Podcast Summary: Full OCD Recovery: Active Non-Engagement In OCD

Podcast: OCD Recovery
Host: Ali Greymond
Episode Date: December 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this succinct, practical episode, Ali Greymond delves into the concept of "active non-engagement" as a core skill for achieving full recovery from OCD. Drawing on her extensive experience as a coach and survivor, Ali explains how OCD "spikes" demand attention by provoking distressing thoughts, and how true recovery hinges on resisting both mental and physical compulsions—not by ignoring triggers passively, but by actively choosing not to engage.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is Active Non-Engagement?

• Definition:
  • Active non-engagement means deliberately choosing not to respond to intrusive thoughts, whether through mental analysis or behavioral rituals.
• OCD’s Mechanism:
  • OCD presents individuals with distressing thoughts tailored to what triggers them most (e.g., harm, contamination, relationship doubts).
  • The disorder “wants you to engage”—either by solving, checking, avoiding, or analyzing.

2. How to Practice Active Non-Engagement

• Recognize the Pattern:
  • When an “OCD spike” (an intrusive thought or urge) appears, understand why it happened (“because you have OCD”) and what it wants from you (your engagement).
• Make an Active Choice:
  • “You’re making an active choice to not engage. And then you're continuing to go about the day.” (Ali, 01:01)
• Ongoing Process:
  • Intrusive thoughts may repeatedly return, often from different angles. Each time, consciously choose to not engage, reinforcing this pattern throughout the day.
• Persistence is Key:
  • “You disregarded, right? You didn’t engage. Two seconds later comes in again […] Again you’re choosing not to engage.” (Ali, 01:24)
  • This iterative process of non-engagement is central to breaking the OCD cycle.

3. Compulsions: Mental and Physical

• OCD seeks engagement through multiple routes:
  • Mental analysis, seeking reassurance, avoidance, physical checking, or other compulsions.
  • The core principle—do not engage, regardless of the compulsion’s form.

4. The Universality and Personalization of OCD Themes

• While OCD manifests in a limited set of themes (e.g., harm, contamination, sexuality, scrupulosity), their power is rooted in personal relevance:
  • “There’s only certain amount of different themes because that's what triggers human beings generally. And one triggers one person more than the other, depending on how they view the world and their life circumstances…” (Ali, 00:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Active Non-Engagement:
  “You're making an active choice to not engage. And then you're continuing to go about the day.” (Ali, 01:01)

• On the Repetitiveness of OCD:
  “Two seconds later it comes in again, either exactly the same or maybe from a new angle. And again you’re choosing not to engage.” (Ali, 01:24)

• On Why OCD Chooses Certain Themes:
  “That's why OCD will give you the worst possible thoughts. What specifically triggers you. That's why there's only certain amount of different themes because that's what triggers human beings generally…” (Ali, 00:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:14 – 00:57:
  Explanation of OCD’s need for engagement and why it targets certain themes.

• 01:01 – 01:50:
  Step-by-step breakdown of “active non-engagement” and how to respond to recurring thoughts.

• 01:24:
  Memorable quote: Persistent, repetitive nature of OCD spikes and the ongoing need for non-engagement.

Episode Takeaways

• Recovery from OCD relies on the daily, conscious practice of active non-engagement—consistently refusing to satisfy OCD’s demand for engagement, even in the face of recurring, distressing intrusive thoughts.
• Understanding that spikes are expected and personal, and resilience is built through repeatedly making the choice not to engage.

For one-on-one support, Ali Greymond offers coaching at youhaveocd.com.