OCD Recovery Short - Thought Suppression Vs. Disregarding

Host: Ali Greymond
Date: November 30, 2025

Episode Overview

In this focused episode, Ali Greymond clarifies the crucial difference between “thought suppression” and “disregarding” in dealing with intrusive OCD thoughts. Drawing on her own recovery experience, she highlights why learning to disregard unwanted thoughts—not just suppress them—is an essential skill for long-term OCD recovery.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. What is Thought Suppression?

• Definition: Suppressing a thought means trying to push it away or erase it out of fear.
  • Ali explains: “Suppressing a thought is when you say I am so afraid of this content I gotta run away from it. I have to switch a bad thought for a good thought. I have to make this better.” [00:00]
• Fear-Based Reaction: This response comes from a place of anxiety and resistance, which paradoxically gives the OCD more power.

2. What is Disregarding?

• Definition: Disregarding is recognizing intrusive thoughts without engaging or reacting to them, seeing them as irrelevant.
  • Ali contrasts: “If you're saying this is thought number one million, this is irrelevant. The more I react, the more I feed the disorder. I'm going to choose not to feed the disorder.” [00:32]
• Empowerment: The act of disregarding moves you from a fear-based reaction to one of control and recovery.
  • Tone Matters: Ali invites listeners to listen to the difference in her tone when she talks about disregarding, emphasizing the sense of agency and detachment.

3. The Cycle of OCD

• Reactivity Feeds the Disorder: The more someone suppresses or reacts to a thought, the more OCD gains strength.
• Choosing Disregard: Consciously deciding not to “feed the disorder” is a key part of Ali’s approach and message.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Suppressing a thought is when you say I am so afraid of this content I gotta run away from it.”
  – Ali Greymond [00:03]
• “If you're saying this is thought number one million, this is irrelevant. The more I react, the more I feed the disorder. I'm going to choose not to feed the disorder.”
  – Ali Greymond [00:32]
• “Listen to my tone. Even we went from a fear based reaction to a reaction where you understand that you're in control and you're taking the steps to fix it.”
  – Ali Greymond [00:45]

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [00:00] – Introduction of suppression versus disregarding.
• [00:03] – Explanation of suppression as a fear reaction.
• [00:32] – Description and power of disregarding thoughts.
• [00:45] – Highlighting the difference in emotional tone and sense of control.

Summary

Ali Greymond succinctly distills a core principle of OCD recovery: refraining from thought suppression and embracing the skill of disregarding intrusive thoughts. Suppression is driven by fear and gives OCD more power, while disregarding is an empowered, dismissive stance that takes away the disorder’s fuel. By making this distinction, Ali aims to help listeners shift their mindset, giving them practical insight and encouragement on their OCD recovery journey.