OCD Family Podcast

S4E150: Voices of OCD: Stories That Help Break The Silence

Host: Nicole Morris, LMFT
Date: November 1, 2025

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode is a powerful look at how public figures and athletes are using their platforms to share their experiences with OCD, break stigma, and show the many ways OCD can manifest. Host Nicole Morris weaves together stories from celebrities, professional athletes, and their loved ones—exploring the nuances of OCD beyond stereotypes, the far-reaching impact on families, experiences with therapy and medication, and the journey toward self-compassion and hope.

Nicole highlights the critical difference between awareness and understanding, emphasizing how OCD is more than a stereotype about cleanliness—it's a painful, often invisible, and deeply distressing disorder affecting people of any background.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. OCD: Beyond Stereotypes ([03:20]-[06:29])

• Nicole opens by reflecting on common misconceptions: “OCD is not a personality quirk, but it's a painful, exhausting, intrusive, distressing disorder marked by intrusive thoughts, obsessional doubts, distressing uncertainty, and compulsions that can take over someone's life.”
• OCD doesn't discriminate by race, gender, religion, or socioeconomic status; it affects celebrities and everyday people alike.

2. Sheena Shay: Battling OCD & Perinatal Trauma ([06:29]-[14:48])

• Sheena Shay, actress and IOCDF award winner, recalls childhood obsessions but notes, "I knew that it was definitely more than just the organization and the cleanliness and, you know, germs and all of that. It's the intrusive thoughts. So being able to finally openly speak about that and just know that I'm not alone...that helped me so much." ([06:38])
• She describes OCD spiking after miscarriage and during pregnancy: extreme anxiety, obsession over possible harm to her baby, and intrusive thoughts.
• Sheena hid her symptoms, fearing misdiagnosis as postpartum depression: “There were a few [questions] that I lied on because...I don't want them to put me on meds and diagnose me as, you know, postpartum depression, because that's not what this is.” ([13:46])
• Insight: Postpartum/perinatal OCD is real but under-screened; stigma and fear of misunderstanding keep many silent.

3. Braden & Courtney Smith: Scrupulosity and the Athlete’s Mind ([17:08]-[32:51])

• Braden Smith, NFL player, discusses religious OCD (scrupulosity) and the inner torment of compulsive mental rituals: “There's the actual, real, true living God and then there's my OCD God...The OCD God is this condemning...every wrong move you make, like it's smacking like the ruler against its hand.” ([20:06])
• He details his spiral: “...it got to the point where it's so bad. I was, I was a month away from putting a bullet through my brains, like it was that bad.” ([21:26])
• Therapy and medication (“pharmaceuticals”) helped incrementally, but recovery was not linear.
• Courtney Smith, Braden’s wife, describes the difficulty of identifying OCD when symptoms don’t match stereotypes and the toll of repetitive reassurance-seeking: “I just think that for a long time, it was fixated on things like football...why would we question the routines? Because this is what he’s always done.” ([29:42])
• The importance of a strong, educated support network and the resilience of loved ones shines throughout their story.

4. Athletes & OCD: Zane Gonzalez and Aly Raisman ([36:38]-[47:45])

• Zane Gonzalez, NFL kicker, notes how OCD was normalized (and sometimes misattributed to "Type A" traits) in high-pressure environments: “For me, it's something that started at a young age...intrusive thoughts like hurting people's feelings...it kind of takes a toll and to the point where it'll linger on for weeks, months...” ([36:38])
• Zane’s family history of OCD/mental illness contributed to early awareness, but anger and shame were major hurdles.
• Aly Raisman, Olympic gymnast, recalls how compulsions started as superstitions in gymnastics and grew into disruptive, distressing routines: “If I did well, I would try to emulate how to do that again so that I would be safe...if I, you know, touch something a certain amount of times...that would help me.” ([41:11])
• Aly’s OCD led to functional impairment—directly impacting competition performance—until a teammate intervened.
• Both emphasize how OCD is often invisible and misunderstood, especially in environments where perfectionism and ritualized behavior are normalized.

5. Camila Cabello & Jake Shane: Candid OCD and Medication Talk ([56:45]-[61:37])

• Camila Cabello and Jake Shane (host): Openly discuss their experiences with medication (“Lexapro, Prozac”), anxiety, and the evolving nature of OCD themes.
  • Camila: “Mine used to be like...if you don't touch things this amount of times, like, your friends are gonna get mad at you. Like, that was mine.” ([58:06])
  • Jake on childhood compulsions: “You have to hug your parents for 12 seconds or they will get cancer.” ([59:02])
• The dialogue covers cultural and personal stigma around medication, initial family resistance, and the immense relief and life change the right medication and therapy can bring (“I wouldn't be here if it changed my life.” [59:37])
• Functional impairment: both describe how OCD made school and work nearly impossible at times before proper treatment.

