Hey everyone, my name is Stephen Smith and I’m the Founder and CEO of NOCD. I also have OCD, which is why I founded the platform. Specifically, I have “intrusive thoughts OCD”- relationship-based, sexual, and religious thoughts that made me at one point question many fundamental elements of my character. Although google searching for answers to my thoughts was my most noticeable compulsion, my compulsions were mainly mental, where I would reassure myself, mentally review past events, pray, and even check my body for different sensations. Since I didn’t suffer with the “standard symptoms”, I ended up getting misdiagnosed 5 times which caused me to get really severe, drop out of school, and become housebound. While housebound, I started searching my thoughts online which led me to realize that I had OCD. Then, when searching for evidence-based OCD treatment, I stumbled upon exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. Although ERP is extremely effective (about 80% of people with OCD see a significant reduction in symptoms after going through treatment), there was only one therapist in my area who specialized in it. She had a 7 month wait list and charged $250 per session- making the care pretty much inaccessible for me. I got lucky though since my mom, who was desperate at the time to see me get better, found money from a family friend to pay for my treatment. She also called the clinician and begged her to get me off the waitlist. If it wasn’t for her, I probably wouldn’t be here today. After doing ERP with the provider for 12 weeks, I ended up getting better- so much to the point where I was able to go back to school, finish up my football career (I was a college quarterback) and eventually complete my degree. Because I managed the OCD fears by accepting the uncertainty behind them (a core principle behind response prevention), the anxiety over time went away, and the thoughts decreased in frequency as well as in severity (since they didn’t really matter to me anymore). After that happened, I ended up returning back to normal pretty much- feeling as good as I did before my severe OCD onset. That’s when I started pondering the question, “if OCD is so treatable with a good ERP therapist, then why isn’t treatment more accessible to people going through the condition?” It’s a question I’m sure many of you are currently asking or have asked before. Now to the good news....There is no more need to ask that question. Now inside of NOCD, you can do live, face-to-face therapy sessions with a licensed therapist who specializes in treating OCD using exposure and response prevention (ERP). After signing up, all you need to do is open up your phone or laptop and start the session with the ERP therapist. It’s all video-conferencing. It’s the solution that I always wanted when I was going through treatment, so I hope you can find value in it if you are suffering- especially those who are stuck on the waitlist or who live hours from care. Anyways- if you have questions about doing ERP therapy with a NOCD telehealth provider or with another therapist feel free to ask them here. I will definitely give you the pros and cons. Much love!

Stephen are you a christian? I’m excited to start the erp with one of the therapists

Do you offer therapy overseas? I'm in London Also I listened to your interview on the Ocd stories and it really helped me. Thanks so much.

Mindfulness is a tactic used to help people with OCD respond to their thoughts in a non compulsive way. It also helps them in general live healthy. So, when you think of OCD treatment think of Exposure to your fear (the E in ERP) and Response Prevention (RP, in ERP)- preventing yourself from trying to push the fear and anxiety out of your head. The response prevention is really important, since if you stop doing the actions to push the fear out of your head, you end up telling the fear “you aren’t that important anymore” and it eventually doesn’t grip your life anymore. To help with response prevention, our clinicians are all taught ACT principles, mindfulness, and more.

Just checking on the status of Wisconsin nocd therapy. Thanks for all you do.

Is there any help in the UK? Thanks a lot!

I really need help i been suffering with this condition for 10 years and feel like its getting worse. I think i always had ocd when i was a kid but it wasn't as bad. Now im 30yrs old and a father of 2 beautiful girls and with this problem that i have i can't even be around my own kids because i fear i would do something bad to them. I feel horrible when they try to hug me and be around me i push them away or i try to be as far as possible from them i never imagined my life like this. This is taking over my life. I really need help but don't know what route to take. Please help me i need help i love my kids so much that it breaks my heart that i can't be the father that i know i could be

Did you suffer from HOCD or any gay or homosexual intrusive thoughts resulting in a lot of anxiety/panic attacks?

I am so excited to start this program! I’m 36 and have struggled for 25 years, and being home alone with covid has made my symptoms even worse. I am so optimistic about the program, and a wonderful first intro session today. This is the first time a therapist really understood what I was going through! I hope in 2021 I can get my life back and hours of my day I spend on rituals. Would love to connect with others starting their ocd recovery journey!

