Managing Uncertainty with OCD

[@treatmyocd]

If you are or a loved one is experiencing OCD, there is hope. Visit learn.nocd.com/YT to get started with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective therapy for OCD.

[@lukev845]

To everyone living with OCD, please remember you’re not alone. We’re all fighting the same battles and we can get through it. The ERP can feel like a nightmare but it’s worth it to get to the other side of this crappy disorder. We can beat this!

[@laurafontfigueras8117]

Thank you same ❤

[@kentclark9616]

Did it work for you?

[@oh5793]

"it's demanding certainty but it will never accept it" THANK YOU FOR THIS

[@jennicablack]

Yep even when you do the thing its asking its never ever enough! Ever!

[@kikomicho8741]

Ocd is not only a thinking disorder but a feeling disorder as well😢

[@robh.5189]

It is!

[@TheRealAntonioSoprano]

How so

[@dcambitionz2054]

Yessir

[@esraaelsayedsalama8260]

Yessssss

[@dirholly]

Exactly. Intrusive feelings to me are much more triggering than intrusive thoughts

[@shubhamdhiman9999]

Sometimes the fear is so so big for even 1% chances of a bad thing happening. This is where ERP plays an important role.

[@jimcox5151]

Thats the way I feel 😌

[@upscduniya3299]

true

[@burdenedwithgloriouspurpos851]

what’s ERP? (I didn’t finish the video)

[@nahidbarghi1707]

Tell me about it 😊

[@adityakejriwal1376]

@@burdenedwithgloriouspurpos851 exposure and response prevention

[@missdavis1814]

Thank you for all that you do for people who suffer with OCD. You are such a blessing. To give so much help to strangers is so selfless and such a blessing to so many. Thank you!!!

[@ell745]

This guy just described my problem to a t. He obviously knows this condition very well and can treat it. If only I could have therapy with him.

[@praisegod3768]

Yes! Me too!

[@brittanybailey8897]

Once you start ERP you realize that you can beat OCD. The thought of doing something is always worse than the act of doing it. You can do this.

[@MrFerretProductions]

this man is a Godsend

[@richardorso3948]

That was awesome. What a relief to know I don’t have to get rid of the thoughts but learn how to deal with them and gradually their power will leave. How evil is this OCD. Thank you.

[@vickiparisi5886]

Wow. This is so on point. I was just talking to my husband about being fine with uncertainty---or in my case having to be in control---of aspects of my life, but NOT in specific aspects. This is what I need to learn; how to accept uncertainty (or the fact that I am not in total control, ie health of myself or loved ones). I am finally starting to see that acceptance does not mean that we are okay with something. It just means that it is what it is. I can only do what I can do and that's it.

[@HIH247.]

If ocd is overwhelming in all areas of life how to get to know which personalities are mostly sensitive to ocd and can hurt or harm by o.c.d?. 1:53

[@alexandereisen6844]

This is profoundly useful. Just because you think something does NOT mean that it’s true. I have had painful OCD for 8 years, I was worried about contamination, harming, diseases, distressing images and more. But this I hope will be a part on my road to “recovery”. The way that he demonstrated this was GENIUS, It didn’t happen and he didn’t need to do anything to ensure that it didn’t happen. The momentary lift of anxiety provided by compulsions, is only short term and can come back in seconds. Learn to live with uncertainty as others without ocd do is vital too feeling better, it COULD happen, but thinking it doesn’t make it so and compulsions don’t reverse that (because thinking it never made it so in the first place.) THANK YOU

[@josephinekalid8054]

How are u now

[@thementalprepper7409]

I resonate with the nickname 100% The doubting is relentless

[@gavinc834]

“What if” is the worst way my brain starts a thought

[@mariang3946]

"What if" .....is a rabbit warren isn't it

[@letsgoBrandon204]

I don't have OCD, I have Social Anxiety Disorder, but I am finding sooo many similarities. I get intrusive thoughts that people are observing me and scrutinising my behaviour, so a safety behaviour of mine is to 'act natural' all the time. I got a bit lost walking home the other day, but when I noticed, I didn't turn around because I thought that someone might notice that I had made a mistake and that they would find this amusing. I just 'casually' continued walking in the wrong direction. I had to try to find my way back home by making it look like I knew exactly where I was going. If there are no people associated with the thing I'm doing, I'm mostly alright. But people are associated with most things in a person's life.

[@hueso5071]

That might be symptoms of ocd and social anxiety disorder.

