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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 you have OCD.com you can sign up from there. If you are dealing with false memory.
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Ocd, a common question, is this false memory or is it a real memory? So first of all, the very fact that you're asking this question already shows us that this is in fact ocd. Also, the pull to figure it out, the pull to solve, to check, to somehow dig up the truth, also shows you that this is ocd. The fear of if it's true, the consequences are going to be catastrophic also shows that this is ocd. It also follows the same theme that you always kind of have within the false memory. The fear, the underlying fears, similar to what you usually get. There might be even. But this was a long time ago. Or sometimes with false memory, it can come from a long time ago or it can be a recent thing. So it can be something where, what if something happened in the childhood and I kind of remember this, but I'm not sure that kind of story. Or it could be what did I just do two seconds ago? Both are false memory, OCD normal. I see both of those situations with clients literally all the time. So if it follows at least somewhat of everything that I just said in this video, you are safe to assume that this is false memory ocd. You need to choose to disregard. You need to stop ruminating, stop digging, track your rumination time. You gotta look at it as feeding the disorder. The more you feed the disorder, the more the disorder will grow. You need to make an active choice not to feed it anymore. And the more you make that active choice, the better overall you're going to feel. But right now it's a decision. So the decision to not solve thought number 1 million and to treat it like false memory OCD, even if right now you might not feel that it's the. You won't feel certainty that this is false memory, but you need to choose to view it as false memory regardless of your feeling of certainty. And eventually you will get that feeling of certainty, but not right now because your brain chemistry is not going to support it. You're in high, high cortisol, fire fight or flight mode. So don't even try. Go on with the day. Parallel to these thoughts, imagine that you, you are a car, you're in one lane, OCD thoughts are riding next to you. In the other lane, trying to, you know, kind of stay with you. Allow them to stay there. But you are going to your destination. You have things to do in the day. You're doing those things. You're not letting yourself actively ruminate or figure it out and let it be there. Allow it that space. Because as soon as you start to push them out, they're going to come in stronger. So let them be. Do not engage. This is false memory. Choose to disregard.
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Podcast: OCD Recovery
Host: Ali Greymond
Episode: Signs That This Is False Memory OCD
Date: December 21, 2025
This episode dives into how to distinguish false memory OCD from real memories and provides actionable steps for managing the compulsions and fears associated with this subtype of OCD. Ali Greymond, an experienced OCD specialist, explains the telltale signs of false memory OCD, the mental compulsions that keep it going, and effective strategies for recovery.
Key Indicators (00:23-01:00)
Situational Examples (01:00-01:29)
Disregard & Disengage (01:30-02:43)
Why Certainty Doesn’t Happen Instantly (02:20-02:43)
On recognizing OCD:
On the urge to find certainty:
On disengaging with the thoughts:
Ali Greymond communicates in a calm, clear, and encouraging tone. She is matter-of-fact and reassuring, repeatedly normalizing the experience while urging listeners to take practical steps rather than striving for impossible certainty.
Anyone experiencing ongoing uncertainty about “false memory” should treat the experience as part of OCD, not as evidence of real danger. The episode’s actionable advice is to confidently disengage from compulsive rumination, accept uncertainty, and keep moving forward in daily life, trusting that certainty will return as recovery takes hold.