The harder you try to control your thoughts, the more it controls you
Get to know OCD18 Mar 2025

The harder you try to control your thoughts, the more it controls you

When we try to control every thought that enters our mind, we unknowingly give it more power. The harder we fight intrusive thoughts or uncomfortable feelings, the more they seem to persist. Brenna Posey, a member of NOCD, shares how this cycle kept her stuck and how she learned — through therapy and experience — that true freedom comes from allowing thoughts to come and go without reacting to them.

Learning to sit with uncertainty is one of the most challenging but life-changing skills for managing OCD. In this video, Brenna explains why resisting anxiety only fuels it and how changing your response can break the cycle. She also offers practical strategies to help you step away from compulsions and regain control —not over your thoughts, but over how you respond to them.

Exposure and Response Prevention therapy helped Brenna manage her OCD, and it might do the same for you. If you want to explore treatment options with our team, book a free 15-minute call at https://learn.nocd.com/podcast

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Episoder(196)

OCD Through the Generations: What’s Changed (and What Hasn’t)

OCD Through the Generations: What’s Changed (and What Hasn’t)

Brenna Posey and Tracie Ibrahim grew up in very different eras, but both know the weight of OCD. In this conversation, they reflect on what it was like to struggle before OCD was widely understood, ho...

14 Sep 202535min

The Postpartum Struggle No One Talks About: OCD

The Postpartum Struggle No One Talks About: OCD

Julia Hale is an OCD therapist, but nothing prepared her for the wave of intrusive thoughts and crushing doubt that hit after giving birth. Like many new parents, she had only ever heard postpartum de...

11 Sep 202547min

When famous people actually get OCD right...

When famous people actually get OCD right...

Nicole Rafiee didn't realize she had OCD, partly because TV and movies told her it only looked like spotless kitchens, color-coded closets, or a punchline. Meanwhile, her experience was constant spira...

7 Sep 202518min

Is OCD Genetic? Here's What The Science Says

Is OCD Genetic? Here's What The Science Says

When families first hear their child has OCD, many wonder if they somehow caused it. Dr. Evelyn Stewart has spent her career studying those fears — and the science tells a different story. She explain...

4 Sep 202545min

Does OCD Look Different By Gender?

Does OCD Look Different By Gender?

OCD does NOT affect men and women the same way. In fact, research tells us there are many differences in how the disorder affects each gender. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains what those di...

29 Aug 20255min

How To Parent A Child With OCD (Without Making It WORSE)

How To Parent A Child With OCD (Without Making It WORSE)

When your child has OCD, it’s natural to want to help — but some of the most common parenting instincts can accidentally make things worse. OCD and anxiety therapist Natasha Daniels knows this firstha...

28 Aug 202542min

Why OCD Can Make You Obsess Over Breathing and Blinking

Why OCD Can Make You Obsess Over Breathing and Blinking

Most people don’t think twice about breathing, blinking, or swallowing food — your body just does it automatically. But for some, OCD turns those simple functions into constant obsessions. This is cal...

24 Aug 20259min

The Brain Treatment That Interrupts OCD Signals

The Brain Treatment That Interrupts OCD Signals

Deep brain stimulation is one of the most advanced treatments for severe OCD. It involves implanting tiny electrodes into specific brain circuits and delivering continuous, low-level electrical pulses...

21 Aug 202542min

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