Podcast Summary:
Podcast: OCD Recovery
Host: Ali Greymond
Episode: Let’s Practice Delaying Your OCD
Date: January 3, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode, Ali Greymond shares a crucial self-help technique for managing OCD: delaying reassurance-seeking behaviors. By practicing a 24-hour waiting period before seeking reassurance—whether from people, the internet, or even AI—Ali guides listeners through an actionable step in building long-term resilience against OCD’s demands. The episode targets all forms of OCD and provides listeners with practical exposure work designed to break compulsive cycles.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
The Role of Reassurance in OCD
- Reassurance-seeking is described as one of the central compulsions in OCD, regardless of the specific theme (Pure-O, Relationship, Harm, SO-OCD, Scrupulosity, etc.).
- Ali emphasizes that compulsively seeking reassurance only reinforces the OCD cycle and prevents real recovery.
Core Practice: The 24-Hour Delay
- Main technique: When an intrusive thought, feeling, image, or sensation occurs, resist the urge to immediately seek reassurance.
- Wait a full 24 hours before responding with any compulsion (like checking, researching, asking someone, or even consulting resources like ChatGPT).
The Importance of Discomfort
- Ali underscores that discomfort is part of the recovery process.
- Sitting with uncertainty and anxiety—even if it's challenging—is necessary to retrain the OCD brain.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Ali Greymond (@00:17): “Let’s try to delay reassurance seeking by a full 24 hours. So from when you get a thought, feeling, image, or sensation, you’re going to wait 24 hours before doing the behavior.”
- Ali Greymond (@00:31): “Whether you’re reassurance seeking from another person or from the internet, or from ChatGPT, just think—can I postpone this by 24 hours? Can I sit with the uncertainty?”
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:00: Introduction to the exercise; explanation of reassurance seeking.
- 00:17: Detailed instructions on implementing the 24-hour delay.
- 00:31: Addressing various sources of reassurance and the importance of postponement.
Tone and Language
Ali maintains an encouraging, pragmatic, and supportive tone throughout the episode. She speaks directly, using clear and simple language intended to empower listeners and normalize discomfort during the recovery journey.
Actionable Takeaway
- Next time an OCD urge arises, note the urge to seek reassurance, and actively delay responding for 24 hours. This small but powerful step builds resilience and supports genuine recovery.
This summary captures Ali Greymond’s essential technique for resisting OCD compulsions in a practical, empathetic way—useful for anyone seeking real-world tools for their recovery.