[@alexandereisen6844]

Key takeaway : he is NOT here to stop a thought from happening, no matter the pain that it gives you, trying to stop a thought is like FEEDING it. His philosophy is who cares if the thought happens - it doesn’t mean it’s true and it doesn’t mean it’s real and it certainly doesn’t mean you’re going to do. You have to be okay with not totally knowing whether something will happen or not

[@aioden]

This was a great video. Just because a thought/worry is more intense, doesn't make the chances of it happening more true.

[@kaelie7315]

Thanks Dr. McGrath and NOCD! You all are truly blessings to the OCD community ❤️

[@al_5655]

To hear you say how you picked up others' OCD as a side effect of helping them, wow ... that is so humbling to hear and you are a truly kind man

[@BigDGolf-23]

Precisely, because you knew it was irrational to do, but you justified doing it to appease their emotional disturbance. Which, is ocd.

[@adamarmstrong9408]

Hes so good at explaining ocd and the treatment of ocd ,im currently in therapy with nocd and so far so good

[@Joethebro101]

Thanks. I really like the analogy of how we can live with the thoughts of getting in a car and not being certain we will get to our location and using the same approach to our ocd symptoms.

[@pearljameric]

The best video I've seen on OCD. Im gonna save it for the future

[@paullemon1200]

Does anybody else wish that they had this doctor as there therapist? I would literally pay double per session

[@AshwaniChauhan-jl4mu]

True man

[@Smiley35S]

I reached out to him by email a year or so ago he responded but couldn't see me because we aren't in the same state.

[@itzvincentx3]

@@Smiley35S Where did you get his email?

[@bobrogers5568]

This guy is great!!!!

[@stedysteelsted9174]

i have listened this maybe 20 times just to remind me

[@patriciadalao6026]

I truly aspire to be as intelligent and healing as Dr. McGarath. Seeing the work he’s done honestly inspires me to heal my OCD so I can eventually be a vessel of service for others as well!

[@mariang3946]

Hello Patricia..... that was a lovely thing to say. I hope you are much improved 👍

[@antminehead]

Thank you so much. The example you give of how we accept uncertainty about many things, without question, has opened a door in my unhelpful thinking that I thought was shut for good.

[@jjw23]

This is one of the best OCD videos I've ever seen.

[@jbm421]

I have my final session with my NOCD therapist, Michelle Cuppari, (an angel here on Earth) this Thursday. I can say without a doubt that joining NOCD and going through therapy has changed my life for the better. I am so much less fearful and accepting of uncertainty. Before therapy, I was a crying , terrified mess. Utilizing ERP and the guidance of my therapist has completely changed me and my outlook on life. Sure, the fears can flare up, and I can occasionally engage in a compulsion here or there, but I am more in control. I even seek out and embrace exposures and am welcoming of uncertainty. Thank you all (and Michelle in particular) for the work you do and continue to do. You are saving lives. God bless you all. To anyone still suffering, there is hope. Therapy won't be easy, but it's worth it.

[@contentedspirit9022]

I just found this site and am watching some videos. My daughter has severe health ocd (and other themes) which has continued getting worse over time because there are no therapists even close to us. I'm on disability and providing for us both on my fixed income. I need to find help for her but I am so concerned about being able to afford it. I'm so happy seeing your comment and how much better you have gotten. Do you have any advice for us? She started having OCD that was noticeable after having a special education teacher that emotionally and verbally abused several students in her class on the autism spectrum who also suffered with anxiety and cPTSD. That was over 5 years ago and she has been unable to get her GED or driver's license. I am encouraged by your comment.

[@HIH247.]

Which type of personality are mostly affected by obessive compulsive disorders?.

[@schuyler6476]

​@@HIH247.Wdym "personality type"

[@madias1884]

ngl as an ocd person that "wait what?" made my day

[@sidtamang3499]

This doctor gives super confidence but listening to his videos gives me reassurance which I should stop sometime but he is a gem

[@nahidbarghi1707]

I couldn’t agree more!

[@ibrahimalghesh4037]

The best explanation I have ever listened.I salute you from Syria.

[@azureart5180]

thank you so much for this!! i have struggled with ocd all my life and it got so bad a few years ago. it’s flared up again recently and even tho i knew it was likely my ocd i kept worrying it wasn’t. this really helps me.

[@sarahwoods1990]

I absolutely love this guy he nails it right to a t and the examples are perfect!

[@djukafox]

I mean, I can realize it as much as I want but that doesn't stop my anxiety from reappearing.

[@tyrone8867]

5:53 I like how the cameraman is recording the room to see if there's anything happening 😂

[@giannis6552]

Since I found out about NOCD on the internet and watched videos from some of the people who work there, I have come to realise so many things around OCD that no specialist I have ever visited managed to do so. Having watched this video, I am once again amazed at how accurately you tackle all that is around this dreadful disorder. I believe too you are just a blessing to the OCD community.

