FearCast Podcast

Father Thomas Santa of the Scrupulous Anonymous newsletter stops by for this installment in the Faith and Doubt series! He was kind enough to spend his time discussing issues of faith and doubt and Scrupulosity from a Catholic perspective. It was truly an eye opening interview for me. As always, thank you to everyone listening through the Faith and Doubt series. If you have questions you’d like ad...

Conspiracy theories are everywhere! We hear about them on the TV, from the news, from social media, and even our own brain! On this episode, we discuss our own conspiracy theories and what to do about them. I also had the pleasure of responding to several listener questions! Hold onto your hats because they were pretty diverse! We go from Pure-O to dating and intimacy to sensorimotor OCD! This epi...

The Faith and Doubt Series has begun! This episode features a guest interview with Mike Erre. Aside from being an all around good and boisterous guy, Mike is a pastor and hosts the VOX Podcast . He was so kind to join me to discuss issues surrounding anxiety and doubt common among people Protestant Christians and he shared some wonderful insights. In case you’re uncomfortable with the topic, this...

In this episode I discuss Religious Scrupulosity, which is a sub-type of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder concerning religious or moral issues. As always, I tried to shoehorn more information in it that I really need. Hopefully the episode didn’t go too far off the rails. I can’t believe it took me this long to get to talking about Scrupulosity, but here we are. I discuss what Religious Scrupulosity...

This episode features a listener question! That said, this episode is intended for adult listeners due to some adult content. We’ll discuss how to deal with two compulsions of HOCD; checking groinal sensations and watching pornography. For more information about HOCD, or Sexual Orientation OCD, please listen to the previous episode on HOCD . Thank you to everyone who has listened thus far. If you...

Are you way too focused on your breathing, blinking, or heartbeat? Are you constantly distracted by screeching tires or little particles in the air? If so, you may be suffering from Sensorimotor or Hyperawareness OCD. In this episode, I answer a listener question about being distracted by innocuous stuff inside and around him. I go over what Sensorimotor/ Hyperawareness OCD is, some of the common...

Anxiety, depression, bipolar, abuse, isn’t our identity. You are more than your mental illness, so why are your making it your central characteristic? Even if you aren’t fully identifying as your diagnosis, we sometimes let our mental health struggles dictate who we are and what we do. In this episode, we’ll spend some time discussing how we develop our identity, how you might be identifying as yo...

Have a question about anxiety and OCD treatment? If so, you’re in luck! I dedicate this entire episode to answering listener questions. How are anxiety and paranoia related? How does Exposure and Response Prevention look different for Pure-O? Can Obsessions flip flop? Can you ever get rid of OCD for good? Additionally, I surprised myself by briefly discussing phonophobia vs misophonia. This is the...

No children were harmed in the making of this episode Post Partum OCD, or PPOCD, is an OCD sub-type focused on harm coming to, or you harming, your child. In this episode, I talk about this rarely acknowledged form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I discuss the definition of PPOCD, the differences between Post Partum OCD and Post Partum Psychosis, stigma, and treatment (most importantly). Additio...

Making decisions can be difficult. We face so many options and choices that we become overwhelmed. So often our choices are also not clear or we have to make some sacrifices. In Episode #14 of the FearCast, I go over some reasons why we get stuck in the decision making process. More importantly, I also discuss what we can do to help us finally make a choice. Making decisions aren’t easy sometimes,...

In Episode #13, I continue the journey through “taboo” OCD subtypes with Pedophile OCD, or POCD! We’ll discuss the definition of POCD, how it’s different from pedophilia, some ways it manifests, and I give some examples of ways we can work with it. Hold onto your groinal sensations, it’s a wild time! I make reference to Episode #11, so here’s a quick link: Finding A Therapist The post Pedophile OC...

in Episode 12, I go over HOCD. I discuss what it is and what we can do about it using CBT, ERP, and acceptance tools. As a bonus, I put together an imaginal exposure in the form of a guided imagery exercise. The Episode goes over some sensitive topics, so listener discretion is advised. Click here for more episodes of the FearCast. Click here to read more about HOCD HOCD (Sexual Orientation OCD) H...

In Episode 11, I’m talking about how to find a therapist! I go over some issues to consider and offer a few suggestions on what to ask and what to look for when you’re looking to start therapy. My listener question this week is about how to deal effectively with real life circumstances, and when you’ve gone too far! Announcement: I’m going to be doing a series in the new year on taboo/ sexually re...

In episode #10 I discuss a super cool, super nerdy issue with statistics! Turns out, our brain isn’t very good at weighing the pros and cons of a situation when making decisions. I talk about some studies they did on the subject, and discuss what we can do about it. I also answer a question from a mother who’s struggling with getting her adult son into treatment. As always, thanks for listening, a...

On this episode, I take a look at the Inhibitory Learning Model. It helps explain why Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) works, and principles that can make your exposures more effective! The post Inhibitory Learning Model appeared first on FearCast Podcast .

Today, I talk about rational vs irrational fears and why the distinction doesn’t really matter. I also answer some questions about the effectiveness of OCD treatment and what factors contribute to successful treatment. For more episodes of the FearCast, please click here. To read more about phobias, please read this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center. The post Rational vs...

In Episode #7, I discuss that little voice in your head that tries to challenge and negate everything in your life. I also answer a question about encouraging family and friends to get into treatment and supporting them effectively. The post The Underminer appeared first on FearCast Podcast .

Episode #6 tips its hat at OCD Awareness Week, October 7th-13th. I talk about the who, what, where, when, why, and how of sharing your OCD with friends and family. If you’re wondering about whether Harm OCD includes fear of someone harming you, then you’ll be interested in the question I answer. Please follow me on Instagram or Facebook at FearCastPodcast, or leave a review for me at iTunes. You c...

On Episode #5, I talk about the fear of getting fired. Additionally, I answer two questions. One question is about returning to your pre-OCD days. The other is about the spectrum of anxiety/ OCD, and in the process I talk a little about the pesky “I’m so OCD” nonsense. For more episodes of the FearCast, please visit the episodes page. To read more about phobias, please read this article with the C...

In Episode #4, I go over a personal emergency kit for dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression. I also answer a question about the fear of going crazy! The post Personal Emergency Kit appeared first on FearCast Podcast .

On Episode #3 of the podcast, I look at one way to identify and deal with unwanted and intrusive thoughts. I also answer questions about having hobbies related to one’s obsessions, and how to deal with death and other inevitabilities! The post Some Thoughts Are Gross appeared first on FearCast Podcast .

On Episode #2 of FearCast, thanks to a request from some listeners, I go over the basics of Existential OCD and offer an ERP exercise for those struggling with Existential anxieties. If you listen carefully, you’ll get all the answers to all the big picture questions you’ve always asked! Or you won’t. There are a lot of questions one could ask. Early feedback for this episode is that I’m too appre...

The first episode! On this episode, I go over the goals of the podcast, why on earth I would ever do a podcast about anxiety and OCD, and offer a pretty morbid metaphor for Exposure and Response Prevention. Additionally, I answer questions about someone wanting to switch their obsessions to something else, and someone who is so wrapped up in their past that they don’t want to even leave the house....