OCD Recovery: Signs That Your OCD Is Getting Better

Podcast: OCD Recovery
Host: Ali Greymond
Episode Date: November 12, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Ali Greymond shares practical, observable signs that indicate genuine progress in OCD recovery. Drawing on 19 years of coaching experience and her personal journey, Ali provides a clear checklist for listeners seeking reassurance that their recovery work is making a difference. The episode is informative, encouraging, and filled with actionable insights aimed at demystifying what real improvement looks like for those battling OCD.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Value of Tracking Progress

Ali emphasizes the necessity of tracking both anxiety levels and OCD-related behaviors to measure progress objectively.
Key Quote:

“If you’re doing the tracking, you will see in your tracking the anxiety dropping, which is why I encourage you to do that. Because then you see, not in theory, not ‘I think I’m doing better, but I’m not sure,’ but you see…” — Ali Greymond [00:14]
She warns that people often forget how severe things were at the beginning, making regular tracking vital for perspective.
Example: A drop from a self-reported anxiety level of 9 to 3 over a month is clear evidence of improvement.

2. Return of Interests and Hobbies

Another key sign is regaining interest in hobbies and enjoyable activities, which are usually lost during the heights of OCD.
Key Quote:

“When you’re in the throes of OCD, you just have the desire for basic getting through the day… But when you start to feel better, more of wants start to come back in.” — Ali Greymond [01:16]
The presence of authentic “wants” (not just “needs”) marks an important shift toward normalcy.

3. Improvement in Physical Biometrics

Ali discusses how physical health metrics, as tracked by devices like Oura Ring or Whoop Strap, often improve with less rumination and fewer compulsions.
Key Quote:

“…You can physically see it. The device registers it, which is kind of crazy how much you’re actually changing—not like the chemistry of your entire body.” — Ali Greymond [02:18]
Reduced stress and anxiety have tangible physiological effects, as confirmed by wearable tech.

4. Forgetting About OCD—Even Briefly

One of the most encouraging signs is experiencing moments where OCD isn’t top of mind.
Key Quote:

“Maybe you’ll get engrossed in a conversation and you’ll start to say, ‘Oh, for like the last five minutes I forgot I had OCD.’ Or for the last 30 minutes I forgot it, or for half a day…” — Ali Greymond [02:58]
These periods of “forgetting” about OCD start small but increase over time, signaling that OCD is loosening its grip on daily life.

5. Continuous Improvement Over Time

Improvement should not stagnate—wants, biometrics, and periods of forgetting OCD should all show continuous positive change.
Key Quote:

“All of these things that I’ve mentioned, you should see continuous improvement. So they shouldn’t be at a stagnated level.” — Ali Greymond [03:38]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On remembering progress:

“We forget how bad we were in the beginning… So that’s one of the reasons tracking is important.” — Ali Greymond [00:47]
On the physical impact of recovery:

“You’re actually changing… the chemistry of your entire body.” — Ali Greymond [02:22]
On living less controlled by OCD:

“The overall feeling of the disorder is not controlling your life anymore. That again, you’re forgetting you have it.” — Ali Greymond [03:50]

Timestamps for Important Segments

[00:14] — The importance of tracking anxiety and behaviors to measure recovery
[01:16] — Regaining desires and interests as an early sign of getting better
[02:18] — Physical biometrics as confirmation of lowered stress
[02:58] — Experiencing moments of forgetting about OCD
[03:38] — Continuous improvement as an ongoing marker of recovery

Summary Conclusion

Ali Greymond provides a practical roadmap for recognizing signs of OCD recovery, blending professional experience with personal understanding. She stresses objective tracking, noticing the return of normal desires, measurable improvements in physical health, and the gradual relief from OCD’s constant presence. The episode is a reassuring listen for anyone on the recovery journey and serves as a reminder that real progress is visible, measurable, and deeply transformative.

Transcript

A (0:00)

Ali.

B (0:00)

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 younhubocd.com you can sign up from there.

A (0:14)

Let's talk about signs that you are recovering. So if you've been doing recovery work, you've been tracking, you've been doing all the things and you want to know, how can I tell I'm recovering. So first of all, if you're doing the tracking, you will see in your tracking the anxiety dropping, which is why I encourage you to do that. Because then you see, not in theory, not, I think I'm doing better, but I'm not sure. But you see, let's say 30 days ago you put that your level anxiety was nine, and now you're putting down that your level anxiety is, let's say, four or three. So, yeah, you're doing good. And you can see that, because I think what happens a lot over time is that we forget how bad we were in the beginning. So the stage that you're at now feels kind of like the priority. It's not that it feels bad, but it just feels like more of a priority and you don't really see how far you've come. So that's one of the reasons tracking is important, because we're not only tracking the behaviors that feed ocd, but we're also tracking the reduction in your anxiety. So that's number one. Number two, you start to see that your hobbies, your interests, things that you enjoy doing come back into focus a little more, where you suddenly have a desire to, I don't know, whatever. Whatever you're into to do that more of. Because when you're in the throes of ocd, you don't. You just have the desire for basic getting through the day. That's. That's your only desire is to just get through the day somehow. But when you start to feel better, some more not needs, but more of wants start to come back in. So that's very common. Also, if this is an interesting one, so this would be number three. I see with clients who are tracking their biometrics on an aura ring or on a whoop strap, they start to see that their level of daily stress is dropping. So that's because obviously you're not ruminating, you're not doing compulsions, so you can physically see it. The device registers it, which is kind of crazy how much. You're actually changing. Not like the chemistry of your entire body. So that's another thing. And I guess the last one would be that you start to have periods. First small periods, then bigger and bigger where you don't.

B (2:58)

You.

A (2:58)

You forgot you had ocd. So maybe you'll get engrossed in a conversation and you'll start to say, oh, for like, last five minutes I forgot I had OCD. Or for the last 30 minutes I forgot it, or for half a day I forgot I had ocd. I have clients say this all the time. When you start to see that, that, that's also. And that those time periods, little by little over time increase, that's also a very positive sign that you are on the right track. And all of these things that I've mentioned, you should see continuous improvement. So they shouldn't be at a stagnated level. So all of this should increase the wants, increase the biometrics, if you're tracking it, increase the, the overall feeling of the. The disorder is not controlling your life anymore. That again, you're forgetting you have it. So. So that's how you would know.