Christopher Weston: OCD story, BDD, and Somatic OCD (#502)

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The OCD Stories Episode 502

Guest: Christopher Weston
Host: Stuart Ralph
Title: Christopher Weston: OCD story, BDD, and Somatic OCD
Release Date: September 7, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this episode of The OCD Stories, Stuart Ralph welcomes Christopher Weston, a therapist specializing in OCD and a lived experience advocate. Weston candidly details his own journey with OCD, Somatic (Sensory-Motor) OCD, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), and Panic Disorder—highlighting his path from suffering to becoming a mental health professional. The conversation explores the nuanced evolution of obsessive symptoms, the power of acceptance-based therapies, and the ongoing journey of recovery. Both men share professional and personal insights, with a focus on hope, persistence, and the importance of support.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Christopher Weston's Early Life and Family Dynamics

• Challenging Beginnings: Christopher was chronically ill as a child, experiencing multiple serious health issues ([02:17]).
• Dysfunctional Upbringing: Raised by a mother with Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD), Christopher describes an environment of perfectionism and rigidity, deeply influencing his early anxiety ([02:17]-[05:30]):
  • “My upbringing was… pretty dysfunctional. My mom suffered from obsessive compulsive personality disorder… Everything had to be perfect. We couldn't have friends over. The house had to be perfect.” – Christopher Weston ([02:17])

2. Childhood and Adolescent Anxiety, BDD, and Early OCD Experiences

• BDD Origins: He recalls early body image distress—beginning as early as third grade, with fixations on hair and appearance ([05:50]).
  • “I remember just looking in the mirror and crying at my hair because I knew I had to go to school, I needed to be made fun of.” – Christopher Weston ([05:50])
• Progression of Anxiety: Anxiety worsened through middle and high school, shifting from BDD to social concerns to more classic OCD symptoms ([06:54]-[09:06]).
• Social Rumination: Beginning in high school, Christopher fixated on social interactions, replaying conversations, and questioning if he came off as “strange” ([08:30]).

3. Health Crisis, Panic Attacks, and Realization Something Was Wrong

• Collapse at College: Overstressing academically led to physical symptoms, including a mysterious, persistent headache—resolved only after his first panic attack ([13:45]):
  • “I had my first ever panic attack. And it was… so scary. And I thought I was gonna die. I thought I was gonna go crazy.” – Christopher Weston ([15:40])
• Living with Severe Anxiety: From then, generalized anxiety and daily panic attacks dominated his college years. He kept symptoms secret, even from his girlfriend (future wife) ([16:40]).

4. Seeking Help: The Pre-Internet, Pre-ERP Era

• Isolation in Suffering: Describes his pre-Google era attempts to self-diagnose through bookstore visits and the difficulty in finding effective help ([18:00]).
• Talk Therapy and Medication: Early therapeutic interventions focused on talk therapy, which didn’t address the OCD specifically, leading to further years of struggle ([19:17]).

5. Emergence of Somatic (Sensory-Motor) OCD

• Somatic OCD Onset: His OCD “theme” transitioned to hyperawareness of bodily sensations, initially his shirt collar, then blinking, becoming all-consuming ([20:10]-[23:30]):
  • “I started thinking about my collar touching my neck… Then I noticed my blinking. And that was the start of my OCD and now became the main focus of my OCD.” – Christopher Weston ([20:39])
• Lack of Information: Described searching early internet for help: “I would put in, you know, thinking about my blinking all the time. I wouldn't get any hits… Now there’s hundreds.” ([23:37])

6. Road to Recovery: Exposure and Acceptance-Based Approaches

• ERP Exposure: Initial experiences with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) were limited, especially for somatic OCD.
• ACT and Acceptance: Game-changing support came from working with OCD therapist Jon Hershfield, who helped Christopher shift to an acceptance-based approach ([24:46]):
  • “He told me, why don’t you just tell yourself you’re a guy who thinks about his blinking? For whatever reason, that totally changed my trajectory.” – Christopher Weston ([25:05])

7. From Suffering to Helping

• Becoming a Therapist: Inspired by his own progress, Christopher became a therapist, working for NOCD before starting a private practice focused on OCD ([26:21]).
• Advocacy and TEDx: Weston became an advocate, focusing especially on Hyperawareness OCD, and delivered a TEDx talk, published blogs, and provided support to those struggling with hard-to-find OCD subtypes ([27:41]).

8. Discussion: OCD Subtypes, BDD, and Shifting Themes

• Thematic Shifts: Both Weston's and Ralph’s experiences reflect how OCD “themes” can shift over time, sometimes manifesting as BDD ([28:22]-[31:03]):
  • “Maybe my focus just became all consuming with my OCD, and occasionally I'll still have concerns about my hair, my looks, and that kind of thing. However, it's not the prevalent anxiety issue that I have now.” – Christopher Weston ([25:37])

9. The Power and Limits of Acceptance

• ACT in Practice: Acceptance—rather than fighting obsessions—offered relief. Both men discuss how shifting perspective reduces the “stickiness” of intrusive thoughts ([32:42]-[34:51]):
  • “I got some separation from the OCD. Instead of being right here, it became here. I'm just a guy who thinks about his blinking. Okay. I can handle that.” – Christopher Weston ([41:41])

10. Being Open, Breaking Stigma

• Disclosure and Normalization: Christopher discloses OCD to clients and his own children, normalizing the condition and encouraging openness ([34:51]-[37:38]):
  • “For the longest time, for me, it was holding that in because I didn't want people think I was imperfect and that there was something wrong with me.” – Christopher Weston ([35:45])

11. Professional System Frustrations

• Discussing licensure roadblocks in mental health, advocacy for broader access, and the unnecessary administrative barriers that prevent more people from getting specialized help ([44:16]-[47:27]).

