DeepSummary
Breht opens up about his lifelong struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), describing how it began in his childhood with contamination obsessions and compulsions like excessive hand washing and an intense fear of germs. As he grew older, his OCD morphed into different forms like health anxiety, existential obsessions about death, and most recently, somatic obsessions fixating on bodily sensations like breathing and swallowing.
Despite not receiving an OCD diagnosis until age 35, Breht shares how this disorder has profoundly impacted his life, leading to distress, anxiety, and depressive episodes. However, he emphasizes that OCD is a highly treatable and manageable condition through therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and mindfulness practices from Buddhism.
Breht encourages others who may be struggling with OCD to seek help, provide resources for managing the disorder, and stresses the importance of not letting OCD isolate you or stop you from living your life. He aims to make people feel less alone, raise awareness about the realities of OCD beyond common misconceptions, and offer hope that this chronic condition can be overcome.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- OCD is a genetic, neurological disorder characterized by intrusive obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that can severely impact one's quality of life.
- OCD often begins in childhood and evolves into different forms and obsessions over time, ranging from contamination fears to existential thoughts to fixations on bodily processes.
- While a chronic condition, OCD is highly treatable and manageable through therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and mindfulness practices.
- It's important not to let OCD control your life by isolating yourself, as that can reinforce and worsen the condition.
- Having compassion for yourself and others struggling with OCD, seeking help, and using your experience to help others can provide empowerment over the disorder.
- OCD has historically been deeply misunderstood, so raising awareness about its realities and available treatments is crucial to destigmatizing this relatively common yet often undiagnosed condition.
- Mindfulness meditation and Buddhist practices can complement clinical OCD treatments by helping disidentify from intrusive obsessive thoughts.
- With the right knowledge, resources, and perseverance, it is possible to manage OCD and not let it stop you from living a full, meaningful life.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “When you let it take you over, when you start isolating, when you stop doing stuff, whether you have anxiety, depression, OCD, whatever, when you start isolating, you start stopping doing what you want to do in life, it doesn't help. It gets stronger. It makes the fucking sickness stronger.“ by Breht
- “If you can take your suffering and you can use it to help others, that is the most noble thing you can do.“ by Breht
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Episode Information
Revolutionary Left Radio
Revolutionary Left Radio
6/10/24
Breht opens up about his lifelong struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in the hopes that it might help others. He discusses developing contamination OCD as a child after a traumatic event, reflects on how his OCD has morphed over the years and taken on different forms, and offers words of encouragement, loving compassion, and hope for those dealing with this condition.
OCD Interviews to watch:
OCD books to read:
- The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD: A Guide for Overcoming Obsessions and Compulsions Using Mindfulness and Cognitive Behvaioral Therapy
- Rewire Your OCD Brain: Neuroscience-Based Skills to Break Free from Obsessive Thougths and Fears
Other OCD Resources:
- OCD Recovery Youtube Channel
- OCD and Anxiety Youtube Channel (liscensed therapist)
- Reid Wilson, PHD (OCD specialist)
- International OCD Foundation
- Giving Up The Internal Battle (Fear of Fear in OCD)
Outro Song: "Yellow Datsun" by Neva Dinova