Living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

In this episode Julie and Andy welcome Charlotte back to the show. Charlotte has been interviewed several times before and now has returned for an update, and what an update it is! Charlotte has done so much and been through a lot over the past four years and each of her experiences has changed her as a person and made her into who she is today. In 2010 Charlotte’s OCD was almost unmanageable with hours being spent on rituals and compulsions. With therapy, medication, self-exposures, and CBT the person you hear on today’s episode barely resembles the Charlotte you heard before…and in a good way, in a great way! Don’t miss this episode. There is hope and people do get better.

In this episode Julie and Andy welcome Kristin to the show. Kristin has recently discovered that what she has struggled with her whole life has been OCD. From family and school difficulties as a child and pre-teen, to an OCD spike in college, Kristin has now started to take control of her OCD through therapy and medication. This episode is sure to inspire you that despite the odds; OCD can be managed and overcome. www.klvliteraryservices.com

In this episode Julie and Andy welcome author and OCD advocate, Janet Ruth Young to the show. Janet is the author of three books about mental illness- “The Opposite of Music,” “My Beautiful Failure,” and “Things I Shouldn’t Think” which is specifically about harm OCD. Janet herself has suffered with OCD for most of her life and was inspired to write these books as not only pieces of fiction but also as educational tools for people to learn about depression and OCD. This is an episode from a new and fresh perspective and one that you should not miss. www.janetruthyoung.com The Opposite of Music http://lwocd.me/The_Opposite_of_Music Things I Shouldn’t Think: http://lwocd.me/Things_I_Shouldnt_Think My Beautiful Failure: http://lwocd.me/My_Beautiful_Failure

In this episode Julie and Andy welcome Paul from Northern Ireland to the show. Paul’s OCD came on suddenly in his teen years as the result of a head injury. His subsequent story is one that will inspire you to never give up and to reach your goals despite the odds. Paul is now a therapist and wants to help other people with OCD. The episode covers a wide variety of subjects including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) and mindfulness.

In this episode Julie and Andy welcome Becky to the show. Becky first noticed something was different about her when she was a young child and suffered with OCD in middle school while not being able to tell anyone else the way she was feeling. She was hospitalized for OCD as an older child and that experience shaped the outcome of everything in her life. This episode is the story of a determined young woman whose experiences you will no doubt be able to identify with.

In this episode Julie and Andy celebrate the 100th episode of their podcast! The show has spanned five years, and a lifetime of memories. The show consists of reading comments from listeners, answering questions from listeners, interesting statistics and all in all a huge celebration of how the podcast has changed their lives for the better. This show is light and funny and goes out to all the people that have made the podcast the success that it is.

In this episode Julie and Andy welcome Aaron to the show. Aaron has had OCD since he was a child and at 16 was hospitalized for it. His OCD focuses on scrupulosity, the fear of burning in hell, and the fear of harming others. Aaron’s OCD has been managed over the years with intense therapy from some of the country’s best therapists and with various medications. This interview is sure to leave you with the impression that not only is Aaron a sufferer but through everything, he is a survivor. Reference: dailystrength.org

In this episode Julie and Andy welcome Laura to the show. Laura has recently discovered that what she has dealt with for most of her life is in fact OCD. Some of the topics discussed include alcoholism and drug addiction and how that plays into Laura’s OCD, motherhood, religion and faith, medication, therapy, and plans for the future. This interview is honest, open, and very real, nothing is sugar coated because telling your story with all the good and bad parts is what is important. This episode will leave you no doubt that Laura is a survivor and a warrior.

In this episode Julie and Andy provide listeners with an update of what has been going on in their lives since their last update show in August 2013. They talk about Julie's recovery from thyroid cancer, her battle to get her hormones regulated, and all the difficulties that come alone with having a major organ removed. Julie also shares how her OCD journey has been going over the past year and what her medication status has been during that time. The couple also discusses parenting and how that has impacted Julie's OCD as well as their relationship. This episode will catch you up on everything Julie and Andy.

In this episode Julie and Andy welcome Bernie back to the show. This is Bernie's fourth time to be interviewed which makes him feel like part of the LwOCD family. Bernie updates listeners on what has been going on in his life over the past year and shares that both his OCD and GAD have gotten worse which has prompted him to start taking medicine again. Life has had its ups and downs for Bernie lately and he shares about the struggles his family has been through, the major events that have caused his OCD to spike, and anything else he and Julie can think to talk about. Don't miss this episode that is full of fun and laughter.

In this episode Julie and Andy welcome Maria to the show. Maria is a retired educator from Texas and has struggled with OCD from the time she was a child to the current day. Maria’s OCD first took shape in the form of religious OCD or religiosity, and was very severe during her pre-teens and adolescent years. In adulthood Maria’s OCD’s morphed into violent thoughts and other Pure O ruminations. Eventually Maria realized she needed help and has used therapy and medication as effective tools many times during her adult years. This interview is the story of perseverance and courage despite all the odds, and one that will encourage you to keep fighting the good fight.

This week Julie and Andy welcome Emma from Minnesota to the show. Emma is a teenager who has struggled with OCD since childhood but has made remarkable improvements over the past couple years due to medication, therapy, and the support of her family. Emma is the first teenager ever interviewed on the podcast and her story will encourage other teen listeners that there is hope and that OCD can be managed, and that you can have a good quality of life despite your struggles. The conversation also covers topics including marriage, family, siblings, and moving away from home. If you are a teen, this show is for you.

In this episode Julie and Andy return to podcasting after a seven month break. They interview Bret, a college student who struggles not only with OCD, but also with Asperger’s, Tourette’s, and ADHD. Bret and Julie talk about the difficulty of struggling with more than one disorder at the same time and how this impacts his quality of life, his family, his friends, and his work. He shares examples of how each of his disorders plays into the other ones and makes each one harder to deal with in what seems at times, a never ending cycle. Bret is one of the most courageous people you will meet and his story will no doubt impact your life. Other topics discussed include therapy, medication, and various OCD manifestations. This interview is one not to be missed.

In this episode Andy and Julie are back with an update on what has been going on in their lives for the past four months. in March it was discovered that Julie had two cysts on her thyroid and from there the story evolves from thyroid surgery, to thyroid cancer, to surgery recovery, to radioactive iodine treatment, and trying to get regulated on hormone medication. This episode covers all the ups, the downs and the in betweens that the couple have been through with Julie's health issues. The worst is behind them now and they are back doing what they love…podcasting. This episode is a long one but one not to be missed if you have been wondering where Andy and Julie have been over the past few months.

In this episode Andy and Julie welcome back Bernie to the show for a followup interview. Bernie was first interviewed in 2009 (Episodes 26 & 27) and a lot has changed in his life since then. Julie and Bernie talk about his new job, his new living situation, and how both of those major life changes have affected his OCD. He talks about his general anxiety disorder and how that still places a part in his life. They discuss therapy, medication, and other ways to self-manage OCD that seem to help Bernie. Love, family relationships, friendships and coworkers are all aspects of Bernie's life that they talk about during this episode. They end the show looking back on the last 4 years and looking forward to the future, this show is one not to be missed as Bernie is always a great interview.