12. Gratitude, Community, and Service

• Importance of Community: Mutual appreciation for the OCD community and the work of advocates and organizations like NOCD ([48:13]-[50:53]).
  • “I can just imagine… you touch people. Because again, when I see people at the conference… they're talking about OCD stories, and we're talking about it. So I just want to thank you for giving people with OCD a platform to talk.” – Christopher Weston to Stuart Ralph ([50:53])

13. Closing Reflections and Advice

• Recovery as a Process: Emphasizes that OCD is chronic but manageable—having tools, accepting bad days, and keeping hope ([38:15]-[39:41]).
• Role of Loved Ones: Noting the importance (and difficulty) of spouses avoiding reassurance: “She was exposing me… she wouldn't reassure me… now I know she did the right thing.” ([39:41])
• Billboard Message:
  “You just keep going. You got to take this one day at a time.… There's an answer for you. There's something out there for you.” – Christopher Weston ([53:29])
• Advice for Younger Self:
  “You need to share and talk and be open and express your feelings and emotions… That would have been a huge thing if I could have opened up and talked.” – Christopher Weston ([54:48])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "My upbringing was pretty dysfunctional. My mom suffered from obsessive compulsive personality disorder... everything had to be perfect." – Christopher Weston ([02:17])
• “For those of us who have had our first panic attack, none of them are good, but particularly the first one, it was so scary. And I thought I was gonna die. I thought I was gonna go crazy.” – Christopher Weston ([15:40])
• "I started thinking about my collar touching my neck... Then I noticed my blinking. And that was the start of my OCD." – Christopher Weston ([20:39])
• "Why don’t you just tell yourself you’re a guy who thinks about his blinking?... That totally changed my trajectory." – Christopher Weston ([25:05])
• "You don't know—treatment is interesting… You never know when someone's going to say something to you or you're going to hear something that can change your trajectory." – Christopher Weston ([26:05])
• "When you looked at the problem differently, the problem changed." – Stuart Ralph ([41:33])
• "I want everyone to know… some people, when they come for therapy, they want to be cured… this is chronic. You’re something you’re gonna have to continue to deal with, but we're going to give you the tools where you can live a great life." – Christopher Weston ([38:15])
• “You just keep going. You got to take this one day at a time… There’s an answer for you." – Christopher Weston ([53:29])
• “You need to share and talk and be open and express your feelings and emotions… That would have been a huge thing if I could have opened up and talked.” – Christopher Weston ([54:48])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:17] — Christopher describes early family life and perfectionism
• [05:50] — First experiences with appearance-related anxiety (BDD)
• [13:45] — Severe headache and first panic attack
• [20:10] — Onset of Somatic/Sensory-Motor OCD
• [25:05] — ACT insight that changed trajectory (“a guy who thinks about his blinking”)
• [28:22] — Discussion on BDD and OCD theme-shifting
• [32:42] — The impact of acceptance and changing perspective
• [35:45] — Disclosure, normalizing OCD with clients & family
• [39:41] — Partner’s role and the importance of not providing reassurance
• [41:33] — Shifting mindset as a therapeutic tool
• [44:16] — Licensing limitations and advocacy
• [50:53] — Gratitude for the podcast’s community impact
• [53:29] — “Billboard message” advice for listeners
• [54:48] — What Christopher would tell his younger self

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Tone & Style

The episode is warm, honest, and practical—with a blend of clinical expertise and lived experience. Both host and guest are candid about their own struggles and triumphs, striking a hopeful note without sugarcoating the realities of OCD.

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Conclusion: Core Themes

• OCD is manageable, not curable: Acceptance, not eradication, is the aim.
• Helping others helps us: Service and openness reduce isolation.
• Persist in seeking help: If one approach or therapist doesn’t work, keep going.
• Stories matter: Hearing and sharing lived experience can change lives.

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For anyone experiencing OCD, BDD, or anxiety, Christopher’s message is clear:
“Keep going. There’s support and hope. Your journey isn’t over.”

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Transcript

[Stuart Ralph]

You're listening to the OCD Stories podcast hosted by me, Stuart Ralph. The OCD Stories is a podcast dedicated to raising awareness and understanding around obsessive compulsive symptoms. I do this through interviewing inspired therapists, psychologists and people who have experienced OCD. Welcome to the OCD stories and welcome.

[Podcast Narrator]

To episode 502 of the podcast. And in this one I chat with Christopher Weston. Chris is a therapist specializing in OCD and I got to meet him back in 2017 when we were both on a panel at the ICDF conference. In this episode we discuss his OCD story, his early life experiences that were challenging, panic attacks, somatic or sensory, motor ocd, body dysmorphic disorder, exposure response prevention therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and much more.

[Stuart Ralph]

And thanks to our podcast partners. Nocd. If OCD is interfering with your life, NOCD can help their licensed therapists specialise in exposure and response prevention therapy, the most proven therapy For OCD with NOCD, effective treatment that is 100% virtual is available for children and adults with OCD and most members can get started within seven days on average. No hassle, just real science backed help and support between sessions. Begin your [e-mail] or or I'll put the link in the episode description.

[Podcast Narrator]

So thank you to Chris for his time sharing his story and expertise. I deeply appreciate it and of course thank you to you guys for listening. It means a lot. Without further ado, here is Chris.

[Stuart Ralph]

Welcome to the podcast, Chris.

[Christopher Weston]

Thanks for having me. I'm excited.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, it's good to have you on and I guess for the listeners, as we were reminiscing just now, we met in 2017, the ISTF conference in San Francisco, which was my first conference and we spoke on a panel together. I can't remember what, what it was about, maybe lived experience or story or something, but it's great to have you on here now, eight years later.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah, appreciate it.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, no worries. So, as you know, I'd love to hear your OCD story and it'd be great for you to share that now. As little as much detail as you want to give.

[Christopher Weston]

