How To Deal With Holidays And OCD - OCD Recovery

Summary3 min read

Podcast Summary: “How To Deal With Holidays And OCD”

Podcast: OCD Recovery
Host: Ali Greymond
Date: December 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ali Greymond addresses the particular struggles that people with OCD face during the holiday season. She shares her own experiences, gives concrete advice for managing OCD during gatherings and celebrations, and emphasizes the importance of focusing on long-term recovery rather than putting pressure on oneself for short-term happiness during the holidays.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Pressure of Holiday Expectations

Social Pressure to Be Happy:
During the holidays, there's a lot of pressure from friends and family to appear happy and festive, but for people with OCD, acting cheerful can feel impossible and exhausting.

“There’s always this pressure from other people ... you have to almost, like, put on a show. And the person with OCD just can’t. They’re already, you know, at their limit. So it becomes very, very difficult.” — Ali Greymond [00:15]
The Reality of OCD During Holidays:
It's common to feel out of place or unable to enjoy festivities. Ali normalizes this experience and explains it's okay not to fulfill external expectations.

“This year you might not enjoy it, and that’s okay. Don’t put that pressure on yourself. You are in the state of overcoming something very difficult in your life.” — Ali Greymond [01:10]

A Shift in Perspective: The Long-Term View

Focus on Recovery, Not Perfection:
Ali encourages listeners to adopt a broader perspective, prioritizing their recovery journey over fleeting moments of discomfort during social events.

“The most important thing is that this year, after these holidays are done, this year—2026—is going to be the year that I will do the work, and I will fully recover. That’s going to be my achievement this year.” — Ali Greymond [00:47]
Let Go of Performance:
She advises against trying to “perform” or act for others’ sake during gatherings. This decreases unnecessary stress and helps keep the focus on healing:

“The more pressure you put on yourself to act, perform for other people ... it’s unnecessary pressure. You don’t need it. Focus on disregarding, on the recovery.” — Ali Greymond [01:38]

Practical Advice for the Holidays

Set Reasonable Expectations:
The host recommends treating the holiday as just another day, rather than a test of recovery or willpower.

“If you don’t enjoy it, if it’s not going to be the best holiday ever, it’s fine. This is the year that you’re gonna recover. This is the year. That’s the most important thing.” — Ali Greymond [01:57]
Focus on Recovery Tools:
Instead of obsessing over perfect participation or enjoyment, Ali suggests paying attention to avoiding compulsions, reducing rumination, and practicing disregard for OCD thoughts.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Don’t put that pressure on yourself. You are in the state of overcoming something very difficult in your life. So it’s just gonna be how it’s gonna be. It’s fine.” — Ali Greymond [01:10]
“Another year—the most important thing. Try to hold on to that.” — Ali Greymond [02:00]

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:15 — The pressure to be cheerful and “perform” at holiday gatherings
00:47 — Setting the intention for long-term recovery in the new year
01:10 — Giving permission not to enjoy the holiday, and not to judge yourself
01:38 — Letting go of performance and focusing on OCD recovery
01:57 — Emphasizing long-term achievement over temporary discomfort

Summary Takeaway

Ali Greymond’s advice is clear and empathetic: If you’re struggling with OCD, don’t let the holiday season become another source of suffering through forced positivity or social performance. Instead, accept that it might feel difficult—and that’s okay. Prioritize your recovery over perfection, use the holiday period as an opportunity to practice your skills, and remember: the real achievement is the long-term work you do for yourself, not whether you appear festive for a few hours.

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Transcript3 lines

[00:00]
A
I'm Ali Graymond. I'm an expert in OCD recovery because for the last 19 years, I've been helping people fully recover from OCD. If you would like to do personal coaching with me, all the information is on youhubocd.com you can sign up from there.
[00:15]
B
Today I want to talk to you about the holiday season and how difficult it is for people when they're dealing with OCD and to be in a good mood or to pretend to be in a good mood. And there's always this pressure from other people that, well, you're going to somebody's house or some. Somebody's coming to your house, and, you know, you have to almost, like, put on a show. And the person with OCD just can't. They're. They're already, you know, at their limit. So it becomes very, very difficult. And I remember how it was for me, and, like, I hear these stories all the time where it's, like, it's just hard. So the way I want you to approach it is to say, you know what? The most important thing is that this year, after the. These holidays are done, this year, 2026 is going to be the year that I will do the work and I will fully recover. That's going to be my achievement this year. What happens during this holiday of a few hours at the. The guests play, like being a guest somewhere or having the guests by your place, whatever, who cares? It's just a few hours, and it really, at the end of the day, even if you're kind of putting pressure on yourself to, I have to enjoy it. Well, this year you might not enjoy it, and that's okay. Don't put that pressure on yourself. You are in the state of overcoming something very difficult in your life. So it's just gonna be how it's gonna be. It's fine. Try to treat it like that. Because the more pressure you put on yourself to act, perform for other people, to, you know, all of this stuff, it's unnecessary pressure. You don't need it. Focus on disregarding on the recovery. I'm not doing compulsions on ruminating less. That's what I want you to focus on. Don't focus on this, you know, holiday hoopla. If it doesn't. If you don't enjoy it, if it's not going to be the best holiday ever, it's fine. The year is the year that you're gonna recover. This is the year that's the most important thing. Try to hold on to that.
[02:30]
A
Thank you for listening. If you have not subscribed, please subscribe. If you would like to do private coaching with me, please sign up through you have ocd dot com. I'll see you tomorrow.