162. Social Media Is Making Your OCD Worse — Here’s Why

Summary

---

The OCD Whisperer Podcast with Kristina Orlova

Episode 162: Social Media Is Making Your OCD Worse — Here’s Why
Date: December 12, 2025
Host: Kristina Orlova

---

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, Kristina Orlova dives into how social media use uniquely impacts individuals with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). While social platforms were created for connection and expression, their design can fuel obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors—making symptoms more severe for those with OCD. Kristina combines personal experience, scientific research, and practical advice to help listeners understand social media’s psychological effects and reclaim control over their digital habits.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media

• Social media started with good intentions—community and expression—but its evolution has had unintended mental health consequences, especially for sensitive or compulsive minds.
• Platforms are deliberately designed for endless scrolling and dopamine-driven reward loops, keeping users engaged (03:00).

Amplifying OCD Symptoms

• Social media is not neutral for those with OCD. It can hijack compulsions, trigger new obsessions, and exacerbate feelings of inadequacy or shame (01:49).
• “For people with OCD, social media isn't a neutral tool. It can hijack our compulsions, trigger obsessions, and feed cycles of not good enough.”
• Heavy users often experience increased anxiety, depression, stress, poor sleep, and lower self-esteem (04:12).
• Clinical observations show that digital behaviors—such as compulsive checking, refreshing, obsessing over posts—are now presenting as modern OCD symptoms (05:45).

How the Cycle Works

• Kristina illustrates a scenario:
  • Waking, grabbing the phone, and scrolling through others’ highlight reels can trigger thoughts like “Why don’t I do more?” or “Am I good enough?”
  • Each check or refresh mimics OCD compulsions (locking doors, confirming worth), leading to spirals of self-critique and rumination (07:15).
• Notable Quote:
  • “That's not casual scrolling, that's autopilot, where insecurity, fear, perfectionism, and compulsions—they’re the ones running the show.” (07:45)

Modern Research and Clinical Observations

• A 2023 review linked problematic social media use to higher risk of depression, anxiety, ADHD, stress, and increased OCD symptoms (08:40).
• As usage and platform counts grow, so does mood disturbance. Clinicians now recognize evolving OCD symptoms linked explicitly to digital interactions—e.g., obsessing over posts, deleting apps, or fearing digital visibility (09:28).
• Kristina warns: correlation isn't causation—social media doesn’t cause OCD, but magnifies difficulties for those already predisposed (10:09).

From Avoidance to Intention: Practical Tips

• Old advice (like deleting apps) constitutes avoidance and can feed the OCD cycle (10:30).
• Kristina advocates for intentional, mindful use:
  • Before opening social media, pause and ask:
    • What do I need (connection, support, distraction)?
    • Will scrolling meet that need or mask it?
    • How do I want to feel when I close the app?
  • Example: Instead of passive scrolling, send a private message to a friend or look for specific uplifting content (10:52).
• Notable Quote:
  • “If I don't choose how I use social media, social media will choose how it's going to use me. Every intentional scroll becomes a micro act of reclaiming your mind.” (12:08)

Community Challenge

• Kristina issues a practical challenge:
  • Tonight, screenshot your home screen, circle the app you reach for when triggered, and either share or reflect privately.
  • Tag Kristina or DM with “I'm choosing intention, not autopilot” to build accountability and community support (12:48).

Final Thoughts

• Reframing social media as a tool, not an escape—one that can serve your values if used with intention (13:27).
• Notable Quote:
  • “Scrolling doesn't have to be an escape. It can be a tool—a tool that you take charge of, a tool that serves your values and not your compulsions.” (13:36)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the personal experience of OCD and social media:
  • “For people with ocd, social media isn’t a neutral tool. It can really become a part of their symptom cycle itself.” (05:21)
• On the emotional impact of scrolling:
  • “Some people even report a sense of mental wearing down as if their emotional reserves are getting drained with every scroll, like a subtle erosion of your own self worth.” (05:03)
• On intention versus autopilot:
  • “If I don't choose how I use social media, social media will choose how it's going to use me.” (12:08)
• On collective empowerment:
  • “Because, you know, reclaiming our mind, it’s not a solo path, it’s definitely a movement. And I think that we all definitely need to help each other.” (13:54)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:59 — Introduction to episode theme: OCD and Social Media
• 03:00 — How social media’s design affects the brain (dopamine, feedback loops)
• 04:12 — Research highlights: social media, anxiety, depression, and sleep
• 05:45 — How OCD symptoms manifest through digital behaviors
• 07:15 — A personal scenario: the spiral from casual scrolling
• 08:40 — Summarizing 2023 research on social media and mental health
• 09:28 — New forms of digital OCD symptoms in clinical practice
• 10:30 — Avoidance versus intentional use—practical self-help tips
• 12:08 — Setting intention with social media use
• 12:48 — The home screen challenge and community-building
• 13:27 — Final encouragement to take control and support one another