Okay. It's great. So first of all, thanks. Thanks again. You know, it's interesting I. I look back, such a crazy life that I've had and you know, I guess I should have thought something was going to be interesting when I was born because I was actually born sound asleep. My mom was. My mom was taking medication for her pain and I had all the pictures of me just afterward I was, I was sound asleep. But you know As I, as an infant and first couple years of life, I had some significant illnesses. I had pneumonia like three times, and I had a cyst in my neck, and I had a thing with my tongue that I was born with that they had to do surgery on. So, you know, those of us who have ocd, we often look back and wonder, geez, did this have anything to do with it? Right. We never know. Right. So it was interesting because my, My upbringing was, Was pretty dysfunctional. My mom suffered from obsessive compulsive personality disorder. And how that kind of manifested with myself and my two sisters was everything had to be perfect. We. We couldn't have friends over. We had to. The house had to be perfect. It would take her, I remember being a kid, just, we'd be going somewhere and it would take her like two hours to get ready to go out. And I just remember as a child, just, Just waiting for my mom, not really understanding what was going on, but, you know, knowing it. And she was actually a, A music major. And so at the age of five, she had my sister and I performing. I was in it had dance lessons and singing and doing shows and that kind of thing. And. But the challenge looking back is we. It always had to be perfect. Right? And not knowing as a kid what was going on, but just, just having that, having that out there, I think maybe affected me later on. So what happened was the big challenge, I think, was that my father, he always wanted to keep our family together, and so he didn't ever push it with her, and she was always right. And so I kind of had this resentment towards my dad not knowing that actually it was my mom that had the disorder. I didn't find that out until later when I moved out of the house. So probably in third grade. I remember just kind of being. And looking back now, kind of being anxious. And I remember I. I started to have some, like, minor, like, body dysmorphic disorder issues. Like, I remember, I remember in third grade, like, my hair had to be perfect. I remember I had super long hair back then. It was a long time ago. And I remember my mom cut it one time. And I remember just looking in the mirror and crying at, at my hair because I knew I had to go to school, I needed to be made fun of. And so. So from a young age, I kind of remember having that. And then I probably was. It was probably middle school when the, the BDD starting to get a little worse. I remember, you know, just spending a lot of time in front of the mirror. You're looking at myself. I remember middle school, you know, saying, trying to see my reflection on the. On the windows and at my school, things like that. Again, not knowing what it was and just being anxious, anxious about that. So what happened was in. In high school seemed to get worse. And then I became. I started to get obsessions over. When I'd have a conversation with somebody, I. I'd start to think about what I said. Did I come across as, you know, some strange person? Did I say the right thing? And. And that kind of manifested. And so again, just looking back now, there was these things again, not understanding. And it wasn't until I graduated from high school and went to college that I realized that my upbringing was different and that my. That there was something different about my mom. And again, it wasn't until later when I looked back and moved out of the house. So I graduated and I high school and went away to college. And body's a smart disorder. Started to get worse. I remember just, again, it was. It was really the hair. Looking at imperfections in my face, looking at the reflections. And I. No one really noticed, but I did remember one time there was a guy that said something to another guy and they both looked at me because I was looking at myself in the reflection. And I remember seeing that and like, oh my gosh, I'm outed. They caught me. And I remember getting super anxious. So, interesting thing happened my sophomore year, which really brought on maybe the severe anxiety, I think, at that time, and kind of the OCD more. So is that my freshman year or my sophomore year? I decided the first quarter I was going to get great grades. And so I decided to again, this perfectionism thing. So I don't just go after things a little bit. I go after them a lot. And so I remember just staying up late and studying all day. And because I was determined I was going to get in, not getting any sleep, but I was still, you know, going to parties and stuff like that, just kind of, kind of abusing my body in a way. And for. For, I remember for, you know, 10 weeks. And then I started getting these rashes and I break out in prickly heat and not knowing what that was. So then I went home for the quarter. For winter quarter. And I woke up one morning and I had this headache. It was over my. In my right eye and it wouldn't go away. And it got worse and worse and it got so bad that we had to go to the emergency room. My parents took me because it just. It wouldn't go Away. And so for the next two weeks, we saw probably six or seven doctors medication. And this thing would not go away. I still remember it over my eye just was so painful. Two weeks during the quarter. And did I mention two weeks? Anyway, so it was probably two days before I was to go back to UC Santa Barbara. My parents. My parents were telling me, you know, maybe you should take the quarter off. And there was no way I was going to do that. And I remember getting up and I got a phone call and I was finished the phone calls, walking back to my room and I had my first ever panic attack. And it was. It was something that I had never experienced. And as those of us who have had our first panic attack, none of them are good, but particularly the first one, it was so scary. And I thought I was gonna. Gonna die. I thought I was gonna go crazy. And it was. And I still can look back and just. And picture it. And what's interesting though, Stuart, is after that panic attack, my headache went away. And I don't. I still can't explain it to this day. I mean, things are strange, right? And how things went away. But then. And I ended up going back to college after two weeks of headaches. But now I had panic disorder. And I remember my sophomore year just having panic attacks. And I'd wake up in the morning being just severely anxious. My. My chest was tight, my throat was tight. And never told anybody. I. I was so proud and. And just. I could have no defects and I didn't want anybody to know that there was something wrong. Never, never told anyone about it and suffered. I remember suffering through my. My three. Last year, three of college, last three years. And with these panic attacks and this anxiety and made it through and panic attacks. Panic attacks kind of went away. But then I. Every morning I would wake up and it was a generalizing anxiety disorder. Just being anxious and anxious all day. So back then, graduated and started dating. Met my wife and still did. I didn't tell her we were dating at the time. And. But what was interesting is she still remembers. This is. We'd go like to a bookstore and I would always go to the psychology section because I'd want to look at the books to try to find out what was wrong with me. This was before Internet. This was before you could look this stuff up. You needed to go to the library. You need to go to books and things like that. Didn't want to go to the library. Always ask me, why do you always go to the psychology section? You know, why. Why are you always looking at those books, looking back now. And I. So I finally came out and I told her, I said, I said I had this thing, I'm anxious all the time. I kind of told her about my history in college and the headaches and that kind of thing, and she was very understanding. And it was at that time that I decided to finally, through my insurance and my job, reach out and try to find out what I had, what was going on with me. But again, if you can imagine, just every day, and you probably can, just being anxious, it was looking back, I. I still don't know how I did it. But anyway, so I, I talked to some therapists and somebody put me on medication. It didn't, it didn't really work and just didn't have a good experience with therapy. It was, it was talk therapy, you know, and, you know, talked about my childhood and obviously there was some dysfunction there, but. But really, really didn't do anything. So I stopped therapy and continued to be anxious. You know, my wife knew about it. The only reprieve I would really get is I began running and I would run every day and that would give me a little break from, from this anxiety. So kind of fast forwarding a few years when I was working where the OCD started to really come out. I remember sitting in my office and I started thinking about my collar touching my neck. And I know that now this hyper awareness center motor ocd, right? And I couldn't think of anything. It was always in the back of my mind. I remember going to Disneyland with my wife and I had kids now and just had this thought about my collar. So I try not to wear collars, shirts with collars, or wear T shirts. That manifested into one day when I went for a run. I came back and I was wiping the sweat from my eyes and I noticed my blinking. And that was the start of my ocd. And the now became the main focus of my OCD and just kind of everything. So it was hyper awareness, ocd, sensory motor. It was really bad. And again, I reached out. This was before