Episode Overview
Podcast: OCD Recovery
Host: Ali Greymond
Episode: 🧠 You Can Also Do Additional Exposures With OCD Tracking
Date: July 1, 2026
This episode focuses on the importance of purposeful exposure work in OCD recovery. Ali Greymond discusses how individuals can use the OCD Help app to intentionally face avoided situations, integrate additional exposures into their recovery process, and understand when extra confrontations may (or may not) be necessary. She emphasizes the concept that daily life itself often provides sufficient exposure for many, but personalizing exposure can be helpful for some.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Using the OCD Help App for Additional Exposure Work
- [00:00] Ali introduces a feature in the OCD Help app designed for intentional exposure:
- The app now includes an area where users can log and practice exposures they may be avoiding in everyday life.
- Purpose of Additional Exposures:
- Ali explains that while everyday life often presents natural exposures for people with OCD, sometimes individuals realize there are specific situations they're actively avoiding.
- She highlights the value of facing these avoided triggers in a structured, deliberate way—using the app feature to track and support this process.
Recognizing Avoidance Patterns
- Ali gives examples of avoidance, pointing out that:
"If you feel like you are avoiding something all the time that normal people—quote unquote normal, no one's really normal—but people who don’t have OCD don’t avoid, but you are avoiding—that's the area where you can go and practice additional exposures."
— Ali Greymond, [00:07]
- This underscores the difference between natural caution and avoidance driven by OCD, helping listeners self-identify areas needing attention.
When Additional Exposure Is Necessary
- For most people, Ali states, everyday life already provides many exposure opportunities:
- Additional exposures are not a requirement for everyone; the recovery process should be adaptive to individual needs.
- However, for those who feel they're insufficiently facing certain fears, purposely confronting those situations can be beneficial to long-term OCD recovery.
Memorable Quotes & Moments
“Normal people—quote unquote normal, no one’s really normal—but people who don’t have OCD don’t avoid, but you are avoiding.”
— Ali Greymond, [00:07]
- On Assessing Your Own Exposure Needs:
“For most people, they don’t need additional exposures because everyday life is already an exposure. But if you feel like there’s something that you are avoiding, or there’s something that you could face more but you’re not facing often enough, that’s the area where you can go to add that to your recovery process.”
— Ali Greymond, [00:18]
Important Timestamps
- [00:00] – Introduction to additional exposures in the OCD Help app
- [00:07] – Explaining avoidance and differentiating from neurotypical behavior
- [00:18] – Deciding if you need extra exposures and adapting your recovery tools
Final Thoughts
Ali Greymond encourages listeners to honestly assess their avoidance patterns and make use of available tools—like the app’s exposure tracker—when appropriate. Her guidance emphasizes flexibility: not everyone requires additional exposures, but self-awareness and willingness to challenge avoidance are crucial. Her tone is practical, supportive, and grounded in personal and professional experience.