---

Summary

Kristina Orlova unpacks how the addictive design of social media uniquely fuels OCD obsessions and compulsions, emphasizing that for many, platforms are a minefield—not a neutral space. By blending research, relatable scenarios, and actionable advice, she encourages listeners to shift from avoidance or autopilot to mindful, intentional use. With community support and practical rituals, people with OCD can reclaim agency over their digital lives and mental health.

---

For more resources and self-help tools, visit:
www.coraresults.com

---

Transcript

[WSECU Representative]

WSECU isn't just one of Washington's best credit unions. We're the only credit union to be on the Forbes Best in State list five years running. Why? Because we put you first. Lower fees, early paydays, financial guidance and service second to none. As a member owned cooperative, we love Washington as much as you do. From the Olympic Mountains to the rolling Palouse. Join us and discover how much we care about your financial well being. Because what we really do best is invest in you. Stop by, say hi, we're wsecu.

[Shopify Advertiser]

Let's Credit Union when it's time to scale your business, it's time for Shopify. Get everything you need to grow the way you want. Like all the way. Stack more sales with the best converting checkout on the planet. Track your cha chings from every channel right in one spot and turn real time reporting into big time opportunities. Take your business to a whole new level. Switch to Shopify. Start your free trial today.

[Podcast Host (OCD Whisperer)]

Welcome to OCD Whisper Podcast. Today with you, I'm going to be talking about OCD and social media. If social media were a drug, for many of us, it's the one that we didn't sign up for. You open your phone and you think just for A minute and 45 minutes later, you're left feeling empty, anxious, maybe even ashamed. For many of us, especially when you're living with obsessive compulsive disorder, that particular quick scroll can spark a spiral. And then you wonder, why do I feel worse after social media? Why does my brain go haywire even if I know that the posts aren't real life? Well, here's the truth, folks. With people with ocd, social media isn't neutral. It can hijack our compulsions, trigger obsessions, and feed cycles of not good enough. So today we're going to examine how does social media affect our minds and why it's especially tricky when you have ocd. And most importantly, how do you reclaim your power? It's definitely not by avoiding life, but by being, I think, intentional.

[Christina Orlova]

Hi, I'm Christina Orlova, host of the OCD Whisperer podcast. As someone who lives with ocd, I understand the struggles firsthand.

[Podcast Host (OCD Whisperer)]

If you're here, you're not alone.

[Christina Orlova]

Before we start, grab your free OCD survival kit at www.corresults.com to help you take control. That's K-O-R results.com Now let's dive into today's episode.

[Podcast Host (OCD Whisperer)]

