The Science Behind Hair Pulling, Skin Picking, and Other Repetitive Behaviors

Washing your hands, cleaning your home, and being mindful about germs — all of that can be good hygiene. But at what point does it cross the line into being OCD? It's not always clear, and OCD feeds off that thin line. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath breaks down how to tell the difference between normal hygiene and compulsive behaviors driven by fear. He explains why OCD often pushes people to go “above and beyond,” turning reasonable habits into rigid routines that are hard to stop.At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting — these aren’t just “bad habits.” They’re known as body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), and for many people, they feel nearly impossible to stop. But it is possible, and there’s actually research to prove it. Dr. Jamie Feusner and Clare Beatty have studied BFRB, and they’re here to break down what the science shows. They explain why these behaviors develop, why they can feel automatic and hard to control, and how evidence-based treatment like habit reversal training (HRT) has been proven to be so effective at minimizing the behaviors.At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever had a fear that felt completely real, even when you knew it most likely wasn’t? John Green has. In this video, John shares how OCD fears can blur the line between thoughts and reality, and why no amount of reassurance ever feels like enough. He opens up about the constant checking and excessive googling that once consumed hours of his day, and why trying to “logic away” his fear never worked.John also talks about what changed after he started exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, and how gradually facing his fears, in a safe environment with a specialty-trained professional, gave him a greater ability to exist in the world.At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people think OCD treatment is just about exposure, but... that’s only part of the story. The real change happens when you stop doing the compulsions and safety behaviors that keep you stuck. In this episode, Dr. Patrick McGrath shares practical ways to approach therapy differently — fromwhat it means to sit with discomfort without trying to fix it to how your response in those moments is what actually drives progress.At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OCD doesn’t just affect one person, it can quietly take over an entire household. What starts as small accommodations to reduce anxiety can turn into daily routines shaped around OCD, pulling parents and family members into cycles of reassurance, avoidance, and accommodation that keep the disorder in full control.In this episode, Marni Jacob, a clinical psychologist who specializes in treating OCD in children and families, explains how this dynamic develops and what it takes to break it. She shares how families can begin stepping out of the cycle, reduce accommodations, and support their child in a way that builds confidence instead of reinforcing OCD.At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cody Fournier was serving in the military when OCD began to consume his thoughts. The taboo thoughts were intense and confusing, but what scared him just as much was the idea of anyone finding out. In that environment, where strength and reliability matter so much, he worried that admitting what he was going through could change how people saw him — or even threaten the career he had worked hard for. So instead of talking about it, he kept it hidden and tried to push through on his own.In this episode, Cody looks back on that time and shares what it was like carrying OCD in silence while serving. He also talks about what happened when he finally got the right help, and how that experience eventually led him to become a licensed therapist at NOCD, where he now helps others navigate the same disorder he once struggled with himself.At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author and YouTuber John Green sits down with Dr. Patrick McGrath, NOCD’s Chief Clinical Officer, to answer the internet’s most-asked questions about OCD, including:• How do you ask for help when your intrusive thoughts feel too shameful to talk about?• Why do intrusive thoughts feel so real?• What’s the most important thing someone with OCD should know?...and more.John also shares how OCD treatment helped him, even when he doubted it would, and his advice for getting through hard days.At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know the correct kind of OCD treatment doesn’t just change how you feel, it can actually change how your brain responds to fear. Yes, it's true and in this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why. This isn’t meant to be a science lesson, but rather a simple explanation of what’s happening in the brain when someone begins effective OCD treatment like exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP). As people learn to face intrusive thoughts and resist compulsions, the brain gradually recalibrates its threat response, helping them react differently to anxiety and regain control over their lives.At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Rosen’s OCD didn’t always look like the compulsions people expect. Much of it was happening entirely in her mind. For years, she found herself trapped in endless mental loops — replaying conversations, questioning her thoughts, and trying to “figure out” whether something meant she had done something wrong. Because these compulsions were invisible, it took a long time to recognize that the thinking itself had become part of the OCD cycle.She joins the podcast to discuss how mental compulsions and rumination keep the OCD cycle going. Lauren also gets into what's helped her get better. Therapy, yes, but also mindfulness and accepting uncertainty. She uses this not just for herself, but treating others for OCD and anxiety too. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YTFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most therapists graduate with little to no formal training in OCD — and almost none in exposure and response prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment. That gap matters. People with OCD often spend 14 to 17 years in the wrong kind of therapy before getting effective care.In this episode, we walk through exactly how NOCD trains clinicians to become true OCD specialists. Joining us are NOCD's own Mia Nunez and Taylor Newendorp, who help onboard our therapists and guide them through our training process. If you’re ready to deepen your ERP skills and work somewhere specialized OCD treatment is the focus — not an afterthought — explore joining the team at NOCD: https://learn.nocd.com/therapist_careersFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.