🧠 Stop Trying To Get Rid Of Anxiety In OCD! - OCD Recovery

Summary3 min read

Podcast Summary

OCD Recovery Podcast

Episode: Stop Trying To Get Rid Of Anxiety In OCD!
Host: Ali Greymond
Date: May 17, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Ali Greymond addresses a fundamental obstacle in OCD recovery: the urge to get rid of anxiety immediately by giving into compulsions. She explains how this desperate pursuit for relief strengthens OCD over time, and why a commitment to full recovery—choosing not to react to intrusive thoughts and anxiety—is essential for lasting change.

Key Discussion Points

1. Why People Do OCD Behaviors

Avoidance of Anxiety:
Ali explains that the core reason people engage in OCD behaviors is to escape discomfort:

"The reason why people do OCD behaviors is because they're trying to run away from anxiety. They're trying to get rid of anxiety in the moment." (00:00)
Cycle of Reinforcement:
The brain learns that these thoughts must be important because they trigger a fearful reaction, prompting more similar thoughts:

"So then the brain sends you another very similar thought because you reacted with fear to this one." (00:24)

2. The Trap of Temporary Relief

Short-Term vs. Long-Term:
Ali cautions that quick relief from anxiety (by performing a ritual or compulsion) may seem helpful, but actually deepens the problem:

"If you're doing temporary relief of like, oh, I did the behavior okay, my anxiety went down, great, you're actually making the disorder worse over time." (00:42)
Worsening Over Time:
The disorder doesn't remain static; repeated behaviors escalate both OCD itself and anxiety levels:

"If you keep doing behaviors, it is actually getting worse." (00:52)

3. Training the Brain: Fear vs. Indifference

Reinforcement Learning:
Reacting with fear and compulsions teaches the brain these thoughts matter and more distressing thoughts should be sent:

"If you react with fear, if you react with protective behaviors, compulsions, rumination, you're training it that these thoughts are important." (01:10)
Choose Indifference:
Ali advocates for a clear, consistent response:

"Give it a straight answer every single time... I'm going to choose to disregard. I'm going to choose not to do the behavior that feeds the disorder." (01:33)

4. The Concept of "Fence Sitting"

Mixed Responses Lead Nowhere:
Ali highlights the problem when people are inconsistent—sometimes resisting, sometimes giving in:

"It's that I talked about in other videos of fence sitting. It's you're sitting on two sides of the fence. Sometimes you react, sometimes you don't react. Your brain's like, we're two captains. Where do we go?" (01:19)
Resolution:
A committed approach—consistent disregard of intrusive thoughts and urges—is necessary for true recovery.

5. The Formula for OCD Recovery

Basic Equation:
Ali distills OCD recovery to a formula:

"Your rumination plus your compulsions plus your avoidances equals your current level of anxiety and your current level of OCD. You step down the behaviors, you step down the level of anxiety and the level of OCD." (01:56)

6. Encouragement and Expertise

Hope for Recovery:
Ali, drawing on her two decades of experience, asserts that anyone can recover—with the right approach and perseverance:

"I can tell you, anybody can fully recover." (02:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"Choose full recovery over momentary illusion of comfort. It's a difficult choice..." (01:15)
"If you keep doing behaviors, it is actually getting worse." (00:52)
"Your brain is getting trained that either these thoughts are important or that these thoughts are not important." (01:05)
"You step down the behaviors, you step down the level of anxiety and the level of OCD." (01:56)

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:00 – 00:52: Why people give in to OCD and the cycle this creates
00:52 – 01:33: How temporary comfort makes OCD worse; importance of consistency
01:19 – 01:33: The issue of "fence sitting" and the need for a clear, unwavering response
01:56 – 02:20: Ali’s formula for OCD recovery and encouraging words on long-term outcomes

Conclusion

Ali Greymond’s message is clear: resisting the urge to immediately get rid of anxiety is the cornerstone of recovery from OCD. The temporary relief offered by compulsions reinforces the cycle, making OCD stronger over time. Consistently disregarding intrusive thoughts—despite discomfort—trains the brain that such thoughts are unimportant, leading to lasting improvement. Through her experienced, direct tone, Ali empowers listeners to pursue full, permanent recovery instead of falling for the illusion of short-term comfort.

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Transcript2 lines

[00:00]
A
The reason why people do OCD behaviors is because they're trying to run away from anxiety. They're trying to get rid of anxiety in the moment. And the only way they feel that they can reduce anxiety is by doing the behavior that OCD asks them. But the problem with this is that you're training the brain that this is actually important. So then the brain sends you another very similar thought because you reacted with fear to this one. Maybe you're in danger. Maybe it needs to send you another one. So it sends you another one. Then you do the same thing for that one. And this is how your disorder is growing. Don't change. Full recovery for temporary relief, because you are actually changing one for the other. Because if you're doing temporary relief of like, oh, I did the behavior okay, My anxiety went down great, you're actually making the disorder worse over time. Your OCD is not staying at the same level. If you keep doing behaviors, it is actually getting worse. Your brain is getting trained one way or another. It's getting trained that either these thoughts are important or that these thoughts are not important. If you react with fear, if you react with protective behaviors, compulsions, rumination, you're training it that these thoughts are important. So the next time, it's gonna hit you even harder, and then it'll be even more pulled to do the behaviors. So choose full recovery over momentary illusion of comfort. It's a difficult choice, but it's that I talked about in other videos of fence sitting. It's you're sitting on two sides of the fence. Sometimes you react, sometimes you don't react. Your brain's like, we're too captain. Where do we go? Which way? Give it a straight answer every single time. That every time going forward, I'm going to wrong almost every time, right? Let's be honest. I'm going to choose to disregard. I'm going to choose not to do the behavior that feeds the disorder. Because again, the basic formula of OCD recovery is your rumination plus your compulsions plus your avoidances equals your current level of anxiety and your current level of ocd. You step down the behaviors, you step down the level of anxiety and the level of ocd.
[02:20]
B
I'm Ali Graymond. I'm an expert in OCD recovery because I've been working with clients for the last 20 years, and I can tell you, anybody can fully recover. If you need help, the link is below.