Harm OCD: When Your Brain Screams "Monster" (You're Not One), Loss of Control, and/or Bad Things Happening to Loved Ones

Ever felt "dirty" after a memory, a thought, or being around a certain person, even though you haven't touched anything? That's mental contamination, and it's one of the most commonly missed presentations of contamination OCD. In the third episode of our contamination OCD series (following physical and disgust-based contamination), Jess and Laura unpack what mental contamination is, how it can show up, and why it so often goes unrecognised - by sufferers and clinicians alike. We explore the subtypes, the link with trauma, the central role of guilt and shame, and how treatment differs from standard ERP, including how combining therapeutic approaches can help. We also look at the measurement scales used to assess mental contamination. Plus: Laura shares some very embarrassing Brain Spam, a Listener Question, this week's Weekly Win, and a new Exposure Lab challenge. Has mental contamination affected you? We'd love to hear your experience - get in touch.

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

Contamination OCD is so much more than liking things clean. In this episode of Just Checking, OCD specialists Jess and Laura unpack what contamination OCD really is, how it differs from everyday cleanliness, and why it can leave people feeling like nowhere is ever truly safe.

⚠️ Trigger warning: this episode discusses suicide and suicidal thoughts.

Sensorimotor OCD; where you get stuck noticing your breathing, blinking, thinking, or other automatic bodily processes. It can feel relentless and impossible to switch off. In this episode of Just Checking, we're joined by Andy and Ferne from the Anxious Academy to explore what sensorimotor OCD is, why it can feel like the "worst" OCD theme, and how to treat it. We cover common sensorimotor compulsions, when reassurance becomes a compulsion, and why loss of certainty and control drives the cycle. Andy and Ferne share their lived experience, and we look at why response prevention often matters more than exposure with this theme. We also discuss compassion work, dropping perfectionism, metacognitive therapy for OCD, exposures for metacognitive beliefs, and experiments for mental compulsions. We also cover green and red flags in OCD programmes, neurodivergent considerations, what recovery really looks like, the biggest recovery roadblocks, and a common mistake therapists make with this presentation. If you're living with OCD, supporting someone who is, or you're a therapist wanting to understand this theme better, this one's for you.