So, social media, I don't think started as a mental health experiment. I think it began as A point of connection, community, even expression. I think maybe for some innocent reasons, but over the last 15, 20 years, platforms really exploded, exploded. And now billions carry the world in their pocket. And this is nothing that you don't already know. But this growth also brought a new reality that feeds this design for endless scrolling notifications that are programmed for our attention grabs and these reward loops that are built to keep you coming back. So at first glance, what's wrong with the connection, right? Like isn't this something that's made for us to, to be together and closer? But for vulnerable brains, especially those wired for compulsions and hypervigilance, this digital world really becomes a pressure cooker. So it's not doing what it's designed to do. Instead of connection, it creates more loneliness. And so researchers have been finding and sending the alarm that heavy social use can repeat is repeatedly associated with increased anxiety and depression and stress and sleep problems and lowered well being being and the more platforms than someone uses. So if you're up to, you know, five, six, seven, you have a higher risk of mood disturbances and distress. So social media, it's not like it's all bad, right? It, it did bring connection, it has brought support and it has brought creativity and community. And I think for many people it really has helped and it really did give hope and it does give belonging. But data also shows that there are really concerning patterns when this use becomes really heavy or compulsive. A national, nationally, a representative in the US study found that a strong, there's a strong linear association between time spent on social media, especially if you're on multiple platforms, and depressive symptoms. So excessive social media and problematic use have been linked to heightened anxiety, stress, loneliness, a lot lower self esteem, sleep disturbances and really just overall lower well being. So some people even report a sense of mental wearing down as if their emotional reserves are getting drained with every scroll, like a subtle erosion of your own self worth. So it's not that social media inherently causes universal harm, is that for some brains, especially sensitive or vulnerable ones, this, the dopamine hits the feedback loops and the comparison triggers can really destabilize mental health. So for people with ocd, social media isn't a neutral tool. It can really become a part of their symptom cycle itself. I think clinical observations show that digital behaviors, checking, refreshing, fearing an accidental post or reaction or obsessing over what was posted are really showing up as kind of content of obsessions and compulsions in modern cases with ocd. So there's a growing body of Research that finds a positive correlation between compulsive or even kind of addictive social media use and higher OCD symptom severity for many with ocd, social media really activates the alarm system. So checking becomes really compulsive and a compulsion in itself. Comparing ourselves to others becomes an obsessional content theme. Self critique becomes rumination and this whole like that, just quick, let's take a quick glance at something can become spiraling for hours and it fuels that anxiety and the guilt and the shame. So kind of what might be normal social media use for one person can really be a hot zone for another.

[WSECU Representative]

WSECU isn't just one of Washington's best credit unions. We're the only credit union to be on the Forbes Best in State list five years running. Why? Because we put you first. Lower fees, early paydays, financial guidance and service second to none. As a member owned cooperative, we love Washington as much as you do. From the Olympic mountains to the rolling Palouse, Join us and discover how much we care about your financial well being. Because what we really do best is invest in you. Stop by, say hi, we're wsecu. Let's credit union.

[Podcast Host (OCD Whisperer)]

One study even argues that social media and smartphone use should be explicitly considered when clinicians are assessing modern OCD symptoms. And that's because the content and compulsions really have evolved with technology, just like everything else in life. So like imagine, right? You wake up, you still feel groggy, you reach for your phone, you scroll through maybe a friend's vacation photos, they're laughing. You see some sunny beaches, there's a group hugs, great smiles. You take a deep breath and you tell yourself, okay, well, I do okay. But then maybe your chest gets a little tight and maybe your stomach dips and you think, well, why don't I go on any vacations? Or why aren't I doing maybe more with my life? Or maybe something's wrong. So maybe you refresh and you scroll again, but there's nothing new, right? And your mind just keeps replaying and starts to go into that loop. Maybe I should be doing more. I should be doing better. I deserve more. Um, maybe I'm not good enough. Am I okay? So every scroll and refresh feels like it's necessary. It's like checking a locked door, like confirming your worth. And then hours later, you close your phone and you're tired. You feel empty, you're frustrated. That's not casual scrolling, that's autopilot. Where insecurity, fear, perfectionism and compulsions, they're the ones that are running the show. And if you have ocd, that spiral isn't just emotional, it's stirring up your obsessional content, it's supercharging your compulsions and it's leaving you feeling trapped in your own mind. Let's talk about some facts. In 2023 review identified that there's a strong link between problematic social network use and increased risk for depression, anxiety, stress, adhd, if you could believe it, and OCD symptoms.

[Shopify Advertiser]

When it's time to scale your business, it's time for Shopify. Get everything you need to grow the way you want, like all the way. Stack more sales with the best converting checkout on the planet. Track your cha chings from every channel right in one spot and turn real time reporting into big time opportunities. Take your business to a whole new level. Switch to Shopify, start your free trial today.

