In this powerful episode of The OCD Confessional, we sit down with Duke Al Durham — poet, rapper, spoken-word artist, and mental-health advocate whose story is unlike anything we’ve shared before.

Duke opens up about living with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Type 1 diabetes, the intrusive thoughts that shaped his early life, and the moment he walked in front of a moving car—not out of a desire to die, but because he desperately wanted silence from the mental noise OCD created.

He explains how compulsions, shame, identity, and chronic illness intersected to create a perfect storm, and how creative expression became the thing that pulled him back into himself.

We talk about:
🧠 What OCD looks like inside a mind managing constant intrusive thoughts
🎤 How poetry, rap, and spoken word became his therapy
🩺 The connection between OCD and chronic illness (Diabetes Type 1)
🚨 What overwhelm can look like when OCD becomes unbearable
✨ How Duke found healing through community, creativity, and honesty

This is one of our most honest, raw conversations yet — and it offers hope, understanding, and deep humanity to anyone facing OCD or supporting someone who is.

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube & everywhere podcasts live.
📲 Instagram & TikTok: @theocdconfessional
📺 YouTube: The OCD Confessional https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ

Supported by NOCD
If you or someone you love is struggling with OCD, check out NOCD — a leading virtual health platform that connects people with licensed therapists specially trained in Evidence-Based ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy. NOCD offers live video sessions, between-session therapist messaging, access to in-app therapeutic tools, and a global peer community. Their goal: make expert OCD treatment accessible, effective, and affordable.

➤ Visit https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional to learn more and get matched with an OCD-trained therapist.

🧠 The OCD Confessional is hosted by Liam Martin & Alicia Hill — real stories, intrusive thoughts, and the tools we use to cope (with plenty of laughter).

Disclaimer: The OCD Confessional is intended for education, awareness, and community support only. It does not provide therapy or professional mental-health advice. If you are struggling or in crisis, please seek help from a licensed mental-health professional. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Duke Al Durham: OCD, Intrusive Thoughts & Finding Peace Through Art