Perfect! I have a call set up for my 18 year old daughter at 3:35 pm. Thanks so much for starting this platform! I work as a school counselor in Tennessee and see many students and parents who could benefit from your service. I will definitely be sharing with them in my practice as a school counselor. take care! Bill Ritterskamp

I'm looking forward that this app would be available in Asia soon. A lot of people needs help outside the US. Love from the Philippines. ❤️??

You’re a hero. My HOCD was plaguing my mind every single minute of the day. Now I’ve found an escape route that works for the long term. Thank you for making this app. Now I know that I’m not alone!

I know someone who was prayed for and is delivered from OCD racing negative thoughts it truly happened through Jesus Christ Almighty. The person has been delivered for about 20+ years and said they never thought their mind could ever be so clear. It's a true miracle. They said their mind would be filled with negativity (racing thoughts) and they would have to do rituals and even was a checker. Her life was miserable she said but now she is free. Whom the Lord Jesus Christ Almighty set free is free indeed. Amen. Just want to say there is hope and there's a lot of people who suffers from it but hide it. You're not alone and there is hope whether through God or CBT getting the help to overcome it s the key.

can you add a private chat feature please? as not everyone feels comfortable with talking outwardly on a public forum :)

Hey Stephen. Is there a possibility of adding a page for donations for therapy for people that can’t afford it? I would love to run a social media account spreading the word and ask for donations to get more people therapy!

Am I going to be judged for my lifestyle decisions? I made an appointment for therapy from NOCD but I’m scared of being judged...

There is value in hard and consistent work!!! TY!!

Sometimes it feels like no one is doing anything or talking about ocd- thank you for making this app! I really appreciate your efforts :)

This gives me so much hope

This bought tears to my eyes I’ve been on my last string of hope because of how badly ocd and anxiety attacks have ruined my life I came across a post on Reddit and everyone talking about their experiences and the link to this site, part of me said why not give it a chance before just giving up completely I was a very close to not being here 2 days ago thank you so much for this. I tried getting in contact with OCD centers but they definitely didn’t support a good amount of insurance it was so stressful

I am from Florida. So happy I am going to start therapy next week after all the years of suffering. At 55 I am ready !!!

Stephen, words cannot express how thankful I am for you and all you have accomplished. You reached out to me over Facebook 3 years ago while developing this program and I had been recovered through ERP for a couple years at the time. I recently have had an OCD relapse as I have experienced significant stress in my life as of late. I never thought I would need ERP again and I pray most do not but I do...as I have hit some really difficult life situations. With that being said... I thank God for you and the community you have built. Stephen, I'm blown away. I hope that one day I can make half as much of a positive impact on this world as you and your team have. Thank you for your heart and passion for others.

OCD seems kind of like a bully it tells you if you don't do this something bad will happen. Just like a bully would say if you don't do bwhat I tell you I'm going to do something bad to you. But when you stand up to the bully and refuse to do what he says it goes away and you see your fears was all for nothing

Stephen, I am sitting here in tears. Right now you are a Godsend to me. I was losing hope in finding therapy in my area. I was feeling frustrated that OCD is prevalent, but finding a therapist was proving to be near impossible. Please know how grateful I am. Right now I feel a glimmer of hope again - the possibility of feeling like myself again.

Stephen, thank you so much for the wonderful help and blessings you have brought to so many. 1 am 62 and I am so happy with my new life change with the help of NOCD. It’s never too late to change your life for the better. If you are young, kudos to you for catching and “fixing” it early in life. Never waste another moment of your life with the pain of OCD.

Just joined so am not alone?

Thank you for starting NOCD, Stephen! It's been a game changer for me!

Is insurance covering sessions in Illinois?

Is your treatment covered by Medicare?

A year and half ago is when I got worse. My dad has gotten cancer, my mom was trying to recover from a stroke, my troubled brother moved in with my parents and he brought his wife and two kids. When my father passed my brother started taking care of everything n not letting me involved. Come to find out he wanted to take my parents money. I have then since change the power of attorney for my mom since she isn’t able to n she then lived with me a bit, n now she is settled in an independent living apartment where her needs are met n she is happy thank GOD, I also forgot to say I got married in the court house while my father was dying. He was happy to know I was safe. This is my second marriage n I am blessed because he is amazing. My first husband n I divorced and he then got sick with cancer after we were divorced n he passed away a few years after. Everything I felt made me stressed and my ocd there. I want to be back to my self. Please help. I have pure o, magical thinking, rumination, it is hard. I am working with a coach to help but I need to get to another better level to get better.