[@akash2384]

NOCD don't worry that u do not have so much viewers even If u got 1 views u are giving life to one human.so thk u for doing this

[@yelyahfan88x94]

I feel like for me, a person who spent 30 years with a narcissistic mother, the key to not buying thoughts is finding confidence and love for myself so I can feel secure in myself. If I keep feeling like I'm not good enough and that nothing I do matters cause I'll always mess up and be a had person that it's easy to accept negative thoughts about myself and others

[@omidomidi499]

Very helpful. Will watch this again. Thank you.

[@oedipascourage6262]

My single favorite video on ocd on youtube.

[@zen_mindset1]

When he was doing the exercise of hoping the ceiling falls was kind of hilarious and helpful. Really put things in perspective.

[@cclark3]

Thank you so much, I struggle so much understanding this disorder, it has been rough to say the least. I'm forever grateful for people like you that dedicate their lives to helping people who struggle.

[@adriansvarela]

This is the video I’ve always been waiting for. Thank you so much Doctor! I will be sharing this video with all my family and friends who are close to me

[@albertfigueroa11]

This guy gets it

[@Justin-fi9ye]

Dr. McGrath is a RockStar!!! 🤘🎸😎

[@jesslaughter]

Best OCD video explaining OCD I've ever seen.

[@N92Milan]

What a smart man! Very well explained. God bless you sir!

[@bahajarvis]

All I want to know right now -after 2 years of this video being published- if Dr. Mcgrath pushed someone down the stairs … JUST KIDDING! I love this video because it underlines and makes it really clear that thoughts and actions are different things. It’s really well explained and just like all the other videos of Dr. Patrick McGrath, it’s full of very valuable information with great examples!

[@YaBsaw]

3:53 i do the same thing myself, I think about situations that happened to me and that are more dangerous than this and say to myself, if i can live with x, then i can live with Y.

[@queenpurple8433]

It feels like the west coast and most of the US has collective ocd about Covid, oddly enough covid was the straw that broke my OCDs camels back because it helped me step back and see how ridiculous my rituals and thoughts were

[@WithDiameter]

I had to remove myself from all my ocd groups when covid hit because I don’t have that type and I can’t relate to it and it’s all those groups wanted to talk about :|

[@mmahoney9448]

Hit the nail on the head with many points! God Bless Dr. McGrath and all at NOCD!

[@aqadion]

this one is so good. I wish you were my therapist. My last therapist didnt help me at all

[@itzvincentx3]

So did you stop going to your last therapist right after that?

[@AshwaniChauhan-jl4mu]

your words are very true and feel like you are talking about me this man is amazing thank yuh

[@Karenseward]

This has helped me watching this, that im going to watch it again, I am at the point where I may contact them, I don't want to live like this anymore, I fight it every day, some days I do very well some days I don't, I know there is no cure but I want to rid rituals, especially cleaning rituals, Im doing better but I cannot give up all my compulsions....

[@moodyonroody5313]

Courage and determination in babysteps ... EDIT - or jump in the deep end? Maybe a bit of both at this point. I've given up on hope but ya never know haha - thx for this Dr McGrath. Making me think about the risks I'm already taking - great vid.

[@alberteusebio1707]

Did anybody else's heart stop when He said "I hope my ceiling collapses on me and the film crew in the next ten seconds", and then sits there with a straight face lol? @5:37

[@rinjo2040]

Such a good description! Thanks for this 🙏

[@YamnayaSintash]

This has been torturing me for years, and I had no idea how to deal with it, because every time i am in battle with myself writing essays to myself trying to justify my beliefs/inclinations, but the doubt even attacks mathematical logic under the pretense of ''WHAT IF'', and that is terrifying. This mentality of mine has held me back in many aspects of life.

[@stevenclyde6280]

I’ve never heard this guy before he is good!!!

[@alsaraa2724]

Such a awesome video. I appreciate the information

[@overcomingwithin]

In the last few weeks I’ve been experiencing pureo. Your “I hope the roof collapses” example kinda confirmed that I’ve been dealing with some type of ocd most of my life 😂. I’ve just brushed the thought away. Problem with me at the moment is I’m questioning real life and if this is all a dream yada yada. I get stuck in this spiral most days. Tryna work thru

[@beatusSLO]

great video, got me tears in my eyes

[@laurafontfigueras8117]

Thank you for your clear explanation :D health anxiety type of ocd makes it really hard to accept uncertainty (for instance when you have risks of a potential disease, in my case ive got peripheral retinal tears and my obsession is Ill get blind) but of course the thought doesnt make it more real. It helps me think ok i could really die on a car accident tomorrow and ill have worried for nothing😅

[@DonnaOcchipinti]

9:04 thank you!

