Podcast Summary: OCD Recovery with Ali Greymond

Episode: "These OCD Fears Will Go Away."

Date: January 8, 2026
Host: Ali Greymond

Episode Overview

In this concise and empowering episode, OCD specialist Ali Greymond directly addresses one of the most daunting aspects of obsessive-compulsive disorder: the intense, convincing fears that feel permanent and unresolvable. Through practical advice and core principles from her "Greymond Method," Ali reassures listeners that the distressing thoughts experienced in OCD will not last forever and that by resisting the urge to "solve" or neutralize the thoughts, recovery is possible. This episode serves as a motivational reminder that the seemingly endless cycle of obsessive thoughts can be broken using proven strategies.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Illusion of Permanence in OCD Thoughts

• Ali emphasizes that OCD thoughts seem overwhelmingly real and permanent in the moment:
  "The fears that seem so real now will go away. This is not going to be the last OCD thought you're ever gonna have." (00:00)
• She reminds listeners that similar thoughts and fears have come and gone before, regardless of how unique or urgent they feel now.

2. Breaking the Cycle: Refusing to Engage

• Core advice: Do not try to "solve" or neutralize intrusive OCD thoughts.
  "If you don't solve it, you're gonna have this one specific thought for decades. Make the right choice not to solve, not to fix." (00:28)
• Underlying principle: Attempting to resolve, analyze, or neutralize these thoughts (via rumination or physical/mental compulsions) actually strengthens them.

3. Letting Thoughts Fade Naturally

• Ali stresses that intrusive thoughts lose power if you stop fueling them with compulsions and attention:
  "It's going to go away by itself if you just do nothing. If you don't power it up." (00:36)
• The reduction in rumination, avoidance, and compulsion breaks the OCD cycle and gradually decreases anxiety levels.

4. The OCD Equation

• Ali succinctly lays out her formula for how OCD persists:
  "OCD works on the principle of ruminations plus compulsions plus avoidances equals your level of anxiety and your level of OCD. The more compulsions and rumination you do, the worse it gets." (00:46)

5. Calling Out OCD's Tricks

• Key message: OCD thoughts often come with the urgent lie that unless you "fix" them, you'll feel this way forever. Ali calls this out:
  "It's just tricking you, trying to tell you that if you don't do it, the thought will never go away. It's a lie. It's a lie designed to get you into a behavior. Don't buy into it." (00:58)

6. Empowerment Through Choice

• The central empowering idea of the episode is the ability to choose how to respond to intrusive thoughts:
  "Choose to ignore. Go on with your day." (01:06)
• Rather than fighting or analyzing the thought, simply shift attention to living your life.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On the recurring nature of OCD:

  "How many times. Tell me. How many times have you said this? This is just another one." (00:13)

• On breaking the power of OCD:

  "You're reducing that power again." (00:41)

• On the OCD maintenance cycle:

  "Ruminations plus compulsions plus avoidances equals your level of anxiety and your level of OCD." (00:46)

• On the deceptive urgency of OCD:

  "It's a lie. It's a lie designed to get you into a behavior. Don't buy into it." (00:58)

• On the recovery mindset:

  "Choose to ignore. Go on with your day." (01:06)

Memorable Moments

• Ali’s direct challenge to listeners:
  She repeatedly asks listeners to recall how many times they have felt certain that "this" is the thought that won’t go away—demonstrating the repetitive, deceptive nature of OCD.
• Her urgent, rallying tone:
  Ali’s encouragement is firm and supportive, aiming to snap listeners out of the cycle and into action with practical advice.

Conclusion

Ali Greymond’s episode "These OCD Fears Will Go Away" serves as a clear, motivating message to anyone grappling with persistent OCD thoughts—from Pure-O and Harm OCD to contamination or relationship obsessions. Her years of experience inform simple, actionable steps: stop solving, stop indulging compulsions, and trust that the anxiety will dissipate with non-engagement. Her empowering tone and practical wisdom make this episode essential listening or reading for anyone actively working toward OCD recovery.