erp. This is before, you know, this is the prehistoric days, right? And so, you know, you go to these therapists and you tell, man, I'm thinking about my blinking all the time, you know, and it's like they didn't know what to do. I remember the Internet kind of came around and I would, I would put in, you know, thinking about my blinking all the time. I wouldn't get any, I wouldn't get any hits. Okay, now there's Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hits. But back then there wasn't. And so I finally did some research and found out this is probably ocd. But the challenge was it wasn't really recognized by any therapists as ocd. And so I dealt with it myself for a couple of years, maybe doing some talk therapy until I met a gentleman who, his name was Paul Munford and he was doing exposure response prevention in the Sacramento area where I lived. I went, I met with them and he had me listen to loop tape saying, you know, because a big fear with hyper awareness OCD is that you're always going to have it and that you project out into the future that you're, you're going to be thinking about your blinking the rest of your life and you're never going to be able to enjoy anything. And it's, that's really where it's kind of manifested. So if you haven't listened to, to these tapes, and they didn't really help me as far as my ocd, but what it did was it kind of helped me realize that maybe there was some treatment for it. And, and so I realized later that exposure response prevention for hyper awareness sensory motor OCD isn't necessarily the best thing you can do. Some exposures such as if you're avoiding things, you need to do those. But what happened was I came across a therapist down in Southern California. His name was John Hirschfield. And this is when he was working in Southern California. And, and I remember him, I remember getting on with him and telling him about the exposures I was doing and him telling me, okay, yeah, you know, and John, how John comes across just really casual, mellow, just. He goes, but we probably need to approach this a little bit differently. And we started doing acceptance and commitment therapy and started looking at how I was thinking. And what really changed for me was he told me, he said, why don't you just tell yourself you're a guy who thinks about his blinking? And for whatever reason, Stuart, that that totally changed my trajectory because I realized, why can't I be a guy who just thinks about us blinking, right? And so anytime the thought would go up, I just say, yep, you know, this guy who thinks about his blinking and I'm normal kind of in any other way. Because I always thought I was crazy because I was thinking about my blinking. But here was a guy that was telling me that I was fine. I just happened to be a guy who was thinking about my blinking. And so I credit John. And I see him at conferences and talk every once in a while. And I, I still credit him for giving me that kind of mantra that change it. And since then, you know, John has gone on for bigger and better things, you know, but it. It's crazy thinking. Yeah. So I was working. I worked for the county and things seemed to get a little bit better. But after I got that help about using acceptance commitment therapy, I decided to retire from my job. I decided that I wanted to be a therapist. John kind of been. Had kind of been my, My mentor. And because he was a guy that the people don't know, but, like, he had done some acting before and he was. Before he became a therapist and then he found out about his ocd and then he went back to school. So, I mean, that sounds so cool. I kind of want to use Johannes for my mentor. So I, I retired from my job, which I could do, and I went back to school and became a therapist. And I, I worked. I remember. It's interesting you mentioned no cd. I worked for right out of my. Got my degree and my license. I worked for no CD for a period of time. And it was great because they had this great training program and I thought I knew everything about ocd, but I didn't. And so I, I learned a ton of stuff through an ocd, and they were great. And I started picking up some private clients who found out I was, you know, doing therapy and stuff. So I left no cd, and now I just see clients privately. And it's. It's great. I see a video. I'm. I'm helping people. And just my story is. I mean, I could spend three hours talking about my story, but bottom line is people who have ocd, sometimes they. And. And I did. I suffered for years and years and years. And. And you just, you have to just, you have to keep going. You. You just. You have to keep going because you don't know. Treatment is interesting. It helps some people. Some people helps a little bit. Some people helps a lot. There's all these nuances, right, involved in mental health therapy. And you never know when someone's going to say something to you or, or you're going to hear something that can change your trajectory, you know, and so that's what I really want to tell people. And so people can hear that you need to just keep going. Sometimes things don't work out and therapy maybe doesn't work, but you need to just keep looking and trying to find therapy. So that's kind of my story right now. I'm. I'm seeing clients I, I'm speaking about ocd. I'm part of the affiliate of OCD Sacramento. Very open now with my ocd, which was if you had asked me that, you know, 15, 20 years ago. But I, I don't have a problem with telling people about my subtype. I get people that call me from across the United States who have this subtype because I, I, I, about four months ago I gave a TEDx talk on OCD, specifically Hyper Awareness OCD. So I've had people call me who have this, that have sync therapists that don't realize it's OCD and it's really, it's really rewarding and like I'm the first person they talk to that have had this subtype of OCD because it's not real common. And so one of the, kind of lesser known people have it, but it's one of the lesser known. And I did a blog for the Anxiety Depression association of America and on hyper awareness ocd. And so you know, I, I do this, I would, I would do this even if I didn't have my license, even if I didn't do that. I, I would, I'm at the point now where I just want to help people with all OCD obviously. But it's just interesting now with people that have the hyper awareness ocd, you know, they look online and they find they, they can see my name just because it's, it's out there. So I kind of outed myself by doing the TEDx talk now, now it's out there in the world for everyone, everyone to see. That kind of, kind of was interesting. Kind of messed with me for a little bit. My OCD tried to, oh my God, now everybody knows, you know, and my neighbor was going to come knocking at my door that my eye had OCD or something like that, you know, So I started to get these thoughts, but typical ocd, right? Try to attack stuff that you, that you do. But, but it was a great experience. And so that's kind of where I am right now. I, I, you know, it's been a, it's been a wild ride. You know, looking back, I, I wouldn't wish OCD on anybody. But you know, I think those of us who are in recovery have this just appreciation and we, we've gotten better, just appreciation of, of life that I wouldn't have and, and reaching out and helping people and, and whether or not you become a therapist or an advocate or whatever, it's just, it's so helpful, right? So helpful when you can Meet somebody who's suffering and then provide some light and help to them that I WISH I had 30 years ago, you know? Yeah. So, yeah, nice. It's kind of my story.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah. Well, thank you, Chris, for sharing that. Yeah, yeah. A really good journey. And I want to talk about somatic sensory motor OCD in a second. Yeah, with bdd, I may have missed it. When did that kind of tail off or stop or.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah, so it's interesting. I kind of, That's a good question. It, I think it really started, the BDD kind of tailed off when my OCD really started to kick in. It's interesting. Right. So when I started getting this, the hyper awareness sensory motor with my collar, and it was probably my late 20s, still had some BDD, kind of had calmed down a little bit, but was still very concerned about what people thought about me. But I, I, I just, I, I think maybe my focus just kind of became all consuming with my ocd and occasionally I'll still, you know, have concerns about my hair, my looks and that kind of thing. However, it's not, it's not the prevalent anxiety issue that I have now. You know, it's, it's my ocd and that's what's just so, you know, you try to analyze these things, okay, why did my BDD go away? What, what changed? Did I do something? You know, do I have the answer? It's like you, you analyze all this stuff and you can't come up with an answer. Right. Because you're ruminating and so that's what you're, that's what your mind does anyway. Yeah. Yeah, good question though. I don't think I mentioned that.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, interesting because, like, I feel for me, when, when I was a teenager, I never got diagnosed with BDD because I didn't see anyone at that point. But in retrospect I feel was bdd. And at that point I don't really remember my, my OCD was pre, the pre bdd. But then I don't really remember OCD during that time. So I feel like my OCD just switched themes and BDD became its own theme for my ocd. Now I don't think that's the case. I think for some people it's, as the DSM says, it's a separate thing, a separate disorder. But I think for me it was, it was almost like an OCD theme. And maybe I wonder for you too that your brain then just didn't get bored of bdd, but like switched focus to something that was scarier in in the.

