
"Watch the Anxiety Manage Itself"
Chris discusses a therapeutic conversation he had recently with a new patient. They work through a few basic concepts, and how those concepts fit together in real-time.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have, chrisleins04@gmail.com; and to subscribe to OCD Straight Talk for further help with your anxiety-related disorder.
What's the Difference between Overthinking and Rumination
Chris responds to a listener: Are these symptoms even related to OCD? Following a confusing meeting with a mental health professional, she further inquires as to the difference between overthinking and rumination.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star rating, and subscribe to the podcast for further help with your anxiety-related symptoms.
Become Your Own Behavior-Therapist: Introduction to the Seven Core Episodes
Chris introduces the concept of treating your own anxiety-related disorder. It may be a novel concept: anxious people learning to treat their own anxiety-conditions. But the truth is: exposure therapy works to reduce anxiety-symptoms. Period. The question isn't, are you working with a treatment-specialist? Because, if you are, he or she is going to have you do exposure therapy. The question is, are you doing the exposure therapy right?
What if you could learn to do exposure therapy to industry-standard, but learn to do it on your own?
We've all learned skills from watching YouTube videos, and a pretty large variety of skills, too; and many of us have earned college or even graduate degree by way of distance, asynchronous learning programs. The idea DIY anxiety-work is not too farfetched, even if it feels new. In seven core subscriber-episodes, Chris walks users through a specific and structured process of working on their OCD or anxiety symptoms, and becoming their own behavior-therapist.
Subscribe to OCD Straight Talk, and start your journey today.
1. The Cognitive Model
Chris presents the Cognitive Model, and introduces the concept of dissecting your anxiety-related symptoms. Learning to tell the difference between "categories" of symptoms, and understanding how your symptoms fit together to form a symptom-system is essential to becoming your own behavior-therapist. The episode should be consumed prior to the other core, subscription-episodes.
2. The Cognitive Model, Part 2
Chris presents an OCD-case: Sam, and uses the Cognitive Model to dissect Sam's symptoms into three categories. The power of behavior-choice and pattern are highlighted in the process of change. This episode should be consumed after The Cognitive Model, Part 1.
3. The Cognitive Model, Part 3
Understanding what makes OCD tick is a springboard to understanding the disorders that are like it: the "anxiety-related disorders." Chris presents two cases, one, Michelle, who suffers from specific phobia, the other, Peter, who suffers from panic disorder. This episode should be consumed after the previous two core, subscription episodes.
4. Reducing Likelihood is a Mirage
Chris takes a deep dive into the logical reality of uncertainty, and works to demonstrate how accepting it, rather than trying to eliminate it, actually serves as an advantage to individuals dealing with anxiety-related disorders. This episode should be consumed after the previous three core subscription-episodes.
5. The Anxiety Will Manage Itself
Chris recaps the previous episode, defending the rational nature of accepting uncertainty, and highlighting the irrational assumption behind compulsive behaviors. He defines exposure therapy, and explains both the concept and the process of habituation. This episode should be consumed after the previous four, core-subscription episodes.
6. The Road Map: Building Your Hierarchy
In this episode, the listener highlights the situations that tend to trigger his or her anxiety-symptoms, applying the cognitive model. Chris walks the listener, step-by-step, through building his or her own exposure-hierarchy. He provides tips and tricks, and presents abbreviated hierarchies for the cases presented in previous episodes: Sam, Michelle, and Peter. Your hierarchy will serve as your road map: it's your unique list and order of exposures, ranging from easy to hard. This episode should be consumed after the previous five core subscription-episodes.
7. Your Exposure Track
Chris briefly orients the listener to what good exposure-work is, and is not. He then walks the listener through the exposure-process. This track should be consumed during your exposure-work, but after the previous six core subscription-episodes.
Take the Next Step with OCD Straight Talk
We've all learned real skills from watching YouTube videos and listening to podcasts. Some of us have earned college, and even graduate degrees in asynchronous university programs, in which we've read and wrote and watched prerecorded lectures. The idea of DIY-learning is not new. What if there were a way for you to learn a structured process and formal, therapeutic skills? What if you could be your own behavior-therapist and treat your own OCD or anxiety-symptoms? OCD Straight Talk is launching Subscriber-Based Content that will walk users through the same process that Chris uses in therapy. Chris will walk with you as you put together, and do your own exposures. He'll not just encourage you as you work to stop compulsions, but even help you identify them in the process. You'll even be able to measure the severity of your symptoms as you go, to confirm that you're making progress.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving this a shot. The fee is $4.99 monthly; and there's no commitment. What do you have to lose ... other than the severity of your symptoms?
Subscribe at: https://anchor.fm/chris-leins/subscribe
"Pure-O" & Mental Contamination
MAJOR OCD STRAIGHT TALK ANNOUNCEMENT coming tomorrow.
Chris responds to a listener's question, and discusses the concepts of distinguishing between obsessional and ruminitive thinking in so-called "pure-o OCD, and of mental contamination.
feel free to reach out with any questions you have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
Is One Compulsion Better than Another?
Chris responds to a patient's question, Is one compulsion better than another? Good question. The short answer is, No; but the long answer is, Yes.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
After That, What Do I Do with My Thoughts?
**Major OCD Straight Talk announcement coming November 1, 2022.
Chris discusses the question of, After I stop compulsions and mental rituals (e.g., ruminating), and I stop arguing with my thoughts, what I am supposed to do with them? The answer is not easy but simple. He ultimately presents a hard truth: the unabated acceptance of the future's uncertainty.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star review, and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
Is Arguing with My Thoughts A Compulsion?
*** Big OCD Straight Talk Announcement coming November 1, 2022.
Chris discusses a really common response OCDers have to their intrusive thoughts. The conversations we have with ourselves can often happen almost outside of our conscious awareness. Certain responses can be instinctive or reflexive. But does that mean that they're not compulsive? But wait, does it mean they are? These are important questions, as arguing with our compulsions can be a very common response to the experience of obsessions.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.
If you've OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
I Have Anxiety, Not OCD: What Do I Do?
Chris deals with a common question in therapy: What do I do: I have anxiety, not OCD. The Cognitive Model provides a useful roadmap for understanding anxiety-related symptoms; and it offers a practical, step-by-step guide for beginning to change their severity.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. Chrisleins04@gmail.com
If you found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
"Just-Right OCD": Can't Stop This Feeling
Chris responds to a listener's question about how to manage "just right"-OCD. It's important, first and foremost, to remember that OCD is OCD; and although OCD often appears in so-called "subtypes," the condition is largely treated the same way. Chris explains how just right-OCD is distinct from other subtypes, and discusses managing the "feeling" of "just right."
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
How Do I Stop Ruminating?
At the request of a listener, Chris returns to the question of, How do I stop ruminating? He provides a specific technique, but explains the importance of first distinguishing between different kinds of thinking. It is a compulsion to block intrusive thoughts; but it is not a compulsion to stop a compulsion (e.g., rumination).
Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. Chrisleins04@gmail.com; @ocdstraighttalk.
If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.