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Podcast Summary: OCD Recovery with Ali Greymond

Episode: 🧠 The Link Between Cleaning OCD And Pure-O

Date: May 23, 2026
Host: Ali Greymond, OCD Specialist & Author

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ali Greymond draws a powerful parallel between Cleaning/Contamination OCD and Pure-O (purely obsessional OCD). She highlights the common thread of “sanitization”—whether it’s compulsively scrubbing counters or trying to perfect your thoughts—and offers practical advice on breaking free from both patterns. The conversation is grounded in compassion, lived experience, and actionable recovery steps.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Sanitization Parallel

Ali opens (00:00-00:20):
- Both Cleaning OCD and Pure-O share a core urge: to sanitize—either the physical environment or the mind.
- Cleaning OCD: “You want to sanitize the counter to make sure there's no bacteria on it.”
- Pure-O: “You want to sanitize your brain to make sure you don't have bad thoughts, to make sure you didn't have bad intent, to make sure that you're a good person, you have to be so good. It's almost like pure sanitized.”
Insight:
- The compulsive “need for cleanliness” translates across both bodily and mental dimensions.

2. Similarities in Compulsive Behaviors

Behavior Comparison (00:21-01:10):
- In Cleaning OCD: The compulsion is physical—repeatedly washing or cleaning to remove perceived contamination.
- In Pure-O: The compulsion is mental—constantly trying to “cleanse” the mind, by:
  - Replacing bad thoughts with good thoughts.
  - Analyzing the meaning of thoughts (“Does this mean I'm a bad person?”).
  - Suppression or distraction to avoid unwanted thoughts.

3. The Treatment Approach

Ali’s Direct Advice (01:11-02:00):
- Treatment is fundamentally the same for both types:
  - If a friend with Contamination OCD wanted to clean a spotless counter, you’d tell them, “Leave the counter alone, it’s fine.”
  - With Pure-O, do the same for your mind: “Your brain is fine. There’s nothing wrong with it. You have a regular brain. We’re not sanitizing to perfection.”

4. The Reality of Human Thought

Normalizing Mental Intrusions (02:01-02:40):
- Human brains have about 70,000 thoughts per day—many of which are random and meaningless.
- “It doesn’t matter what went through your mind.…It’s okay. Choose to ignore. Don’t show your brain that this is a big deal. Show your brain that this is nothing. Because that’s the truth. That’s the reality. It is nothing. It’s one of 70,000 thoughts stream that went past you.”

5. Empowering Perspective & Hope

Lived Experience & Encouragement (02:41-end):
- Ali draws on two decades of clinical and personal experience, reinforcing that “anybody can fully recover.”
- She emphasizes the importance of not striving for “perfect” thoughts, but embracing the messiness of human experience.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

“A lot of pure OCD actually comes down to sanitization. Hear me out.”
— Ali Greymond [00:00]
“When you have pure O, you want to sanitize your brain to make sure you don't have bad thoughts, to make sure you didn't have bad intent, to make sure that you're a good person, you have to be so good. It's almost like pure sanitized.”
— Ali Greymond [00:06]
“It's very similar, and you need to treat it exactly as you would if you…had contamination ocd. What would you tell them? Leave the counter alone, it's fine.”
— Ali Greymond [01:12]
“Same thing with your brain. Your brain is fine. There's nothing wrong with it. You have a regular brain. We're not sanitizing to perfection. We're all human beings.”
— Ali Greymond [01:20]
“70,000 thoughts a day. All kinds of stuff can go through your mind. It's okay. Choose to ignore. Don't show your brain that this is a big deal. Show your brain that this is nothing. Because that's the truth. That's the reality. It is nothing.”
— Ali Greymond [02:08]

Key Takeaways

The urge to “sanitize” is at the heart of many OCD manifestations, whether physical or mental.
Trying to create a “perfect,” sanitized inner world is as unrealistic—and unhelpful—as trying to keep your environment perfectly clean.
The most effective response is acceptance of human thought messiness, ignoring harmless intrusive thoughts, and resisting the urge to act on compulsions.
Full recovery is possible, and support is available.

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment/Event | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Introduction of the “sanitization” metaphor | | 00:21 | Behavioral similarities between Cleaning OCD & Pure-O | | 01:11 | How to approach & treat Pure-O like Contamination OCD | | 02:01 | Normalizing the volume and randomness of human thoughts | | 02:41 | Encouragement and conclusion |

For listeners seeking actionable recovery strategies and hope, this episode distills the essence of OCD’s mental and physical compulsions and provides concrete, compassionate advice for change.

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Transcript1 lines

[00:01]
A
A lot of pure OCD actually comes down to sanitization. Hear me out. When you have cleaning ocd, you want to sanitize the counter to make sure there's no bacteria on it. When you have pure O, you want to sanitize your brain to make sure you don't have bad thoughts, to make sure you didn't have bad intent, to make sure that you're a good person, you have to be so good. It's almost like pure sanitized. Do you see how there's a big correlation between the two? And it's it. The behavior is also similar where in one situation you're cleaning the counter over and over again, and in the other one you're trying to cleanse your brain, changing bad thoughts for good thoughts, trying to figure out why you had this thought, what does this mean? Does this mean I'm a bad person? Trying to suppress the thoughts, trying to keep busy, to not get the thoughts. It's very similar, and you need to treat it exactly as you would if you. If you're somebody who has pure O who's experiencing what I'm talking about, treat it how you would. If you had a friend who had contamination ocd, what would you tell them? Leave the counter alone, it's fine. It's cleaning up. It's normal. Don't wash it. Same thing with your brain. Your brain is fine. There's nothing wrong with it. You have a regular brain. We're not sanitizing to perfection. We're all human beings. We all get 70,000 thoughts a day. It doesn't matter what went through your mind. Don't turn this into but I only can have perfect thoughts. I had a bad thought against whatever, against my family member, against my friend, against my loved one, against God. 70,000 thoughts a day. All kinds of stuff can go through your mind. It's okay. Choose to ignore. Don't show your brain that this is a big deal. Show your brain that this is nothing. Because that's the truth. That's the reality. It is nothing. It's one of 70,000 thoughts stream that went past you. I'm Ali Gray. 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.