[Christopher Weston]

I think, I think, I think you'. I think, you know, it. It's. We never know the, you know, answer. Right. Completely. But yeah, looking back, you know, we're going through difficult times anyway in middle school and high school and, you know, people are always concerned about their looks anyway. Right. But if you have this tendency for anxiety and OCD and things that latches onto that. So I agree with you. It was, it was probably more of an OCD thing looking back now and. Yeah. It's just interesting. Yeah, that's a. That's a really good point. I never really thought about that before.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah. And that's not to say it's not bdd, because it's just maybe a different cause of bdd. It's like an OCD driven BDD as opposed to whatever causes BDD for other people, you know? Right, right. As we judge it by the symptoms. Right. That's how we categorize it in the dsm.

[Christopher Weston]

Totally. Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah. And for me, it was like, arguably worse than OCD in. In terms of my. Because my insight was almost zero, whereas ocd. I've always been able to. Part of me see that this is mad bdd. I was, I was.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah. So you were. And like, with you, did it manifest just in, like time spent on a. Mirrors and defects 100.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah. Mirror. It was to do with my hair as well. Hair in another body part I still find challenging to talk about, but like. Yeah. Lots of time of hair, hair products, covering stuff like. Yeah. In the toilets at school.

[Christopher Weston]

You know, I remember actually now that you. I remember in college I had some. In high school I had some acne, but really didn't have much. But that's the worst. And I. I remember just focusing in on this acne that I just. I conned my mom into, like taking me to the doctor so I could get on tetracycline, which would help the oc, which would help my. My acne. But looking back now, it was all BDD related. I. I was just so concerned. And then I remember in college they had a health center and I went and talked to the doctor there and because I'd gotten off tetracycline and my acne started coming back and just trying to get him to give me a prescription for tetracycline because, you know, I thought that would, you know, solve my PDD issues again. A temporary fix. Right. Yeah, yeah. Went on to something else, but yeah, it was the acne piece. I remember being really bad.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's. Yeah. It's funny the lengths we go to, but. Yeah, and. And just say, for me, it did kind of naturally switch, but I also, in hindsight, see that I actually did a few massive exposures without realizing I was doing an exposure.

[Christopher Weston]

Oh, wow.

[Stuart Ralph]

For about two weeks. Made me feel very, very insecure. But then when no one spotted that I was a freak in those two weeks, when, after I'd done this, it then, I think, started to give my brain that relief and it went on to something else, you know?

[Christopher Weston]

That's amazing. Um. That is amazing.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah. But so, yeah, it still confuses me to this day, but, yeah. Okay, so, yeah, back to your story, because this isn't about me.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah, that's great. I mean, I appreciate that because I didn't know.

[Stuart Ralph]

So, yeah, somatic ocd. So what's my question? So, yeah, when John gave you that kind of. That. That mantra, I guess it's more. It's acceptance. Right. It's.

[Christopher Weston]

I'm.

[Stuart Ralph]

I'm just this person.

[Christopher Weston]

Right.

[Stuart Ralph]

Thinks about rather than before. I imagine you were like, it's wrong for me to think this way. It's not. It's not good that I have this thing, this focus.

[Christopher Weston]

Right, Right. And. And yeah. And it was. Again, just. I'm looking back and people say it was really that simple. I. I mean, technically, it wasn't that simple, obviously. You know, it's my. It didn't get rid of my. My thoughts and my anxiety over my ocd, but it just. It got me out of my head thinking that there was something so wrong with me and that, yeah, I'm just a normal guy who thinks about his blinking and. And, yeah, it's. And that's why I just. I always go, you know, and tell people, you know, you know, maybe treatment isn't working correctly for you, but keep going because. Because something like that, a miracle may happen. Right. We don't know. Yeah. And, you know, we have the research. We have the erp, we have the act, we have the icbt. You know, we have, you know, act. We have all these. These tools now that. That helps people, but there's some people, maybe that stuff isn't working for them. And I just. I always want to encourage people, keep going. Some things. I mean, you know, they're doing research now with, you know, the electrical waves, you know, people. People use that. And that's been very helpful because some of my clients haven't. And it's been tremendous. And with medications and stuff, they're still doing research. So just keep going.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, 100% and different therapists. Because it takes different therapists to resonate with different people.

[Christopher Weston]

Right.

[Stuart Ralph]

And. And yeah, like you said, just different messages. Sometimes there's just something we need to hear it or we need to hear it in a particular way or, or even a particular time in our life, and then it resonates and.

