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

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.

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])

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])

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

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.

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.

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