Podcast Summary: “Important Nuance in OCD Recovery Tracking”

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

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ali Greymond dives into a crucial nuance for those on the path to OCD recovery using her Greymond Method and the OCD Help app: what to do when your recorded anxiety hits zeros but you’re still ruminating a few minutes each day. Ali explains why continued tracking is essential for cementing recovery and preventing relapse, even when you’re feeling better. She shares practical advice and motivational encouragement for long-term success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Understanding the Tracking System

[00:00-02:10]

• Tracking Framework:

  • The app tracks “minutes ruminated” throughout six time blocks (wake-up to 9am, 9-12, 12-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9 til morning).
  • There are columns for “level of anxiety” (related specifically to OCD) and “level of stress” (from real life situations).

• Purpose:

  • This system provides a full overview of the relationship between rumination, anxiety, and external stress.

“So you could see when the numbers were higher, the person’s anxiety was higher. As the total minutes for the day are dropping, the anxiety is dropping.”
— Ali Greymond [00:56]

Distinguishing Symptom Relief from Full Recovery

[02:10-04:12]

• Nuance:
  • Hitting a zero in anxiety doesn’t mean full recovery; minutes of rumination may still be present.
  • Immediate cessation of tracking upon feeling good puts a person at high risk of relapse.
  • Continued tracking after reaching “zero anxiety” is critical, especially through stressful or triggering times.

“The second that you feel you have zero anxiety, you’re not cured in that second. It’s very important that you continue to track...”
— Ali Greymond [01:35]

• Recommended Time Frame:
  • Minimum: 1 month of continued tracking after zero anxiety
  • To be “super secure”: 3-4 months
  • Maintenance is easy at this stage, as you’re just keeping “zero anxiety” going.

Why Post-Zero Tracking Matters

[04:13-05:45]

• Brain Habit:

  • Previously, the brain was locked in “fight or flight.” Now it needs time in its calmer state to make this the new normal.

• Real-World Resilience:

  • Life continues to deliver stress and unexpected triggers—ongoing tracking ensures these don’t lead to relapse.

“Now that you put your brain into a calmer state when you’re starting to register zero level of anxiety, you need to keep it in that state to cement this progress.”
— Ali Greymond [04:34]

Tracking as a Game: Staying Motivated and Accurate

[05:46-07:32]

• Gamifying Recovery:
  • Treat the app as a game: note daily minutes, aim to reduce, and be approximately accurate—no need for perfection.
  • The analogy: you know what five minutes feels like when you’re about to leave the house; estimate similarly for rumination.

“Treat this app like a game. Okay, day one, this is what I ruminated…The level of tracking should be like, if you’re leaving the house and you’re like, ‘Oh, I gotta leave in five minutes,’ you know what that five minutes feels like? That’s the level of your accuracy.”
— Ali Greymond [06:11]

• Simplicity:
  • Approximate, don’t obsess over exact seconds.
  • Accountability for even small reductions is powerful.

The Core Formula and Path to Complete Recovery

[07:33-End]

• Greymond’s Formula:

  • “Rumination + compulsions + avoidances = your level of OCD and your level of anxiety.”

• Recovery Principle:

  • Reduce all three incrementally—OCD cannot persist in their absence.
  • It doesn’t fail if you consistently do the work.

“If the person does the work…there’s no way you can reduce the minutes and not recover…All you have to do is get these numbers down.”
— Ali Greymond [07:41]

• Main Takeaway:
  • Do not stop tracking the moment anxiety vanishes; cement and maintain your progress.
  • Use the app for accountability and continual reduction, even if by tiny increments.

Notable Quotes

• “The second you hit zeros in your level of anxiety is not the second that you throw tracking out the window. You need to still continue to focus...” [01:58]
• “These results…this is why I tell you guys over and over again, track your rumination, track and reduce.” [05:01]
• “Even if you’re reducing by one minute and you’re tracking and you’re accountable for that minute, you will get to zero.” [08:08]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:00] – Introduction to the tracking system in the OCD Help app
• [01:30] – “Zero anxiety” does not mean immediate recovery; don’t stop tracking
• [03:07] – Minimum and optimal timeframes for tracking post-anxiety
• [04:34] – Importance of cementing calm brain states
• [06:11] – Gamifying daily tracking for motivation and accountability
• [07:41] – The formula for OCD and final words on the necessity of continuous tracking

For Listeners:

This episode offers practical, step-by-step wisdom for those looking to truly overcome OCD—especially the vital reminder that stopping tracking too early is a common (and avoidable) pitfall. Ali’s experienced, supportive approach reassures that perseverance and mindful, ongoing tracking can solidify recovery and prevent relapse.