[Christopher Weston]

Right. You know, I also, I also find Stuart and not that some. I mean, there's some awesome therapists who have never had ocd, but I know, I know for me, it was. It was meeting another therapist that had OCD was just very helpful for me. I am. When I talk to my clients, I'm up front, disclose my OCD from the beginning. Never had any negative feedback from that. And I find that you maybe find this too in your practice when you see people OCDs, they're talking to you, but they. OCD is so interesting because sometimes there's words that aren't in the vocabulary and they're trying to tell you what is occurring. Right. And they can't. They can't think of the word because OCD could be so interesting and bizarre sometimes. And they'll start talking to me and I could kind of finish their sentence because I, I know the lang. That. That just that inherent OCD language and you can't really explain it. You know what I'm talking about? Yeah, but. But it's just kind of this. This inherent. Okay, yeah, I do get that because I experienced that kind of that feeling and yeah. This is what's coming out. And I say, yeah, you know, yeah, that's. You're right. So for me, it was very helpful to have someone who had OCD before. And again, there's great therapists who've never had them.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah.

[Christopher Weston]

And can do great work. But for me, that was important.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, absolutely. Like you say, yeah, there are many wonderful therapists without him. And people don't necessarily need a therapist of ocd, but it's. It's like it's a cherry on top of, you know.

[Christopher Weston]

Right.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah. The thing I tell my. Because I work with children and teenagers, the first thing I'll say is, well, with non OCD clients, because I keep a small percentage in on OCD clients just for variety. And I, you know, I don't obviously reveal about my OCD to them because it's just not relevant. But with, With a client of ocd, the first thing I'll say is, you know, I have experience of HD from a very young age, and I say that. And I work with people with OCD all the time. So I tell you that just to say from an OSD point of view, there's nothing you could tell me that would make me worried for you or make me feel less of you or anything like that.

[Christopher Weston]

Right. That's awesome.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah. And, yeah, I agree with you. And it was. For the longest time, for me, it was holding that in because I didn't want to. People think I was imperfect and that there was something wrong with me. But it was interesting as I had raised two boys. They're at the house, married, but I remember going up to them as they were adults and telling them about my OCD and saying it was more like, if you ever start to feel these thoughts and experience this, I mean, I felt I had a responsibility, you know, because I didn't get the help that I needed. And it's like, this is what I have. And. And so luckily, they don't have it. But I think it's. It's just important for us, especially those who we love, because sometimes it could be genetic. I don't think they've proven that for sure yet, but there's maybe some genetic component. Yeah. I have a really good friend, and his son also has ocd. His dad has ocd. So I think there is some genetic component. They just haven't proven it yet. But for me, it was, like, my responsibility. Okay. I got to tell my sons I have ocd. And, you know, nothing bad happened. They love me, and now they. Now I'm a therapist, and now they. They think that's great. And, oh, dad did this TED Talk, and they're telling all their friends that dad does this TED Talk. You know, hey, there's no other dads that did a TED Talk. And they tell their friends about it. Now their friends know about OCD because they watched my TED Talk. So it's funny. Things just come full circle. Right.

[Stuart Ralph]

And. And you normalize it by being normal, so to speak.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

What I mean by that is. Yeah. If you go out in the world and you are. You give a presentation and you're. You're kind, caring, and an interesting person, people are going to associate that with ocd, and that becomes a new normal. OCD isn't whatever weird stereotype people have in their minds. It's every single type of person on this Earth.

[Christopher Weston]

Right, right.

[Stuart Ralph]

Which. Yeah, so. So, yeah. So when you put that on the world, your kids and their friends and friends, parents, they'll see that and be like, oh, you know, it normalizes mental health. Right, this stigma. Stigmatized thing.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah. And. And not to say that I, you know, I always could. I just. I'm always in remission. It never cured. Right. So I have bad days. You know, I. I wake up in the morning and. And, you know, my thoughts are strong about my. And it's generally my eyes and my blinking, and maybe my anxiety kind of comes back a little bit, so it's not like I'm cured. And, you know, I want my. I want everyone to know that. That, you know, some people, when they come for therapy, they want to be cured. Right. And sometimes it's difficult telling them, hey, look, you're gonna. This is chronic. You're something you're gonna have to continue to deal with, but we're going to give you the tools where you can live a great life. Right. And so, you know, part of this is I have the tools. Yeah. I have bad days, you know, and sometimes I'll need to call my therapist and, you know, kind of just talk things out, you know. But it's okay. Yeah. You know, it's okay. Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

Everyone has something, right?

[Christopher Weston]

Right. Right. Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah. Well, some people have several things.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

Unfortunately. But, yeah. Yeah, it's. It's. It's better some days. Other days it comes back a little bit, but when it does, you have the skills and tools to deal with it.

[Christopher Weston]

Right, Right. And. And my wife has been very understanding. I. I think there was a time there when I was trying to involve her in some of my treatment, and I realized that was probably the worst thing I could do. Right. We. We look for, you know, reassurance and. And that kind of thing. And she never gave it to me. She. It was always the tough love thing. Christianity, you need to deal with this. Yeah. And so I credit her for. For being that person. I didn't like it at the time. Oh, she's. She's not sensitive to mine, to my needs, you know, and this kind of thing. But as I started to learn, she was exposing me to, you know, things I needed to be exposed to, and she wouldn't reassure me. And it's just. It's just funny looking back, because at the time, I didn't like it, but. Yeah, I know she did the right thing. She didn't really necessarily know she was doing the right thing, but looking back, she was. She was doing what she needed to do. So. Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, that's really good to hear.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

Because. Yeah. Sometimes the not giving the reassurance is the most empathic thing, you know.

[Christopher Weston]

Yes.

[Stuart Ralph]

But it doesn't feel that way, Right?

[Christopher Weston]

Yes.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah. It's tough. Okay, and what was my other question? Yeah. Going back to Hirschfield, actually, and what you said, I think just to clarify that for the listeners, because it's like it did have a huge impact on you. Right. And then. Yeah. You were caveating a bit, saying, look, it wasn't a cure. It didn't kind of. There was other things that needed to happen. And of course, you had done work prior to that with the ERP and stuff, but I think there's. There's a message in there which is a key part of act. Right. Or just CBT generally of changing our mind and our perspective and.

[Christopher Weston]

Right.

[Stuart Ralph]

You looked at the problem differently. And when you looked at it differently, the problem changed.

[Christopher Weston]

Exactly.

