Today I’m answer two questions. Anxious Questioner wants to know how to handle a situation where they shared some details about their OCD and now they are worried it has changed the way the other person views them, and they want to know what to do. To answer this, I do offer some direct advice, but I also go over some solid guidelines on how, when, and why to share details about your obsessions, if you share them at all. Diane asks the next question. She wants to know how to let go of the content of the thoughts to get on with her life. Scrupulosity has gripped her after a rough medical patch that has left her struggling with unnamed thoughts that stop her from looking at people or sitting next to them. I discuss ways to give herself forgiveness and offer some exposure advice! For more about Religious and Moral Scrupulosity, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post 281- I Overshared, What Do I Do, And Forgiving Myself For These Thoughts appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Peyton sent in a great question about their Casadastraphobia, but it also applies to other phobias, and the question is mainly in two parts. First, is it common for people to ignore their phobias because they think it’s just a crazy thought without ever knowing that it is a real fear/ phobia with a real name? The second question is about whether knowing about the fear, and subsequently giving it attention, make it worse just because you’re now aware of it? These are great questions! In the process, I learned about the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon, and I forward the learning to all of you. To learn more about phobias, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post 280- Casadastraphobia/ Phobias: Does Knowing It’s A Thing Make It Worse? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Broken Record sent in an audio question about her struggle with ROCD and SO-OCD. She is struggling with a dilemma; is she actually not attracted to her female partner, or is she more attracted to the male body shape? Did I mention she identifies as Bi-sexual? Either way, she wants to know how to love her partner best and stop her rumination about the possibility that she dislikes her partner’s body and would rather have something entirely different! The post #279- Is ROCD Making Me More Attracted To Men? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For today, I’m going to answer two questions! The first comes from Alex who wants to know whether his routine of checking his groin for potential arousal, and how it all started, is a normal process for someone with POCD. The next question comes from Salt & Pepper. They want to know whether OCD can give them thoughts about self harm, or are they actually having self harm thoughts? The post #278- Habitually Checking My Groin, and OCD Causing Self Harm Thoughts appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Pick Me reached out to me to ask a question about picking (every pun intended) the right treatment for their Rhinotillexomania, or compulsive nose picking. I discuss the differences between OCD treatment and the treatment approaches for Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors, or BFRBs. I share a ton of ideas for competing behaviors and behavioral blockers, and if you watch the YouTube video, you will see a bunch of fidget examples, or you can hear me describe them. For more about treatment for Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors, or BFRBs, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #277- Rhinotillexomania And Picking The Right Treatment appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Marianne reached out with her question about some academic rumination that’s been plaguing her lately. She’s fixated on her time in college and whether or not she was dishonest in her academic performance. But, things aren’t so easy sometimes. The question flips between whether there was anything genuine that happened that brings her to this obsession, or whether it is just an obsession about whether something happened but really didn’t. It’s an obsession as old as time. So, I try to handle it from both angles and offer her some ideas on how to consider the obsession and how to tackle it through acceptance, compassion, and exposure. For more on Real Event OCD, check out this four-part blog series from The California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #276- Academic Real Event OCD, Or Maybe Just False Guilt? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Eve from the UK sent in her question in the hopes of trying to figure out what kind of obsession she has and what she can do about it. It seems to hover between the fear of whether or not her reality is real, whether she’s going crazy, whether others will think she’s crazy, or if she’s disconnecting from reality. She’s pretty aware of how obsessions work and how OCD can be a tricky liar, but better safe than sorry, right? I offer her some things to think about and ways to re-consider how to approach her obsession, and uncertainty, in a grounded, mindful, and values based manner. For more on Existential OCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post 275- Existential? Derealization? Schizophrenia? What’s The Fear? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For today’s questions, I give a short answer to a long question, and a long answer to a short question. The first one has to do with the listener’s curiosity about their current and last hanging-on obsession. They want to know if it’s weird, and if other people deal with it. The next question is a great one and gets a fundamental question about how we build exposures. Can they do good exposures to the idea of dishonesty without actually having to tell white lies? The post 274- Is This Last Trigger Weird, And Dishonesty ERP Without White Lies? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Frank reached out recently with a follow up audio question. This time he wanted to know how you know whether it’s OCD thinking, or his rational and reasonable thinking. Simple enough question, right? But, how do you know? Can you know for sure? How much is you and how much is OCD? And is it a compulsion to figure it out? I try to help give Frank, and all you other listeners, some other ways to consider this as you move forward. The post #273- If I Know It’s An OCD Thought, Then I Know I’m Not Trans, Right? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For today’s episode, I was joined by the one and only Jenna Overbaugh, LPC, to talk about what it means to get better from OCD and anxiety disorders, and how to stay better. We discuss the mindset and perspective shift necessary to meaningfully engage in CBT and ERP treatment, face your fears, and build a new relationship with anxiety that lasts! This was a really fun conversation and Jenna has such a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. The post #272- Getting Better and Staying Better, with Jenna Overbaugh, LPC appeared first on FearCast Podcast.