OCD Recovery Avoidance: What It Is And How To Overcome It

What is OCD recovery avoidance? It’s not about refusing treatment on purpose — it’s about patterns of behavior that unintentionally keep someone from getting better. Whether it’s denying there’s a problem, minimizing the severity, or avoiding effective therapy, recovery avoidance can leave individuals and families feeling stuck and overwhelmed.

In this episode, Dr. Patrick McGrath sits down with his mentor, Dr. Alec Pollard, to unpack this often misunderstood concept. They explore the real reasons why someone with OCD might avoid recovery — like fear, skill deficits, or lack of motivation — and how these barriers show up in daily life.

Patrick and Alec also shed light on how well-meaning family members can unintentionally reinforce avoidance through behaviors like accommodation or minimizing. More importantly, they offer practical, empowering steps families can take to help their loved one move toward recovery — while protecting their own well-being.

Are you or a loved one avoiding treatment for OCD? We believe we can help. Book a free consultation with us to hear what we have in mind: https://learn.nocd.com/podcast

Show notes:
0:00 Intro

2:49 Alec’s background

8:00 Alec’s new book

15:01 Defining recovery avoidance redefined

19:40 Real reasons that drives recovery avoidance

24:18 How families are affected by recovery avoidance 

28:32 Educating families about OCD

32:37 Common mistakes families make with recovery avoiders 

38:32 Families are not at fault

43:44 The next frontier of treatment? 

50:41 Group effort to write the book

52:35 Outro

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