OCD Straight Talk

Building off of the last two episodes, Chris discusses common errors made in exposure-work. These concepts aren't new to the podcast; but they are ... common mistakes. What that means is that you're probably doing them. And the reality is that exposure therapy generally doesn't work very well if we're committing one or both of these mistakes. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com. Or if you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving us a 5-star review or subscribing to OCD Straight Talk for more structured help with you anxiety- or OCD-symptoms.

In this episode, Chris faces his relationship-OCD and does what's called, an imaginal exposure. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com. If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving us a 5-star review, and subscribing to the podcast for more structured help with your anxiety- or OCD-symptoms.

Chris talks through a few erroneous but common ideas of exposure therapy. These are mistakes made by both consumers and inexperienced therapists. He then explains four components of good exposure therapy. If done properly, these generally render exposure-work effective but uncomfortable. 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 structured help with you anxiety- and OCD-symptoms.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.