6. Howie Mandel: OCD as Creative & Personal Double-Edged Sword ([64:41]-[71:57])

• Howie Mandel, comedian and TV personality, reflects: “This issue is the driving force in my life more than comedy, more than anything, it's what propels me or blocks me.”
• Howie describes a life ruled by intrusive thoughts and avoidance (not shaking hands for years), the role of therapy and “pharmaceuticals,” and deep regret for not seeking help sooner: “If I have any regret, it's that it took me till my mid-40s to identify, help myself, and I put a lot of people through a lot of hell because of the hell that I was going through.” ([67:05])
• He explores how comedy was both a survival strategy and a way to process pain: “Everything I was ever punished for, expelled for, gotten in trouble for...is what I get paid for. My go to panacea is laughter.”
• Advice to others: “Sharing...help is here”, encouraging connection and therapy ([71:19]).

7. The Power of Community & Accurate Representation ([33:32]-[34:00] and throughout)

• Nicole and guests repeatedly drive home the theme: “OCD latches onto what we value. It’s part of the cruelty of this disorder...when people speak out, it chips away at that stigma.”
• Public figures using their platforms to show the painful realities—and hope—of OCD open doors for others to get help.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nicole Morris (on the need for accurate awareness):

  "OCD does not discriminate. OCD doesn't care what color you are, what gender you are, what sexual orientation you are or religion you are. It does not care about your socioeconomic status...it can affect you as a child...or as an adult and everywhere in between." ([03:30])

• Sheena Shay (on intrusive maternal fears):

  "There was one time I ate expired sour cream...I started freaking out, 'Oh my God, I'm gonna kill her.'...it was just obsessing over everything...I was gonna harm her." ([10:16])

• Braden Smith (on scrupulosity):

  "There's the actual, real, true living God and then there's my OCD God. And the OCD God is this condemning... every wrong move you make...you're out of here." ([20:06])

• Howie Mandel (comedy and OCD):

  "Everything I was ever punished for...is what I get paid for. My go to panacea is laughter—if I don't laugh, I'll cry." ([68:35])

• Aly Raisman (on compulsions in sports):

  "I would try to emulate how to do that again so that I would be safe. And I think when I was younger, I really believed that that would be the difference..." ([41:11])

• Zane Gonzalez (on support):

  "Finding the right people, the right support are so important. And that is you, family." ([55:09])

• Camila Cabello (on therapy and meds):

  "My meds really helped. It was during COVID...it must happen right now. And they changed my life. I wouldn't be here if it changed my life." ([59:37])

• Howie Mandel (to families):

  "If I could take this opportunity to make a public apology to anybody who's ever spent any dark time with me, I apologize...I think I'm better today than...I was 20 years ago." ([67:05])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:20] – Nicole sets up the episode's different approach: elevating public voices to combat stigma.
• [06:38] – Sheena Shay details her childhood OCD and the reality vs. stereotypes.
• [10:16] – Sheena’s postpartum OCD and the spiral of intrusive maternal fears.
• [17:08] – Braden Smith on recognizing scrupulosity and the power of finding someone who gets it.
• [20:06] – Braden’s battle with “OCD God” and the crushing mental compulsions.
• [21:26] – Braden on suicidality and reaching out for support.
• [26:55] – Compulsions' impact on Braden & Courtney’s marriage.
• [29:42] – Courtney’s realization OCD was present long before diagnosis.
• [36:38] – Zane’s early OCD, intrusive thoughts, and family genetics.
• [41:11] – Aly Raisman on the illusion of control through rituals in gymnastics.
• [44:35] – Aly on functional impairment and the turning point in her career.
• [56:45] – Camila Cabello & Jake Shane’s frank, stigma-breaking conversation about meds.
• [64:41] – Howie Mandel: OCD’s overpowering influence, treatment, and reflection on relationships.
• [67:05] – Howie’s public apology to those affected by his untreated OCD.
• [68:35] – Howie on comedy as survival and his relationship with “darkness.”
• [71:19] – Howie’s core advice: seek help and community.

Takeaways & Resources

• OCD manifests far beyond "quirks"—intrusive thoughts and compulsions can be about harm, religion, responsibility, and almost any valued aspect of a person’s life.
• Recovery is nonlinear and can include therapy, medication, self-compassion, and support from loved ones and professionals.
• Stigma is a real barrier but is gradually eroded when public figures share candidly.
• Support teams matter. Family, friends, and understanding professionals make a tremendous difference.
• Seek out evidence-based treatment (ERP, I-CBT) and don’t give up if the first therapist or medication isn’t the right fit.

Final Reflections

Nicole closes by reminding us:

“Whether we're little old us, Mr. Howie Mandel, or hey, a six time Olympic medalist, we've learned and we know that we are not alone and we are better together. And that's no trick. All treat.” ([72:00])

Further Resources & Full Interviews:
Find links to all the interviews and referenced blogs at OCD Family Podcast website.

Note:
Any references to therapy or medication are the result of individual circumstances; listeners are encouraged to consult qualified professionals for their unique needs.