Get to know OCD3 Apr 2025

I Bake For A Living And Battle OCD Every Day

Ally Duncan built a career most people dream about. As a full-time content creator in the food space, she’s known for her intricate cakes, playful tiny baking videos, and a vibrant online presence. What her audience didn’t see, for years, was how much work it took to succeed while quietly managing OCD.

OCD shows up in her kitchen in ways most people wouldn’t notice — counting food coloring drops, checking for perfect symmetry on cupcakes, or feeling the urge to fix every imperfection. It’s exhausting, and it never fully turns off. But Ally’s learned to live with it, work through it, and keep showing up for what she loves.

After years of staying quiet about her mental health, Ally started sharing her story. What she found wasn’t judgment — it was community. That response is what pushed her to keep speaking up. Because if talking about OCD helps even one person feel less alone, it’s worth it, she tells us.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:12 Ally’s background
4:16 How OCD has affected Ally’s life
8:07 Symmetry OCD is present when Ally bakes
10:28 Ally’s therapy experience
12:42 Ally has a phrase to combat OCD
13:47 Being open about OCD struggles
16:11 How Ally’s OCD has changed throughout her life
19:07 How hormones affect Ally’s OCD
21:29 OCD-themed cake?
23:05 Ally’s partner is very supportive
25:29 The difficulties of getting specialized OCD treatment
28:58 Virtual mental healthcare is just as effective as in-person
31:50 Biggest breakthroughs Ally experienced
33:42 Why Ally became an OCD advocate
35:15 How Ally got into baking and content
39:38 OCD flareups happen
42:00 The shock of learning a behavior is a compulsion
44:45 Advice from Ally

Want to try ERP therapy like Ally? NOCD offers proven, specialized treatment for OCD. Start your journey by visiting https://learn.nocd.com/podcast

Follow us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/

https://twitter.com/treatmyocd

https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(227)

When Binge-Watching And Doomscrolling Becomes An OCD Compulsion

By itself, "watching one more" episode or scrolling through social media isn't an issue. But if you're using screens to escape your own intrusive thoughts, anxiety, or uncomfortable feelings, that mig...

23 Jul 0s

I Wanted To Make A Bigger Impact As A Therapist

Dylan Mckelroy didn't become a therapist just to listen — he wanted to help people make meaningful, lasting change. After working in community mental health, he found himself searching for a more effe...

19 Jul 19min

Emilia Fart Reveals The OCD Behind Her Online Persona

To millions online, Emilia Fart appears fearless, creative, and completely unapologetic. But behind that persona, OCD was quietly dictating her daily life. It influenced her relationships, her creativ...

16 Jul 39min

Stop Trying To Make Bad Thoughts Go Away

The first instinct after an intrusive thought is usually to get rid of it. You tell yourself it isn't true. You try to prove it wrong. You replay it in your head, search for certainty, or avoid anythi...

12 Jul 5min

Why You Can't Think Your Way Out Of OCD

When you have OCD, thinking can feel like the solution. You replay conversations, analyze your memories, research every possibility, and search for the one answer that will finally bring certainty. Bu...

9 Jul 4min

The Hidden Behaviors Keeping Your OCD Alive

Most people know that compulsions keep OCD going. What many don't realize is that some of the behaviors feeding OCD are much harder to recognize. Rumination, avoidance, reassurance-seeking, distractio...

5 Jul 6min

Why OCD Therapy Did NOT Work The First Time

Trying therapy for OCD once doesn't always mean you received the right treatment. Many people leave therapy believing it "didn't work," when in reality they were never treated with exposure and respon...

2 Jul 6min

Why OCD Says You Can't Live Until You Feel Better

OCD has a way of convincing you that life can wait. If you can just find the right answer, get rid of the anxiety, or finally feel "okay," then you'll be able to relax and enjoy yourself. But that mom...

28 Jun 5min