[@kesterpalarao6778]

I can't thank you enough. I have checking disorder that if I don't check then I couldn't be able to sleep.

[@upscduniya3299]

I am from India. You are a gem. I keep on ruminating about something very absurd. I got admission in my grad college through a competitive exam. The results came online, but an official result used to come through post mail. Due to some address issue , that mail never came. When i took admission in college, they gave me admission but asked me to submit the official result. 4 years passed , i graduated from college and got my degree. But now i remember that i never submitted that doc, neither the college bothered. But this fear keeps on popping that at some point of time , the college will call me cancel my degree and my whole life will be over and i will feel a terrible shame and i will be called a fake. I sound ridiculous, but i cant do but think about it again and again

[@Rahulkumar-to2cg]

OCD happens with those things which r important for u , your career is important tht is why ocd has taken this theme in you

[@upscduniya3299]

@@Rahulkumar-to2cg thanks, i am getting better, listen to hanuman chalisa everyday. What is your ocd?

[@Rahulkumar-to2cg]

@@upscduniya3299 career yaar , so existential ocd like why to earn money , why to do progress and fucking so onn....

[@Rahulkumar-to2cg]

@@upscduniya3299 btw yaar hanumaan chalisa ss kuch nhin hoga seriously bta rha hu that too is temporary , maybe u will end up getting religious OCD as well , btw ye Banda mast bta rha h OCD k baare m Dr McGrath

[@Rahulkumar-to2cg]

@@upscduniya3299 age kyaa h aapki or ye kb se ho rhi h

[@T.K.9]

Trust me it is a pain in the backside. And yep that's why there is this "ritual" thing. Like say for me I check 3 times in a row. If something even interrupt me in the middle of this "ritual" I have to start over again. And it only gets worse and the worse it gets, the more doubt I get and the more checks I do. It becomes a pain in the backside and time consuming.

[@itzvincentx3]

So now, are you still struggling with that?

[@rosaortiz7842]

This was a very hepful explanation!

[@FREE.ON-Snow]

Thank you for this, very helpful 💜

[@MultiMagnumforce]

Very true dealing with these Brain's distortions that are all false.

[@nayelilara9291]

Thank you so much 😭…this helped immensely

[@jorgematos863]

Thank you so much for this video I love the example that you gave....

[@AlexM-om2yy]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart! ❤

[@1974alancampbell]

Thats what cured mine age, time, life experience and Jungian shadow work😊 OCD requires an outlet and mine is studying Jung and trying to intergrate my shadow. This helps with morality themed pure-o. You must also expose yourself to your fears. If you have HOCD hang around with some gay friends. If you fear harming anybody do a job that involves the responbsibility of caring for disabled and vulnerable people. Your OCD will be annhilated eventually. You can take SSRIs if they work for you they take mine down 100%. However now I have kids and a family to support I often have general anxiety about getting the sack 3 or 4 times a year but at least its grounded in reality. Even though I have suffered from OCD, ADHD and GAD since I was 13 years old, I have had a fantastic and fulfilling life rich in meaning beauty and love. I am now 48 with two children both have OCD traits and one is Autustic. I have found with the wisdom of life experience and a good doctor/therapist my OCD is now a weak and pathetic husk of its former self. A sensible, healthy abd rewarding Hobby also helps. I would reccomend avoiding hedonistic vices such as drug abuse, porn, casual sex, alcohol , gambling, video game addiction etc. As I find that these habits will only strengthen your OCD and it will return with a vengance and kick your arse!!

[@jeffersonwaters9970]

Incredibly helpful, thank you. One of my real sticking points is the recurring idea that I can 'think' events into happening which will then cause me to suffer tremendously. I'm in counselling for PTSD and fear of being traumatised again is very linked to checking and intrusive thoughts. Thanks again!

[@oh5793]

the thing is people who don't have ocd also don't have a guarantee whether or not certain things will happen but the only difference is that we have the disorder

[@Marshmallow_1111]

Exactly, and for us, the brain will try its hardest to convince us that it will happen. For normal people they don’t have that. They just have neutrality.

