OCD is one of the top reasons that people file for disability across the world and it only gets worse when left untreated. But it is often (and very problematically) brushed off as a silly quirk or something that will pass. Today on Hope Pieced Together, the founder of The OCD Institute and The Peace of Mind Foundation, Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale, joins us to discuss all things OCD and mental health. Tuning in, you’ll hear a detailed explanation of what obsessive-compulsive disorder is, how it manifests, the devastating nature it has on peoples’ lives, why devaluing the impact of OCD affects treatment, and the differences between OCD and anxiety. We delve into Dr. McIngvale’s own OCD experience before discussing how her OCD affected her mother. Our guest even talks us through what a good OCD diagnosis looks like, shares advice for parents who think their children have OCD, and talks about how she helps her patients trust their treatment teams, and so much more! Dr. McIngvale tells us why she hates social media and how it’s changed the landscape of mental health issues. She even talks about how we can protect minors from the kinds of dangers that social media brings, and her hopes are for it to become a safe educational platform in the future. Finally, Dr. McIngvale reminds us that the right treatment exists for any mental illness and it can save lives. Thank you for listening!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Welcoming Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale to the Hope Pieced Together podcast.
- Dr. McIngvale explains what OCD is and how the behavior manifests.
- How the incorrect perceptions of OCD in society affect treatment.
- Differentiating between OCD and general anxiety disorder.
- Dr. McIngvale shares her own personal OCD journey with listeners.
- Becoming aware that her behavior was dysfunctional and the effect of that.
- How isolated Dr. McIngvale’s mom felt and the strange advice she received.
- Dr. McIngvale shares some advice for parents who suspect their children have OCD.
- How she measures OCD and helps skeptical clients trust their treatment teams.
- The positive and negative impacts of social media on mental health issues.
- How to protect minors from mental health issues in today’s climate.
- The hopes she has for social media to become an effective education platform.
- Final thoughts about the effectiveness of mental health treatments.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale on LinkedIn
Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale on Instagram
The Peace of Mind Foundation