Hello, this all very new and little amazing to me. l never knew there is so much different kinds of OCD and sadly. I have delt with so many of them in silence and fear of being the only person experiencing these things. I Started seeing a regular therapist about 3 years ago and a physiotherapist. After a 1 or so and serious of events I stop the therapy and meds. It's been a about a year now and I am thinking if I should get back in therapy again.

I just signed up on NOCD… Thanks for sharing your journey Stephen.

Hi my 13 1/2 year old daughter is really struggling at the Moment. She has started some ERP therapy and is now managing to go into her sisters room, she has several triggers which are bogies, anyone else touching nose, nose breathing, now adding coughing, touching anything anyone else has touched. If say i cough in the night she gets distressed and upset and cries for hours, if she thinks my face is to close to her food( it never is ) she won’t eat it. If l put a cup up to my Mouth and I’m holding handle she thinks as it’s near me face it has touched my Nose , if I lift my shoulder up she thinks it’s touched My nose- there’s No possible way. If dad falls asleep on sofa she won’t go downstairs unless cleaned incase his nose has been on the cushion and then cushion fallen on floor. Each time I try and talk About the ocd she says I am Moaning at her and why can’t she be left to be happy when she is! Although lately she spends most of her time crying saying she can’t do this. She hadn’t been to school 2 weeks before Lockdown and doesn’t care that the ocd won’t let us hug her sit near her go in her room or Let her see her grandparents even from a distance incase they may touch their Nose. Please if an advisor could help it would be appreciated, she is trying to do Some ERP by Skype with the ocd centre, the intensive did Help her go in her sisters room cut showers down ( I though the first day she said she was gonna go in her room it was good as she never goes in there without having shower, cleaning feet but now she hasn’t had a shower for 3 days so am Wondering if it’s another obsession/ avoidance tho b going on? It is so difficult at the Moment with sessions due to corona, she is continuing to have sessions with the ocd centre in UK weekly but as they say the ERP has to come from her and her triggers are basically caused by others- she will never be able to do anything if this carries on as the whole world has to cough sneeze touch their nose etc. Any help greatly received. Many thanks Th whole family is suffering, my eldest daughter is due to come home soon As she has been staying away as she is a keyworker and I am a type 1 diabetic whilst lock down on but she is due to Come home in a couple of weeks and this is going to cause more Problems. Thanks for listening anyone

I also have sexual orientation ocd which is extremely distressing and can’t make someone with ocd have a life that is hard to live and it gets to the point where if u had one wish mine will be to have my life back Please help others that aren’t in the United States like myself I’m Australian and would love if we as a global whole help each other overcome this I beg that you include us in your amazing community Thanks Adam .

Just a question about the app, how do I become an advocate!

This app will undoubtedly change lives. Thank you for creating and thank you for giving people (myself included) hope for the future!

Thank you for all you’ve done to help others heal and giving us an opportunity to know we aren’t alone.

Hi Stephen. I love this concept and the app. But dealing with getting admin done to get my first appointment organized has been a pain. I’m hoping others don’t go through the same. After having my appointment missed and then being called late they told me they would verify my insurance. I chased 3 days later and was told I need to verify. It’s all extremely disorganized. I’m excited to start therapy again here but thought you should know that this is happening. Thanks for setting this up and being there for us. But please please improve the administrative side of things.

I have not yet met with the therapist I was connected with but I see her on the 24th! This past year I went through a tough break up and I had just gave birth to a surrogacy baby in October then all of a sudden in December I was hit with bad anxiety and depression I was put on antidepressants and in February I was on a 15 th floor in Miami and I got the first intrusive thought to jump and ever since then I have been very fearful and Harm OCD has been so struggling for me, I am as well a believer in our god who created the heavens and the earth, and just kept asking why? Why is this happening to me ....doing more research I have seen a whole community who has been dealing with this for a lot longer then I have and that I am not alone , I am excited to start ERP , I refuse to give up or give in , thank you for this !

I begin my sessions next week, just filled out the questionnaire and was crying the entire time realizing how true all the statements were for me and how much my day-to-day life is impacted. I am terrified to dive deep and begin this treatment, but I am also so ready to face it head on and I’m so thankful to have this amazing platform. Thank you!!!!

