Podcast Summary: "Signs That This Is Real Event OCD"

Podcast: OCD Recovery
Host: Ali Greymond, OCD Specialist & Author
Episode Date: December 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ali Greymond delves into the concept of Real Event OCD—a common but often misunderstood OCD subtype. She focuses on identifying the key signs that distinguish Real Event OCD from genuine concern, offering listeners practical advice for managing obsessive thoughts about real-life events that are minor, insignificant, or long past. The discussion is packed with actionable insights for those struggling with OCD-related rumination.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining Real Event OCD

• [00:14] Real Event OCD is when obsessive focus is placed on something that actually happened, but most people would consider it insignificant.

  • Quote:
    "Real event OCD is the type of OCD where the person is worried about something that actually really did happen, but nobody else would worry about it. It's so insignificant." – Ali Greymond ([00:16])

• The mind tends to “create a mountain out of a molehill,” sometimes focusing on issues so minor that they're nearly microscopic.

2. The First Step: Reality Check

• Ali suggests asking:
  "Would anybody I know really worry about this to the extent that I'm worried about it? Would they stay up all night? Would they ruminate?" ([00:36])

• If the answer is no, mimic their attitude: Don't allow yourself to excessively ruminate or research the event.

• Quote:
  "You need to show your brain that you are choosing—not to care. And choosing not to care means no more rumination, no more online research, no more talking about it." ([00:51])

3. The Parallel Lanes Analogy

• Ali offers a vivid metaphor for managing intrusive thoughts:
  • "Imagine yourself as you're driving in one lane and your OCD is driving in the lane next to you, parallel to you...not intersecting, not getting into an accident. You're going your way, and OCD can go next to you, scream at you, but it's in its own lane." ([01:13])
• The takeaway: Let OCD be present without letting it influence your actions.

4. Core Signs of Real Event OCD

• Sign 1:
  "The biggest one is nobody would care about this." ([01:35])
• Sign 2:
  OCD wants something from you—compulsion, rumination, analyzing, researching, confessing.
  • Quote:
    "It wants you to figure it out, to solve, to research, to understand, to confess perhaps... Don't give it what it wants." ([01:44])
• Sign 3:
  OCD themes often stay consistent (e.g., harm, relationships, religion), usually hitting the same anxious "genre."
  • "It will always kind of hit the same thing that you are usually worried about... Not necessarily, because it can obviously switch, OCD does switch, but it's more likely to go into that genre." ([02:11])

5. Theme Switching and Overlap

• Real Event OCD can overlap with other themes—relationship, harm, religious/scrupulosity—especially if the event is minor and others wouldn’t care.
  • "Real event OCD can be connected to relationship OCD... or religious OCD... or harm OCD... Different themes. It's normal for it to come in." ([02:38])

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Reality Check Guidance:

  "If most people, you know, you... Maybe you didn't ask them, but you have an idea that they wouldn't care, then you need to act like them."
  – Ali Greymond ([00:42])

• Compulsion Clarity:

  "Don't give it what it wants, allow it to be there, continue on."
  – Ali Greymond ([01:53])

• Coping Philosophy:

  "You cannot allow yourself to give into a reaction."
  – Ali Greymond ([03:13])

Notable Timestamps

• 00:14 — Definition of Real Event OCD
• 00:36 — The “Would anyone else care?” reality check
• 01:13 — The parallel lanes analogy for co-existing with intrusive thoughts
• 01:35 — Three telltale signs of Real Event OCD
• 02:38 — Real Event OCD's thematic overlap
• 03:13 — Final advice on not giving in to reactions

Tone and Style

Ali’s approach is compassionate, practical, and empowering. She speaks directly and with warmth, blending professional expertise with personal recovery experience. The advice is highly actionable, designed to help listeners regain control over OCD-driven rumination.

Summary:
This episode arms listeners with a clear framework for identifying Real Event OCD, using relatable examples and metaphors. Ali Greymond's message is consistent and reassuring: others’ indifference to your “big issue” is a cue to disengage from OCD’s demands, allowing thoughts to exist without engagement or compulsion.