Your Anxiety Toolkit - Practical Skills for Anxiety, Panic & Depression · Kimberley Quinlan, LMFT | Anxiety & OCD Specialist

434 Sensorimotor OCD (with Max Maisel)

·37 min·3 clips

Max Maisel explains why sensorimotor OCD is rarely discussed, even among OCD specialists.

This episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit features OCD specialist Max Maisel returning to discuss sensorimotor OCD with host Kimberly Quinlan. They aim to explore this often-overlooked subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Maisel explains that sensorimotor OCD is also called somatic or somatically focused OCD. The condition involves becoming hyper-aware of automatic bodily processes like blinking, swallowing, or breathing. This awareness triggers significant distress and a desire to stop noticing the sensation. People with this OCD subtype often fear they will never be able to ignore the sensation again. The fixation creates a cycle where attempts to control or suppress the awareness actually intensify it. Maisel describes the core struggle as a battle against one's own automatic attention. He notes that traditional exposure therapy must be carefully adapted for this form of OCD. A key insight is that the problem isn't the bodily sensation itself, but the relationship with the awareness of it. The goal of treatment shifts from eliminating the sensation to accepting its presence. Maisel emphasizes that fighting the awareness is what gives sensorimotor OCD its power. He explains that the mind's attempt to solve the "problem" of awareness becomes the main issue. Recovery involves learning to stop trying to control one's focus or attention. A surprising claim is that trying to distract oneself from the sensation can be a compulsive behavior. The conversation is educational and detailed, with both hosts expressing enthusiasm for the niche topic. The tone is collaborative and supportive, blending clinical expertise with relatable examples. Listeners struggling with hyper-awareness of bodily functions or feeling stuck in traditional OCD treatment would find this episode valuable. Those seeking broad, introductory mental health content might find the discussion too specialized.

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