[Podcast Host (OCD Whisperer)]

There's other large scale studies that show that as a number of social media platforms or time spent increases, so do mood disturbances. And so clinicians now observe that OCD symptoms are evolving in the digital era. So obsessions about, let's say, posting or maybe reacting wrong, compulsions of constant checking or scrubbing or even deleting content or even deleting apps, anxiety about visibility or privacy. Behaviors that really weren't part of traditional OCD checklists. But this is important because many researchers caution that correlation doesn't equal causation. So heavy social media use does not automatically create OCD or depression in everyone. But for people who already have that predisposition and vulnerability, using social media with little awareness or intention, it can be a really powerful amplifier of pain. Which brings us to kind of what I'd like to put out there as maybe something you could try. So old advice sometimes used to be things like just delete it and you're going to be better, or just mute everything. Well, sometimes that works for folks, but for many of us that have ocd, myself included, that's not always realistic. So more importantly too, I think it's important to know that that's avoidance. And avoidance can really feed the OCD cycle. So I'm going to ask us to instead choose intention. Let's bring awareness. Let's become the driver again. So maybe let's try this intentional ritual shift. So before you open social media, maybe pause for a moment and ask yourself, what am I needing right now? Is it connection? Is it support? Is it a distraction? Not all distraction is bad. Will this social media use meet that need or mask it? Meaning, am I scrolling to feel good? Take A break? Or am I just trying to escape the discomfort? And how do I want to feel when I close the app? Do I want to feel grounded, energized? So if you answer to the second and third questions where I'm not sure, that might be your clue to slow down and maybe step away from social media and your device. Intentional use and not avoidance driven use means that if you want real connection, maybe think of sending a private message to someone you trust, like skipping the public scrolls. And if you want joy or humor, maybe watch a funny reel or read something instead that's uplifting instead. And close the app. Maybe if you're craving inspiration or creativity, maybe search for content that's aligned with your passion, if it's art or music or hobbies, so that you're using it as fuel and not as escape. And if you're feeling vulnerable or insecure, let's pause, let's take a breath, let's just notice that feeling. It's not, it's okay to not feel comfortable. And then let's choose what content you want to engage with that's going to actually feed your values and not your fear. Right? This isn't about being perfect. This is just about not letting the algorithm rewrite your self worth. It's really about that. If I don't choose how I use social media, social media will choose how it's going to use me. Every intentional scroll becomes a micro act of reclaiming your mind. I'm going to put out this challenge for you and really for all of us. And let's see if tonight, maybe before bed, you take a pause and you screenshot your home screen and I want you to circle the app that you reach for when you first feel triggered and then post it or maybe save it if you prefer. If you want to be more private, you can leave me a comment or a DM and write. I'm choosing intention, not autopilot. And I think together as a community, we can build this so that we're not just surviving social media, but we're showing it who is the boss. I think that it's important that we take a moment, we be real with ourselves. We be ourselves, especially in a world that's built to take our attention. You know, scrolling doesn't have to be an escape. It can be a tool. A tool that you take charge of. A tool that serves your values and not your compulsions. So if this episode resonated or any part of kind of the spiral story felt like yours, or maybe kind of the intention setting questions that I put out there. Maybe try them and maybe see how it might change things a little bit. Maybe it might change your compulsions or your awareness. And if you feel brave, share that home screen screenshot with me. Feel free to tag me and let's see what we can do together. Because, you know, reclaiming our mind, it's not a solo path, it's definitely a movement. And I think that we all definitely need to help each other. I'm really honored to always walk with you in this path. I thank you for your time and I'll see you in the next episode.

[Christina Orlova]

Thanks for listening to the OCD Whisperer podcast. Remember, freedom from OCD is a journey.

[Podcast Host (OCD Whisperer)]

And you're not alone.

[Christina Orlova]

Visit www.coraresults.com to explore self help masterclasses like Sneaky Rituals with Jenna Overbaugh or ICBT Masterclass with Christina Inabe. Don't forget to to grab your OCD CBT journal tracker and planner while you're there. If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe, share and leave a five star review to help others find the podcast. Together we can make a difference. Keep going and I'll see you in the next episode.

[SpinQuest Advertiser]

Spin Quest Social Casino the presents are open and you're over the in laws. It's a perfect time to grab your phone and play spinquest.com with live dealer blackjack, craps and a ton of slots. And here's a great deal for the holiday, a $30 coin pack for $10. And if you're hearing this ad, you can play right now on SpinQuest.com SpinQuest is a free to play Social Casino boy where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.