OCD, Trauma, or Both? Understanding the Overlap
Is it trauma? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)? Or both? Can trauma trigger OCD? Can OCD feel like trauma?
In this episode, Dr. Nathaniel Van Kirk, a ADAA member and leading clinical psychologist and trauma expert, joins Gabe Howard to unpack the complex relationship between trauma and OCD. While both terms are widely used, few understand how deeply they can intertwine — or how often they’re misunderstood.
Dr. Van Kirk explains why a traumatic event might trigger OCD in some people, how OCD symptoms can mimic trauma responses, and why compulsions often become misguided tools for managing…
The skinny
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