OCD Recovery Short - Easiest Way To Recognize OCD Thought

Host: Ali Greymond
Date: December 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this concise episode, Ali Greymond delivers a practical strategy for quickly identifying OCD thoughts. Drawing on her experience as an OCD recovery coach and her personal journey, she breaks down a simple test listeners can use in real time to determine if a thought is OCD-driven. The focus is on recognizing common warning signs and responding in a way that supports recovery.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Wants Something” Test

• Ali emphasizes: The defining characteristic of an OCD thought is that it demands something—a reaction, compulsion, or avoidance—from you.
  • Quote:
    • "The easiest way to tell if this is an OCD thought is to ask yourself: does it want something from me? Does it want me to research, to figure out, to analyze, to do? A compulsion, to do an avoidance? What does it want from me right now?"
    • (Ali Greymond | 00:00-00:20)

2. Urgency & Emotional Tone

• OCD thoughts often create a sense of urgency or emergency, making you feel compelled to act right away.
  • Quote:
    • "If there's an urgency to figure out, to solve, to do something, if it follows your theme, if it has this almost unmistakable flavor of an emergency, if it's like this 100% this is an OCD thought..."
    • (Ali Greymond | 00:21-00:38)

3. Theme Recognition

• OCD thoughts are usually consistent with your personal OCD theme (e.g., contamination, harm, relationship), which makes them easier to spot when using self-inquiry.

4. The Recommended Response: Ignore

• Ali advocates for making the choice not to engage with these thoughts, instead consciously choosing to ignore them as part of the recovery process.
  • Quote:
    • "Choose to ignore."
    • (Ali Greymond | 00:38)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Immediate Test for Listeners:
  • "Does it want something from me?... What does it want from me right now?"
    • (00:00-00:12)
• Encapsulating the OCD Thought Sensation:
  • "It has this almost unmistakable flavor of an emergency..."
    • (00:28)
• Actionable Takeaway:
  • "Choose to ignore."
    • (00:38)

Timestamped Highlights

• 00:00-00:20 – Ali introduces the core test for OCD thoughts: Does the thought demand anything from you?
• 00:21-00:38 – Discussion of urgency, emotional intensity, consistency with your OCD theme, and the need to choose to ignore such thoughts.

Summary

Ali Greymond’s episode distills OCD thought recognition into a single, actionable check: If a thought is demanding action—with a sense of urgency and consistent with your OCD theme—it’s likely an OCD thought. Listeners are urged to recognize this mental pattern and consciously decide to ignore these intrusive thoughts as part of their recovery strategy.

Speaker Key:
A – Ali Greymond