I am thankful for the site you created. Clearly it has helped many OCD sufferers including ME!

When you feel so defeated after searching hours for a psychiatric doctor who specializes in OCD just to find out they don’t accept insurance. 400 bucks for one session. ONE. so happy I found this app!

I have a similar story, and I went to the OCD center of L.A. but yeah especially right now this is such a great resource. Thank you ?

You have helped me

Anyone else feel like they sabotaged themselves by not treating there illnesses when they knew they had it? And then not doing erp because they didn't know better? I went to regular talk therapy which didn't help. Feel like I've lost years of my life and youth.

Hello! I just downloaded your app. Thank you for making this app.

I haven’t heard from you , Stephen

Yes! OCD only ever TRICKS us into thinking it there is a threat. I am living proof that ERP is effective treatment for OCD symptoms.

I became a therapist because of my own ocd issues as a child and watching my father suffer with it throughout my childhood. I believe he was misdiagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and his treatment just made him worse. When I tell a client about ocd they sometimes cry with relief that they are not bad people. Most rewarding part of my job.

Thanks for all you do, I’m hoping NOCD can bill Colorado Insurance soon

I have a great therapist I have been working with for two weeks . He goes out of his way to check on me and helps me with my erp . He also will find the answer to a question or problem if he does not know it. Very good NOCD therapist. Been in treatment with him for two weeks. Goes out of his way to check on me .. good guy !!! Spartan

Thank u again for this platform because it saved my life

Stephen, so glad you are a Christian! I want to be closer to God but feel I sabotage it. Bless you!

@NOCD ADVOCATE Hey Stephen! Thank you for creating this space and help for others with ocd!! A question that I have and struggle with is where scripture says in 1Corinthians 10 to take every thought captive and make it obedient under Christ. As someone who struggles on the ocd loop of ruminating on an intrusive or unwanted thoughts constantly, would you think that by saying “It’s OCD” is taking the thought captive so as to not analyze and over think about the thought? As we know the more we fight the thought the more it takes hold. Thank you so much!! God Bless and Merry Christmas

Does anyone have any comments on how to recognize your OCD as the source of a thought or compulsion rather than something else?

Maybe zoom meetings can be offered and individuals can have group sessions of 4 or 5 people 2 hr meetings to help encourage each other. Different zoom meeting s booked at different times throughout the day

Do you “match” therapists with clients or simply provide a list with a license in your state? For example, I need someone who has a lot of experience helping an in denial teen on his journey. By no means is he ready to talk about ocd but the hope is maybe to eventually get him there. I just want my son to know he can feel better when he is ready.

Thank you so much for doing this!

Hey! I just wanted to say that your app and the work you've been doing is amazing! It's so nice that you're making treatment more affordable and a reality for so many people! Keep up with the great work ❤️

@NOCD Advocate- Steven Smith. I appreciate all the explanations. I'm not sure if it was a recruiter or therapist I spoke to last night but he definitely answered a lot of important questions I had. I'm also very grateful that you offer a payment plan that I can afford. I have not had faith in therapy as I've never received OCD targeted therapy. I do have faith in your program and although I am fearful of the exposure part of ERP, I am willing. As a kid I was hurt very badly. It changed the trajectory of my life and filled me with unbearable fear. I very quickly found that the only way to deal with intrusive thoughts was through alcohol and drugs. I kicked my drug of choice 3 years ago but I've had slips with other substances. These substances, though not as deadly, seem to have the same eventual outcome. They compound and enhance my feelings of worthlessness and constant belief that I will never get better. I had a wonderful girlfriend who is a brilliant scientist and a Harvard professor. For 2 months I was happier than I had ever been. Then the intrusive thoughts came back and I tried but couldn't hold myself together. I fell apart before this womans eyes and the day I left a HORRIBLE state run psyche ward and she was fairly certain I wouldn't hurt myself or worse, she left and now wants nothing to do with me. So now, of course, I obsess about her because how can I ever be ok with myself without the approval of someone outside myself. I have my first 90minute session on February 6th and I am so excited. I don't know what will become of me. My dream is to be a Drug and Alcohol Counselor but I would never even apply for a position until I have mental stability. I don't have much besides a mind that seems to tell me lies and create irrational fears but after reading about NOCD, and your personal story, I have hope. And I don't remember the last time I had that without a partner who cared for me. I'm alone today but I have hope. That bit of hope is enough to fill my heart with gratitude and make me want to fight! Thank you. Sincerely, Will M. Willingness820@gmail.com

Stephen, hats off to you, thanks for what you have done and doing. I just enrolled.

