FearCast Podcast

This audio question comes from a listener who lays out a lot of background, lots of evidence, and lots of experience. After careful consideration all signs point to… uncertainty. The post #171- Inconsistent Arousal, Childhood Experimentation, Lots of Checking… I’m Gay, Right? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s questions come from listeners both struggling with ROCD. One is struggling with the dreaded combo of ROCD and SO-OCD, and the other is struggling with news from their psychic (and later astrological charts) that her and her to-be husband are NOT meant to be. No evidence? Hearsay? Unfounded confidence? Mysticism? Yup, OCD’s gonna be all over that… The post #170- Staying Present Amidst My SO-OCD and ROCD Obsessions, and Psychics Ruining My Marriage! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s audio question comes from a listener who has a question about how to get support from others when she is in the middle of high anxiety or panic. Is this the right time to get support? But is that reassurance? Should she confess her thoughts? Should she tell people she’s gay even though she doesn’t identify that way? I offer some ideas on how to reach out effectively and manage her uncertainty without feeling alone. The post #169- Confessing, Sharing, Or Getting Support With SO-OCD appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s question comes from someone who is struggling with family members who are overwhelmed by the idea of COVID and continue to be enveloped by rituals and routines focused on preventing or avoiding COVID despite being vaccinated and boosted. These precautions are now infringing on the questioner’s family. So, how do you deal with family who has too much precaution? Is too much precaution a good thing, or when does it become a bad thing? The post #168- My Family Is Stuck And Overwhelmed By COVID appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For today’s episode, I offer some guidance to a listener who is struggling with their treatment for their Religious Scrupulosity (Religious OCD). They find that whenever they try to do treatment they notice an uptick in self-harm related thoughts, which has been a deterrent to trying to do treatment in earnest. I offer some things to consider in treatment, discuss the importance of seeking a therapist when experiencing self-harm thoughts, and encourage the listener that there is still hope for recovery. The post #167- Religious Scrupulosity Treatment Triggers Self Harm Thoughts. Help! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

On today’s adventures through obsession, I answer a listener question about Relationship OCD and the obsession toward a partner’s level of attractiveness. Do they find their partner attractive? How attractive? Does that one flaw or unattractive part of them negate the other attractive parts? I talk about how some realities of being human are important to keep in mind while living with ROCD, and offer some suggestions on how to engage the relationship despite the urge to pull away. The post #166- ROCD: Do I Really Find Them Attractive? Did I Ever? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s audio question comes from Raymond who wants to know how to deal with his fear that he may have a heart attack or other medical event even though his heart has been checked out and cleared by doctors. He’s looking for some tips on how to deal with this obsession. The post #165- Afraid Of Heart Attack If My Heart Rate Goes Too High! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s audio question is from a listener who has questions about approaching an issue that overlaps their OCD and trauma histories. How do you treat an obsession when it is also a trigger to a past trauma? Luckily, I was able to have clinical psychologist Dr. Caitlin Pinciotti join me to discuss her expertise in the OCD, trauma, and PTSD landscape. To learn more about her research: The National OCD Survey is a brief, 10-minute anonymous survey available to any adult in the U.S. with OCD. We aim to get representation from people with OCD from all 50 U.S. states, so please consider participating and sharing the opportunity with people you know. You can email NationalOCDSurvey@bcm.edu or access the anonymous survey directly at: https://bcmpsych.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9LdbaR2yrj0oV7g Website with OCD/PTSD handouts and the OCD/PTSD treatment providers directory: www.cmpinciotti.com The post #164- Trauma-Informed Treatment For OCD With Dr. Caitlin Pinciotti appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s question comes from a listener who’s afraid that they’ve been exposed to radioactive material at some point and struggles to deal with the anxiety that he might develop cancer or otherwise harm his family. This is a struggle for a lot of people who are concerned with environmental contaminants too. Hypochondria (Health Anxiety) The post #163- Potential Radiation Exposure And Dealing With The Fallout appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

My uploading system is off! So sorry for the delay of this episode! Today’s listener question comes from a man who wants to know how to balance their awareness that their health anxiety is driving them to compulsively call doctors or check in on minor physical ailments with the fear that they could potentially miss catching a life threatening illness early! It’s a real conundrum for those suffering with health anxiety, and a reality for every person living. I discuss the question and give a longer explanation of my health anxiety rule of thumb to help manage anxiety about health. The post #161- Balancing Mental Health With Fear Of Missing Potential Medical Emergency (Health Anxiety)… Again appeared first on FearCast Podcast.