Podcast Summary: "If OCD Turns Thanksgiving Into a Spiral, Do This"

Podcast: Get to know OCD
Host: Dr. Patrick McGrath (NOCD's Chief Clinical Officer)
Date: November 27, 2025

Main Theme

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Dr. Patrick McGrath explores how Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can interfere with holiday experiences, particularly Thanksgiving. He shares practical mindset shifts and behavioral strategies to help listeners prevent OCD from hijacking the holiday, emphasizing self-compassion, imperfection, and the value of community.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Gratitude as an Antidote to OCD (00:00–01:15)

• Dr. McGrath opens by expressing gratitude for his work, support systems, and the unknowns of the future, humorously noting that "OCD would not like that" uncertainty.
• Quote:

  “OCD wants you to know everything that’s going to happen and how it goes.” (01:04)

2. How OCD Can Disrupt Thanksgiving (01:15–02:20)

• He personifies OCD as an unwanted guest poised to cause chaos at family gatherings.
• OCD can manifest as the urge to control things—to make the house perfect, avoid uncomfortable conversations, and prevent mistakes.
• Quote:

  “Maybe you'll have a better way of approaching Thanksgiving without OCD being a guest that tries to spill the wine all over the table and throw the turkey across the room.” (01:20)

3. Embracing Imperfection (02:20–03:10)

• Dr. McGrath recommends intentionally placing something slightly out of place as a learning experience.
• Quote:

  “The setup doesn’t have to be perfect… Allow that to be there and learn that you can handle that.” (02:27)

4. Letting Conversations Flow (03:10–04:07)

• Family gatherings can bring up challenging topics (politics, religion). It’s okay not to control every conversation or emotional reaction.
• Step in if needed, but don’t dwell or overanalyze afterward.
• Practice letting go—perfection in social interactions isn’t attainable.
• Quote:

  “Go ahead, step in and say something, and then go back to doing what you were doing instead of fretting…” (03:50)

5. Focusing on Community, Not Perfection (04:07–04:53)

• The essence of the holiday is togetherness, not flawless food or decor.
• Quote:

  “When people leave, the thing they'll remember the most is the time that they had, and not one individual piece of food or one individual person.” (04:38)

6. Disputing OCD’s Lies (04:53–06:00)

• OCD convinces sufferers they must be in control or disaster will follow.
• “If OCD did actually tell the truth, my job would be to give OCD out to everybody… Nobody would want that.” (05:48)
• One of OCD’s “great lies” is that it is needed to function or survive.

7. Redefining Recovery (06:00–07:01)

• Recovery doesn’t mean never having unwanted thoughts or urges; it means learning to live with them.
• Dr. McGrath normalizes intrusive thoughts: “All of us have thoughts, images, and urges that we may not like, and we learn how to handle them and live with them.” (06:21)
• Overcoming OCD is about accepting discomfort, not eradicating it.

8. Navigating Holiday Pressures (07:01–07:48)

• Holidays bring added pressures and stress, which OCD “loves.”
• OCD falsely claims it can help with stress, but it only complicates things.
• Quote:

  “OCD doesn’t ever add anything that makes anything better whatsoever. It only muddies the water. It only stirs the pot. But not in the way you want the pot to be stirred, let me tell you.” (07:36)

9. Embracing Mistakes and Celebrating (07:48–End)

• Thanksgiving is a day for making mistakes, for letting things go, and for choosing gratitude over compulsions.
• Quote:

  “This is a day that you can make a choice. And that choice is, I choose to be thankful today for the way things go and not to try to make things go the way OCD wants them to go.” (08:06)

• Listeners are encouraged to live their own lives, not lives dictated by OCD.

10. Practical Recommendation and Sign-Off

• Consider trying a few therapy sessions before the holidays to develop coping tools.
• Invitation to connect with NOCD for support.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “OCD wants you to know everything that’s going to happen and how it goes.” — Dr. McGrath (01:04)
• “Allow that to be there and learn that you can handle that.” — On imperfection (02:27)
• “Go ahead, step in and say something, and then go back to doing what you were doing instead of fretting…” — On handling difficult conversations (03:50)
• “If OCD did actually tell the truth, my job would be to give OCD out to everybody… Nobody would want that.” — On the fallacy of needing OCD (05:48)
• “OCD doesn’t ever add anything that makes anything better whatsoever. It only muddies the water…” — On OCD’s unhelpfulness (07:36)
• “I choose to be thankful today for the way things go and not to try to make things go the way OCD wants them to go.” — Key message (08:06)

Key Timestamps

• 00:00–01:15 — Gratitude and thanksgiving frame
• 01:15–02:20 — How OCD disrupts holidays
• 02:20–03:10 — Embracing imperfection
• 03:10–04:07 — Managing conversations
• 04:07–04:53 — Community over perfection
• 04:53–06:00 — Disputing OCD’s lies
• 06:00–07:01 — Redefining recovery
• 07:01–07:48 — OCD and holiday stress
• 07:48–End — Gratitude, choices, and sign-off

Takeaway

This episode is a reassuring, actionable guide for anyone struggling with OCD around the holidays. Dr. McGrath stresses that Thanksgiving need not be perfect to be joyful and that letting go of compulsive control is a core part of recovery. Focusing on community, tolerating uncertainty, and making intentional choices are key to keeping OCD from dominating the holiday experience.