A Deep Dive into OCD

Joanna Hardis, LISW-S, discusses the signs of OCD, the struggles individuals with OCD face, and how to set healthy boundaries as a person with OCD. Joanna’s expertise sheds light on this often-misunderstood disorder, providing valuable insights and practical advice.

Key Takeaways

[00:02:38] What is OCD?

• Obsessions – Intrusive, unwanted, repeated images, thoughts, or memories that are incredibly distressing
• Compulsions/Rituals – The behavior someone performs to alleviate or neutralize the doubt/worry/stress brought on by the obsession
• Disorder – Causes impairment in your life or functioning, or engaging in compulsions for more than an hour in a day
• OCD can coexist with many other illnesses

“We all have weird/disturbing thoughts”

• Normal Intrusive Thoughts vs. OCD
  • Everyone has disruptive thoughts from time to time – someone with OCD attaches to thought and why they may have thought it, rather than being able to let it pass – becoming overly engaged with the thought
  • How we interact with an intrusive thought

[00:07:18] How OCD thoughts consume individuals

• OCD latches onto what you care about – they are almost always counter to their identity or how they see their self
• Shame follows these thoughts to extremes
  • This is a primary barrier for getting help/support

“And I’m sure part of that obsession about those thoughts is I’m a bad person for having these thoughts, right?”

[00:09:47] OCD & Generalized Anxiety Disorder

• Finding a well-versed therapist or clinician in OCD for support

“Now where it gets tricky is that a lot of people who are diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder actually have OCD and they get misdiagnosed.”

• Both have worry and anxiety as a primary feeling and emotion
  • GAD: Anxieties are more plausible, common worries – that have physical symptoms
  • A low level buzz of worry
  • OCD: Doesn’t need to have physical symptoms, need to have the presence of obsessions and compulsions.
  • The fear consequence may be unrealistic and feeds the uncertainty
  • Superstition & signs

[00:20:05] Common misconceptions about OCD

• The media isn’t a great resource
• Everyone is a little OCD – is NOT true
  • Clinically incorrect
  • Diminishes what people are dealing with
  • You cannot be a ‘little’ OCD
• Compulsions are not always seen
  • Rituals aren’t only cleaning and washing

“Perfectionism is paralyzing.”

[00:29:30] Suffering and worry in OCD

• Recognizing how much these events effect your life
• Feared consequence with these disorders

“And I’ve never met anybody with behavioral rituals who doesn’t also engage in mental rituals.”

[00:33:06] Setting boundaries with anxiety or OCD

• Not looking at social media or certain websites
• Stop reassurance seeking or providing
• Refusing to engage in behavior – moving through the distress for long term recovery

 “And it just bothers me that I know there are people suffering and it’s not a joke for them.”

Where to Find Joanna

• • Website – JoannaHardis.com
  • Instagram – @JoannaHardis
  • LinkedIn – Joanna Hardis

Resource

International OCD Foundation | Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (iocdf.org)

Credits and Thanks

• Many thanks to our friends and families (our “villagers”) for listening, and for your continued support.
• That’s a Hard No is a production of Clever Girl Marketing
• Marketing and Production Coordinator, Maura Del Rosario
• Production Support, Evergreen Podcasts, Noah Foutz, Producer
• New Rock Anthem Music: Written by Noah, and performed by his band, The Big Leagues
• Videographer & Photographer, Jake Donnelly