OCD Recovery Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode: ERP For Pure-O OCD

Host: Ali Greymond
Date: December 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ali Greymond explores effective techniques for tackling Pure-O (Primarily Obsessional) OCD using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Drawing from her personal and professional experience, Ali delves into practical, actionable methods for responding to intrusive thoughts with the goal of promoting lasting recovery and reducing the power OCD holds in daily life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Living Parallel to Your Thoughts

• Concept: Treat intrusive thoughts as background "noise"—like a neighbor yelling through the wall.
• Advice: Acknowledge the thought's presence without interacting or analyzing.
  • “Imagine that the thought is your next door neighbor... you hear him, but you are living your own life on the other side of that wall.” (00:32)
• Goal: Go about your daily activities, accepting the uncertainty that thoughts bring without feeling compelled to respond.

2. Managing Emotions During ERP

• Reality Check: Not feeling good during recovery work is normal—don’t expect immediate relief.
  • “You shouldn't even really look at the feelings that much throughout the day… the feelings, the way they are right now, is kind of the brain's response of how you've been taking OCD thoughts…” (01:24)
• Tip: Evaluate your reactions over the past two weeks when reflecting on your current emotional state.

3. Handling Stress and Setbacks

• Influencers: Events like holidays or stress can intensify OCD, making exposures feel harder.
• Core Message: Your reaction remains the most crucial part of recovery, especially under stress.
  • “If you’re doing good but there’s also a lot of pressure... you have to make up for that extra pressure because more thoughts are coming in when you’re stressed out.” (03:12)

4. ERP for Pure-O: Focus on Mental Actions

• Key Question: What are you doing when the thought comes—are you analyzing, checking, asking, confessing?
• Warning: Engaging with the thought in any of these ways is “a step back.”
  • “If you can’t refuse, because in the beginning it’s very, very difficult to refuse… at least try to delay.” (05:03)

5. The Power of Delay

• Practical Strategy: Start by postponing rumination instead of engaging immediately.
  • Example: “If I start to ruminate at 9am, I’m going to be terrible by noon... I’m not gonna ruminate at 9 o’clock. No, thank you. I’m gonna at least wait until 1 o’clock... Now you’ve cut out quite a few hours of rumination.” (05:47)
• Build Up: Gradually increase the time you can delay and work towards refusing entirely.

6. Challenging Common OCD Traps

• Myth-Busting: Don’t fall for the belief that solving just one thought will end the OCD cycle.
  • “Don’t fall into the trap of, if I just solve this one thought, it will all be okay. It will not.” (07:14)
• Refuse/Delay: Continuously aim to reduce time spent ruminating for sustained recovery.

7. Understanding the Recovery Process

• Brain Analogy: OCD thought cycles are like a wheel spinning—compulsions fuel it. When you stop compulsions, the wheel slows down gradually.
  • “The motor being your compulsions… Now you stop the motor, but the wheel is spinning from that past energy... the brain starts to heal.” (08:24)
• Residual Energy: Expect some thoughts to linger after stopping compulsions; this is normal.

8. Everyone Gets Intrusive Thoughts

• Reassurance: Intrusive or “weird” thoughts are common—having them isn’t unique to OCD, it’s how you react that matters.
  • “People without OCD get the same thoughts as people with OCD… it's just the reaction.” (09:30)

9. Avoiding the ‘Am I Recovered?’ Trap

• Pitfall: Monitoring your recovery too closely can itself become a new obsession.
  • “If you always keep looking over your shoulder… now your OCD from whatever the theme was before has now become, ‘Am I recovered?’ That becomes your main theme.” (10:55)
• Advice: Progress is often gradual—isolate from anxiety about recovery itself.

10. Consistency is Key for Recovery

• Encouragement: If you consistently cut down on rumination and avoid responding to thoughts, recovery is inevitable.
  • “As long as you reduce the numbers, you will recover. Now, it’s just the speed of it… but you’re already on that road from point A, where you are now, to point B, full recovery.” (07:32, 12:15)
• Inspiration: “You can recover from this. You just have to put the work in.” (12:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Imagine that the thought is your next door neighbor… you hear him, but you are living your own life on the other side of that wall.” (00:32)
• “Don’t fall into the trap of, if I just solve this one thought, it will all be okay. It will not.” (07:14)
• “The motor being your compulsions… Now you stop the motor, but the wheel is spinning from that past energy.” (08:24)
• “People without OCD get the same thoughts as people with OCD… it’s just the reaction.” (09:30)
• “If you always keep looking over your shoulder… now your OCD from whatever the theme was before has now become, ‘Am I recovered?’” (10:55)
• “You can recover from this. You just have to put the work in.” (12:52)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:32 – Living parallel to your thoughts analogy
• 01:24 – Feeling bad during exposures is normal
• 03:12 – Coping with stress and OCD spikes
• 05:03 – Refusing or delaying rumination
• 05:47 – Practical delay example
• 07:14 – Dispelling the “just solve one thought” myth
• 08:24 – The brain/wheel analogy
• 09:30 – Everyone gets intrusive thoughts
• 10:55 – The “Am I recovered?” trap
• 12:15 – Consistency and patience in recovery
• 12:52 – Affirmation: You can recover

Final Thoughts

Ali Greymond’s approach in this episode is rooted in lived experience, empathy, and practical strategies, emphasizing that Pure-O recovery is both possible and gradual. Her clear, encouraging tone and analogies make ERP accessible for anyone struggling with obsessive thoughts, highlighting that consistent practice—not perfection—leads to true freedom from OCD.