OCD Girls

In this episode, Jess and Alana talk about ICBT again. We review modules 7-12 and talk about our thoughts, opinions, the research and someone on the internet who didn't like ICBT. If you're interested in learning more about ICBT or viewing their client worksheets visit: https://icbt.online/If you're interested in metacognitive therapy here is the first video of the series mentioned in this episode: https://youtu.be/3Axoap4DsQA?si=yWqg3eqsOtkGFpbIHave you tried ICBT or other treatment modalities? Tell us by commenting or email us at [email protected] in learning more about us? Visit https://ocdgirlspodcast.wordpress.com/Much Love,OCD Girls

It's 2025! So, Jess and Alana look back at 2024 and all of it's highs and lows. Jess can't stop incorrectly saying Joshua Tree Park, Alana talks about how she got jumped by a cactus! We talk about our lows too, struggling to hike when there's coyotes around, panicking in LA traffic, getting on SSRIs and all the feelings that come with it. We also talk about our favorite podcasts (there's so many that we love, so this was hard). And we talk about our hopes and goals for 2025!Jess also poorly, and incorrectly explained Ear Candling, so here's a link to read up on what Ear Candling actually is: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323685#what-is-ear-candlingSo if you're interested in seeing a glimpse of who we are outside of OCD, this is a great episode to check out.Much Love,OCD Girls

Jess and Alana continue the treatment series (we've decided to take mini out of the title due to how it's grown) by covering ICBT. ICBT is Inference Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that was specifically designed to help those suffering from OCD. We discuss the first 6 of 12 modules and note our experiences with ICBT. ICBT is one of the newer forms of treatment but has already grown to be fairly popular so we hope this intro episode does it justice.If you are interested in visiting the official ICBT website and viewing their worksheets and videos directly, visit https://icbt.online/Again, we cannot emphasize enough that we are not a replacement for professional therapy or psychiatry and that we can only share what we've researched and our opinions relating to it. Have you tried ICBT? Share your experiences in the comments on our social media pages or send your thoughts to [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!Much Love,OCD Girls

Jess and Alana cover Turtles All the Way Down, the novel and subsequent film adaptation by John Green. Turtles All the Way Down features Aza, a young girl in high school trying to understand and navigate  romantic interests, her relationship with her best friends and her mother, and also a missing persons investigation, all while dealing with her intense OCD.  We talk about our thoughts on the book/movie, how we related to the film, our ratings, the reason behind the title and some cool metaphorsSpoiler Alert!! We talk fairly in depth about the plot of both the book and the movie as well as reveal some major spoilers - so if you want to watch this movie, or read the book we recommend doing that first!Have you read or watched this movie and want to share your thoughts? You can reach us at [email protected]. Much Love,The OCD Girls

The OCD Girls are back discussing the Gold Standard of OCD treatment- ERP. ERP is Exposure Response Prevention therapy that is meant to directly confront OCD related fears by exposing the person to a trigger and preventing any compulsions from happening, essentially teaching your brain that you don't need to do anything. Why? Because it's not a threat! And then your brain adjusts understanding that your fears aren't threats and stops sending those alarm bells.Jess and Alana discuss the basic tenets of ERP in this episode, their experiences and thoughts about it. This is your reminder that Jess and Alana are not mental or physical health professionals! For any specific worries and concerns, please seek a professional for help.Some helpful links related to ERP: https://www.verywellmind.com/exposure-therapy-for-ocd-2510616#:~:text=In%20exposure-based%20therapy%2C%20a%20trained%20therapist%20or%20counselor,and%20then%20changing%20the%20response%20to%20that%20stimulus.https://www.verywellhealth.com/exposure-and-response-prevention-5270826#:~:text=Exposure%20and%20response%20prevention%20therapy%20is%20the%20gold,cope%20with%20social%20anxiety%2C%20phobias%2C%20and%20eating%20disorders.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6343408/

Jess and Alana take a break from the treatment series to do a quick check in. Get a glimpse of how OCD Girls is growing, what new platforms we're on, how you can connect with us and more! Plus, get a little glimpse of our personal lives. We'll be continuing the treatment series soon and our next episode is to be on exposure therapy!Much Love,OCD Girls

Jess and Alana continue the miniseries about treating OCD by talking about Meds for OCD. Warning: This episode features Jess struggling to say large words and inputting her opinion on something she is not an expert in. As always Jess and Alana are NOT medical professionals and always encourage listeners to get help via a PCP, Psych or other medical professional if you are struggling with mental health.Now that that's out of the way, join us to listen to us talk about the history of antidepressants, discuss MAOIs, Tricyclic/Tetracyclics, SSRIs/SNRIs, and all the chemicals in the medicines and how they interact with the chemicals in your brain. The other name for this episode is "Chemicals, Man". Give it a listen and let us know your experience with psychiatric meds. Have you tried some of the older classes of medications? Did you experience weird side effects? Has medication helped you. Also, let us know if you learned anything new in this episode- we sure did. Much Love from the OCD Girls.

Continuing the miniseries on OCD types of treatment, Jess and Alana talk about Talk Therapy! We talk about what it is, how it can be unhelpful if your therapist isn't aware of OCD or how to treat it, and our experiences!As always, we are not professionals and are just sharing our own personal thoughts and experiences. If you think you have OCD but have not been diagnosed, consider seeing a Doctor or Psychiatrist. If you know you have OCD but haven't received treatment, consider seeing a medical professional or a licensed therapist.

Alana and Jess start a new miniseries focused on the different types of treatment for OCD. The most common one is...No treatment! Jess and Alana cover what it looks like when someone goes untreated and our own experiences not being treated. Learn our strategies and our recommendations and don't worry, other treatments are soon to follow!

In this episode, Jess and Alana review The Aviator, a film about Howard Hughes. We go through the film's beginning, middle and end and comment our thoughts and feelings, meanwhile of course, commenting on the film's portrayal of OCD and how Leonardo Dicaprio plays Howard Hughes as a character. At the end we tell you whether we think you should watch it and rate the film out of 10.It is recommended to listen to our previous episode on Howard Hughes to have a better context of his real life and thus our comparisons and comments will make more sense.Listen on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts and follow our Instagram page! Comment if you've heard of Howard Hughes, or if you've watched The Aviator before- let us know what you think!