Pure O, Intrusive Thoughts & Writing Characters with OCD; With Author Louis Urbanowski
Just CheckingShow Notes
What happens when your intrusive thoughts end up on the page? This week we're joined by author Louis Urbanowski to talk about his experience of "Pure O" OCD, what actually helped him, and how he now uses his obsessive brain in his writing. His books feature characters with OCD. We talk about why the "Pure O" label can be misleading, the hidden mental load of OCD, and the overlap between OCD, neurodivergence and shame. Louis also explains how writing became a place to put intrusive thoughts, why "good enough" is okay, and how a partner can support someone with OCD. We also cover sensory differences, getting diagnosed, the jobs that suit an OCD brain, and Louis' honest reflections on wishing he'd been braver. As always, we finish with a listener question, this week's win and the Exposure Lab. ⚠️ Content note: this episode includes discussion of suicidal thoughts (46:45). If you're struggling, contact Samaritans on 116 123 (UK, free, 24/7). Podcast by: Laura Mole, Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes, Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Christian Nickson Featuring Louis Urbanowski, author To Follow Louis: https://linktr.ee/Urbwrites?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAb21jcAU5vXVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mAnNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzU2NzA2NzM0MzM1MjQyNwABpxl_cisqLbDburKiLFcODOMPd1QqiUkPQpAUprJOTGqViB2vS09X4CrH6UnD_aem_ByThqUt8ymBZtrRI85wGEg https://www.instagram.com/urbwrites?cplk=aDBidHUzYm0zZWs1
Time Stamps: 00:39 Introduction to the episode 01:42 Louis introduction to himself 04:54 Brain Spam 10:40 Writing as a place to put intrusive thoughts 13:07 Louis' OCD story 15:12 Good enough is okay 16:45 Writing and OCD 18:45 We all have different needs 22:10 The mental load of OCD 23:20 Misleading Pure O name 25:10 Spinning OCD to be useful 26:25 Neurodivergence cost 29:00 OCD, neurodivergence and shame 34:00 Using an obsessive brain 35:10 Louis changed how he wrote 37:30 Jobs for an OCD brain 39:10 Being yourself and sensory differences 40:00 Diagnoses 43:00 How a partner can support OCD 46:45 Suicidal thoughts 49:40 Louis wishes he was braver 52:07 Louis book descriptions and where to find 52:54 Listener Question 56:20 Weekly Win 58:15 Exposure Lab 1:01:20 Goodbyes
Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd
Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing Content Warnings: We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to. Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.
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