[Stuart Ralph]

Or diminished.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah, I got some separation. Yeah. From the ocd. Instead of being right here, it became here. I'm just a guy who thinks about his blinking. Okay. I can handle that. Yeah. No, instead of man, you, you. Something's wrong with you because you think about your blinking. Yeah. You know, and. Yeah. So it gave me this degree of separation and I think that was a big part of it too. And that's a big part of ACD act, as well as, you know, kind of getting some separation between you and your ocd. So very, very, very helpful. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Stuart Ralph]

I see this. You'll see it too, no doubt. Your clients, a lot of my clients, it's the struggle of, I don't want this, it's horrible. I need to get rid of it.

[Christopher Weston]

Right.

[Stuart Ralph]

And the whole time they're in that, I know it's going to be hard for them, but when they start to shift of, I don't like this, but it's there and I'm just going to do what I need to deal with it. Or yeah, I don't like it, but it can be there. I'm going to make space for it. All of this, it starts to shift for them because they're accepting it. They're not pushing it away anymore.

[Christopher Weston]

Exactly.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah.

[Christopher Weston]

And. And not just a little bit change of subject on that. What's interesting is, you know, I get people, again, who have a hyper awareness sensor meter, ocd, and they call me and they're in another state. You know, it just. It's so ridiculous that I can't do therapy all over the United States. You know, I mean, there's people out there that are struggling, you know, and so that needs to be a change. But I have actually gotten license in several states just because of a client who is suffering from this particular type. Again, I Do all kinds of ocd, but I, I get it with this, they just can't find anybody. And I say, okay, let me see what the. Well, you know, what I have to do to get license in the state. And sometimes it's really simple and easy and I can do it. So for me, that's just giving back. It's nothing great, but I just, I, I want to help this person. Right. And so I'll even get licensed in another state a bit if it's some, you know, decent, simple process to help somebody. Yeah. So I have his licenses in these random states, you know. I know. Yeah, I know.

[Stuart Ralph]

Wasn't there the, Is it the psy pact? Is that what it's called?

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah, that's for psychologists.

[Stuart Ralph]

Oh, okay.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah, they. So I think, I think, I think what, what that is. It's, you know, they have the ability to go to every state with, with licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed clinical social workers. It works differently. You have to actually be licensed in that state, which is, which is crazy, right? Because we, we've all, we all know, you know, we know our stuff. That the qualifications are very similar in every state because. I know, right. But you know, you have to pay your, your, your money and fill out their application and all that kind of stuff. And it's just, it's too bad. I mean, they really need to work on something with, with social workers and licensed marriage and family therapists where. Yeah, we can. Someone reaches out, you know, across the United States. And I just got licensed in New Hampshire, I live in California because I, I have, you know, some folks there who are suffering and, and I want to help them out. So. And it was a pretty easy process, but some states are a little more challenging, right?

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's such an easy fix.

[Christopher Weston]

Right.

[Stuart Ralph]

Would make such a difference. And the same in the uk we have in private therapy for psychotherapists if they earn over a certain amount, the VAT threshold, they have to charge 20% VAT tax. So our hourly rate goes up 20% straight away once you hit the threshold, which means the consumer, the client, so to speak, takes the 20% hit. The therapist makes no more money, the client loses 20% extra and the government makes 20%.

[Christopher Weston]

Right.

[Stuart Ralph]

Which nothing against VAT tax, but on mental health it's. Whereas psychologists are VAT exempt. So they don't charge that on. They can make millions. Not that they do, but they could make millions and they wouldn't have to collect fat on behalf of the government. So we're Campaigning for that. But yeah, every country has its kind of useless things that if they just removed it would make a world of difference.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah. And it's a simple solution, I think, because the, you know, the psychologists have it now and it's, it would just seem to be really simple. And you know, as we know, it's so challenging sometimes to get therapy for ocd and I, that's. No CD is great because they provide like this niche where insurances a lot of times will take, you know, them and I, I think it's, I think they're great. I always, I refer people to them. You know, they had certain insurances and they, I think it's, it's just an awesome company. I remember, I remember meeting Stephen Smith that, you know, years ago at a conference and he was telling me about his idea. I don't know if you ever talked to him before. Yeah, he's owned his company, but yeah, he was out there by himself, you know, just talking about his, his dream.

[Stuart Ralph]

Very dedicated.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah. You know, and it's just like a couple years later. Oh my gosh, he actually did it. Yeah. You know, and, and stuff that he must have had to go through to form, form this company that provides OCD treatment. And he's got Dr. McGrath and, you know, just, he's on, you know, advertisements and he's got spokesman and that kind of thing. And I just go, wow. And this is a guy who had OCD as well, right? Yeah. And so it was just so passionate at his story and you know, his story's great too. It's just, you know, I couldn't find treatment and so I just wanted to invent something where people could have access to treatment and it'd be simpler and easier. And so I think, I think what he did was phenomenal.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, yeah, it's really inspiring. He, him and his whole team. It's such a hard working company. Yeah, they work tirelessly.

[Christopher Weston]

They do.

[Stuart Ralph]

And to even get the access of insurance companies, that was a problem in the States. Right, right. And they've got such massive access now that people in the States never had before.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

So. And that's all because of them, you know.

[Christopher Weston]

Right. Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

So it's really, really amazing what they're doing.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

So. Oh, and I should add, just for UK listeners, most private psychotherapists won't charge you that because they won't hit the threshold because what they do is they'll just take on less clients so they don't earn over the threshold and then they don't have to VAT register. So just. It's only people like myself that run sort of a center. Because we have several therapists, we're easily going over the VAT threshold and then we have to charge.

[Christopher Weston]

Right.

[Stuart Ralph]

So it's frustrating.

[Christopher Weston]

And I was just, just, just to, yeah. Kind of talk about you, so. I remember just your OCD stories, man. It's just phenomenal. Thank you. I mean, I mean, you know, I'm sure you've seen numbers, but I mean, I talked to people at the conference. We talked about OCD stories. I said, well, I think I'm going to be on, you know, a couple. Everyone knows about OCD stories, so. Oh, good. Yeah. Because I listen. I listen every week or whatever, you know. So I want to give you credit too, man, because I, I know there was probably some difficult times. Challenging times when you get these things going. Right. It sounds fun. Sounds great. Sounds like you. Oh, yeah, a lot of work, I'm sure. I just, I, I can just imagine. And people, A lot of people don't realize how much work that you put into this. And I know you, you've. You touch people. Because again, when I see people at the conference and I. 3,000 people or whatever, maybe half of them have OCD, I don't know, but they're talking about OCD stories, you know, and, and we're talking about it. So I just want to, you know, thank you for, for you know, giving people with OCD therapists, you know, everything to do with OCD a platform to talk. Again, I talk about like that miracle happens, someone can listen to one of your stories, you know, and really relate to what somebody said and change their trajectory. So I'm sure you think about this, but again, I just want to give you kudos for continuing this and giving us this platform because it's just, it's awesome, man. Appreciate it.