[@lisaklozenberg6408]

Thank you, thank you, thank you

[@iamamazingist]

Excellent video.. Thank you very much Sir

[@Surus_Space]

5:58 I had to hold my breath even though I knew it most likely won't happen

[@WithDiameter]

I didn’t but if he had said it about someone else I would have :s

[@Surus_Space]

@@WithDiameter it is funny in a not so funny way because you know it is not true

[@Stars-and-gliters]

SAME :)

[@jemma_palma]

I don't personally have OCD but I have depression and anxiety and obsessive thoughts that pop into my head about other things, namely worrying about love and big life events. Thank you for this advice I am able to apply to these sorts of things too

[@crystalslade8056]

I’m same mine is round my marriage one day a week ago I thought I don’t love my husband what am I doing get off etc should I leave my home I cannot shift these thoughts All this from a non related panic attack 3 weeks ago This is now consuming my life it’s torture

[@jemma_palma]

@@crystalslade8056 yeah so relate!! our brains can be like picking petals off a flower 'loves me,' 'loves me not'?!??!, 'loves me!! ' 'loves me not!!' etc😩😩

[@crystalslade8056]

@@jemma_palma how do u cope

[@jemma_palma]

@@crystalslade8056 if im honest i havent found a favourite strategy help. but looking at some of my favourite quotes that mean a lot to me/ get me to accept things, reading over messages from friends that are really kind and motivating, meditating helps. also keeping urself busy so u dont think about it as much but i get distracted easily 😂

[@crystalslade8056]

@@jemma_palma Thankyou are you married? Hv u bin together long ? I rly dread the mornings so bad and at work I struggle

[@donjon8352]

Doubting with checking nightmare but key is take risks check one then new pattern begin.

[@olivep7920]

Great video!

[@ZachBlack04]

Perfectly explained

[@braydonfisher1737]

Helps a lot

[@theexposurenetwork365]

Love this video

[@yidiwang281]

thank you this helps me so much

[@rulingvenus]

The stairs ERP story is so funny thank you for this lol

[@jjwebster7892]

Can you contact the highest levels of governments in the western world, & those of global ngo's & corporations, to set scheduling & appointment times, please?

[@wallyrbc]

I can’t imagine being able to cope with cancer. I know I won’t have any choice, but this thought doesn’t matter

[@vagirlf.4513]

Thanks Dr. McGrath !

[@jesushernandez-eo8fq]

Amazing work!!!

[@yemkonhongha8148]

OCD is the fierce evil disease in humanity history 😢😢😢 It is the strong painful mental illness. It makes the constant tremendous mental torture and completely destroy the quality of life endlessly. Living with OCD = Living in doleful savage hell ! OCD is very strong painful constant impulse with hopelessness, unsatisfactoriness, fearfulness, boringness, anger, tiredness , headache, restlessness, no readiness, withdrawal , and escape. OCD can cause headache, depression, tachypnea, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, unemployment, hopelessness etc. The world may you please save OCD patients.

[@t.s.demchenko]

Just brilliant!

[@simonamicunkova60]

But how do you live with uncertainty when it comes to memories.. They might be false but what if they're not... How can I enjoy life not knowing if I did something bad and regretful or not...?

[@phildorge2052]

Super helpful, thank you

[@praisegod3768]

"You can never really satisfy OCD with what it wants." So maybe THAT'S why, after finding some peace about a troubling memory, my mind went on to say, "Yeah, but what about this other possibility? Could I have done THAT?" It sounds like the nature of the disorder...

[@bethcarducci9935]

I've been in my home for 2 years and 3 months. I cannot leave bc of the pandemic. I get groceries delivered, and I can only buy certain foods, I cannot go anywhere or do anything. This fear has taken over my whole life. I have to clean off the boxes of food, it takes hours. Too many details to name. I don't go anywhere and I don't let anyone come to my home. I never had contamination OCD until the pandemic. I had magical thinking. Its depressing, lonely and sad. I do belong to IOCDF.

[@crystalslade8056]

Hope you are doing ok as u can be

[@mariang3946]

Hope you are doing better Beth 😊

[@achile8353]

OCD can also affect our perception of the environnement. In my case recently i have been doubting about people in my uni judging me, knowing my ocd, knowing what is inside my head and thinking of me as a monster. If someone is mumbling something for example i will ask myself if they didnt talked about me, if they didnt said this specific word that i am fearing or if they didnt talked about me... It can be somehow very stressfull and paralizing in the moment. But later on i try to not fall into compulsion and reassurance and just accept this goddamn uncertainty

[@jjwebster7892]

How does the branch of hoarding disorder link in? Is it a physical manifestation, like pushing myself down the stairs?

[@MrCaprisun2099]

It's really annoying because even when I have my answer, 100% certainty and confidence ocd will just make me doubt it😂

[@Marshmallow_1111]

I’m so anxious rn i feel like im gonna throw up i hope this video helps