I am so glad i found nocd.com. it gives me hope. Our son was diagnosed at age 9. Excessive hand washing us his symptom. The handwashing is not as severe as it was initially. But he was bullied at school and on social media at age 11 and could not go to school because he was so anxious and afraid. We didnt realize how bad the bullying was until a couple years later because he didn't tell us. He is now 20 and housebound. He is super smart and passed his GED 1 yr ago. I have taken him to 10 different therapist telling them he had OCD and asking if they used CBT. They all said yes but did not help him or do CBT. I really hope your app can help him. How would ERP work if done remotely?

Love u thank you so much for this app❤️

We are all in this together!!! Blessed to be a blessing!!! I use to wonder and ask God why I had to walk through certain things in my life that were really difficult, ocd being one of them. I realized that he allows us to walk through difficult things to prepare our hearts and minds to walk with others through those same difficult things!! I don’t want others to suffer as I did!!!!

I discovered the app recently and WOW thank you so much, I suffer from the same type of ocd and having a platform that won’t judge my weird thoughts and would understand me makes me feel better ❤️ thank you ❤️

I have really bad pure o it’s taken over my life I just want to get better ..

Thanks. Some of the posts I've read are a bit disturbing. I wish there were sub-posts for each OCD category since there are so many variations. At times they can be very impressionable especially now when I'm at my must vulnerable state.

This spoke to me so much. I have been misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, BPD, and a few other extreme disorder before eventually my (new) psychiatrist pointed out that it could be ocd. I was so against thinking it was ocd, but after they sent me a symptom checklist, and told me to stop taking toxic advice, I was able to move forward with treatment. I too understand this pain. I was fired from two jobs before someone was able to offer me tangible solutions. I stopped creating (I’m an artist and actor) and couldn’t bring myself to do the things I enjoy most. I couldn’t go to school. And I couldn’t even spend time with my loved one’s- the thoughts and compulsions isolated me and disabled me to such a low point. I’m excited to start treatment with NOCD and claim my life back. I have so many hopes and dreams, and OCD has held me back for too long. Thank you for working hard to advocate for and support people who live with this!! And I’m proud of everyone here who has taken the next step in claiming their lives back too. 💙

I’m beginning therapy with noocd therapist Monday and I couldn’t be more excited! I have ocd pure o- was in remission for years came back this last year stronger than ever! I have no rituals with my intrusive thoughts but my thoughts are so upsetting/paralyzing-I have extreme difficulty in restructuring my thought process when I have intrusive thoughts. I have been in therapy since they began again and I realized my therapist was not effective in CBT/OCD and today she finally admitted its not her speciality and thought I should try an OCD specialist (at first felt offended but realized I have been saying this to family about her for months and she did me a favor by saying it first) . Ironically enough I am also a MH professional in work in a CBT department. I am very open about my ocd thoughts because I don’t want others to feel alone and ashamed as I once did about my thoughts. These are my current intrusive thoughts: -health obsessions (think everything I feel means I’m dying) -fear of losing my mind (going to become schizophrenic) -fear that I harmed someone From noocd I hope to gain the coping skills and strategies to gain my life back! I’m ready!!!

Thank you so much for starting this! The local therapist here has a 9 month waiting list! I have been struggling with an OCD/Phobia of being ill to the point of I am house bound and not living a normal life. All other methods of treatment I have tried have not worked. I am so hopeful this will be the key

Hi I’m new to the app and it looks fantastic! Will i be able to receive the therapy calls if I live in the uk?

Is there anyone you know and that you would recommend in the UK who provides online therapy for OCD?

I need to get better please

Yes my treatment is covered. Before this I worked in corporate America and they always covered it, and I had a co-pay. I’m Pastor now and my insurance does the same thing. But I have always been able to find therapists who were willing to work with me as far as payment plans, etc. sometimes it can take some footwork and a while and a lot of prayer, but there are therapists out there Who are willing to help… For a short time I had a therapist who was a Methodist pastor-in the Late 80s – and he let me come to him on a sliding scale and also pay him late and catch up. This was part of his service to God.