[Stuart Ralph]

No, that means a lot. And, and yeah, it's definitely not been easy. There's been a lot of down, down points over the 10 years, nearly now.

[Christopher Weston]

That's amazing.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah. But, but there's a lot of high points and that's why I do it. Right.

[Christopher Weston]

So, yeah, yeah, it's an every week thing. Right. It's like consistent. I mean, you don't really. I mean, you get some breaks, I'm sure, but it's like it continues to roll because you, you know, you put out these stories and stories and stories and stories. It's not like you. Every month, maybe you have one. I know you're working hard, man, so it's great.

[Stuart Ralph]

Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Like, I've got next week off for the holidays, so this week I'm having to edit two episodes to make up for the one I'm not going to edit next week. So then this week becomes hectic, so I go into my holiday really stressed.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah, but I'm there with you, man. I'm there with you. Yeah. I just, you know, it's so, so amazing, the OCD community. You can't explain it to people, Right. It's just. There's something about, you know, I always say with people with ocd, we're very sensitive people, which is why we have ocd, right? Because we take a thought and we run with it and say. And just. We're so sensitive to it. And, you know, I go to the conferences and I meet people with ocd, and everyone is just so compassionate, and, you know, they may be totally struggling and. And I get that, but it's just. I find it's just a community that. That I just love to be part of because we're. We're all dealing with the same thing. But a lot of us are very similar, too, because we're very sensitive. I mean, seriously, my clients, I. They're very sensitive people, and that's what I think a lot of times why we have ocd, Right. Because we're so concerned about a thought. Right. Instead of just blowing it off. That's just nothing, you know, I wish I could do that. Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

I think you're right. Yeah. People mostly, generally are very sensitive, and that's what makes them a pleasure to work with as well.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

And the downside of that is they feel deeply, and it's uncontrollable at times and.

[Christopher Weston]

Right, Exactly.

[Stuart Ralph]

Nice. So two questions at the end. You got a billboard. What do you want written on that billboard?

[Christopher Weston]

Repeat that again.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah. So you've got a billboard. What do you want written on the billboard?

[Christopher Weston]

You know, I think for me, it's. You just keep going. You got to take this one day at a time. You. You got to get up, get out of bed, and. And go with it. That sometimes that's the hardest part, right. When you. When you're down in the depths of OCD and anxiety and all those other things, you just. It's difficult to get moving sometimes. Right. And you got to force yourself to do it. That's why I tell people sometimes that I don't really have it. You need to force yourself. You know, you. You need to do it. So whatever works for you. But, I mean, A lot of people, it starts with just getting out of the bed in the morning. Right. Just forcing themselves, okay, this is another day I'm going to be dealing with my ocd, you know, and just keep going. There's. There's an answer for you. There's something out there for you. Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, I like that. And you pick up the phone, call the. I'm gonna go younger. When you were sort of living at home and it was really tough, and maybe you were confused. So, you know, around that, like, 12 age, what would you tell him?

[Christopher Weston]

No one's ever asked me that. That's a great question. I would tell. I would tell that person that he needs to share and talk and be open and express your feelings and emotions. Because part of my upbringing was we didn't do that. Right. We kept things inside as part of the ocpd, in the environment. We didn't share emotions and say, I love you. Didn't tell people really, what we were thinking. And so I would want to really just try to get this kid to start to share what's. What's on his mind. And, you know, if he. If he wants to hug somebody, if he wants to tell him that he loves them, you know, it's okay. You can do that. And that again for so long, that was so hard for me to really just. Just open up like that. But, yeah, that's. That would have been a huge thing if I could have opened up and talked. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Changed my trajectory, I think, at the time. So. But who knows, right?

[Stuart Ralph]

Who knows? Exactly. And you're talking now say, yeah, exactly.

[Christopher Weston]

I can't stop. So, yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

Making up for lost time.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Any.

[Stuart Ralph]

Lastly, is there anything else you wish you could have said or shared?

[Christopher Weston]

You know, I. I think I. I think that, you know, those of us with ocd, and I think it's just not everyone's comfortable sharing their story. That's okay. You. You don't. You don't have to share your story, but I think what you can do is you don't share your story is help other people. You know, just. Just reach out. And again, just. My theme is like, helping other people because as you. As you know, service is. Can be a treatment for ocd.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah.

[Christopher Weston]

When you're helping other people. Right. And so you may not be able to be a therapist or an advocate or something, but just. Just providing service for people really gets you out of your head. Yeah. And out there, and you're not so focused on my thoughts, my ocd, you focus on that person, you know, or that Cause so.

[Stuart Ralph]

Yeah, true, true. Absolutely. It doesn't have to be service of people with ocd, just anyone in the world.

[Christopher Weston]

Exactly. Yeah.

[Stuart Ralph]

But yeah, that's good advice. Cool. Well, thanks, Chris. I appreciate you sharing your story. It's been awesome reconnecting with you after so long.

[Christopher Weston]

Yeah, man, it's. Yeah, it's great. It's been. It's amazing how time just goes by here, right at conference, their new conference, a new year. And like really 2017. And this is like, oh my gosh.

[Stuart Ralph]

Thank you for listening to this week's.

[Podcast Narrator]

Podcast and thank you to our patrons.

[Stuart Ralph]

Who help make this episode possible. And if you would like to find out more about Patreon and the rewards.

[Podcast Narrator]

And benefits, then there will be a.

[Stuart Ralph]

Link in the episode description. If you enjoy the OCD Stories podcast and would like to support us, please subscribe and rate the show wherever you listen to the podcast. And thank you to NOCD for supporting our work. If you want to find out more about nocd, you can click the link in the episode description. And quick disclaimer. Guys, this podcast is not therapy. It is not a replacement for therapy. Please seek treatment from a trained professional. And until we speak, take care.