Dopamine + Doubt: Untangling ADHD and OCD
Helping you understand where ADHD and OCD overlap—and where they don't. This podcast explores the nuances of both conditions, offering insights for those navigating the complexities of ADHD and OCD.
Episodes
Driven to Do: ADHD, OCD, and Over-Functioning in Relationships
You can remember every appointment, anticipate every need, and still feel like you are failing as a partner. That is the exhausting paradox I dig into here, especially for people living at the intersection of ADHD and OCD. I am Rachel, a licensed clinical social worker, and I walk through how ADHD shame can quietly push us into compensating, while OCD piles on hyper-responsibility and turns normal
Coming Up Next Week: Driven to Do: ADHD, OCD, and Over-Functioning in Relationships
Unlock the full episode right now ➡️ https://www.buzzsprout.com/2629683/support↗️Want a sneak peek at next week's conversation? You're listening to a quick preview of what's coming up on Dopamine and Doubt.If you are a subscriber, the full, unedited version of this episode is already waiting for you in your private feed!If you aren't a subscriber yet, you can wait until this dr
The Perfectionism Emphasis Framework for ADHD and OCD
If your day collapses under the weight of “doing it right,” you are not broken, you are overspending. I talk about how perfectionism can look less like polished results and more like treating every single task as if it deserves your absolute best effort, until your time, attention, and executive function run out. When that happens, important things do not get done, not because you do not care, but
The Intersection of ADHD, OCD, and Perfectionism and Good Enough
Perfectionism doesn’t always look like excellence. Sometimes it looks like a blank document you avoid for three weeks, a project you restart ten times, or an email you reread until you’re too drained to hit send. I’m Rachel, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in ADHD and OCD, and I’m digging into a question that changes everything: when you’re stuck, is ADHD or OCD in the driver’s seat
The Invisible Mental Labor Of ADHD And OCD In Socializing
Socializing shouldn’t feel like you just worked a double shift and yet for a lot of us with ADHD and OCD, that’s exactly what it feels like. You might get through a perfectly normal conversation, then walk away mentally fried from tracking every reaction, editing every sentence, and planning what to apologize for later. I’m Rachel, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in ADHD and OCD, an
GAD vs. OCD: What Is the Difference and How to Tell Them Apart
Your brain can be terrified about something real and still be stuck in an OCD loop. That single idea changes how you respond to anxiety, how you seek help, and how you stop getting pulled into loops that feel impossible to exit. I’m Rachel, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in ADHD and OCD, and I’m walking through a clearer way to tell generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and Obsessive
Using AI As An ADHD Accommodation Without Feeding OCD
AI can feel like magic for an ADHD brain and like gasoline for OCD. I’m Rachel, a licensed clinical social worker who lives and works at the intersection of ADHD and OCD, and I’ve noticed the same tool can either support real-life functioning or quietly turn into reassurance seeking. The difference isn’t whether you use AI. The difference is the job you’re asking AI to do. • how AI can be an ADHD
ADHD Hyperfixation or OCD Reassurance Seeking Spiral: A Simple Framework
“One more article. One more Reddit thread. One more Google search.” If you’ve ever looked up and realized you’ve been researching the same question for way too long, you’re not alone and you’re not broken. I am talking about the ADHD and OCD overlap where hyperfocus and reassurance seeking can look almost identical, even though the “why” underneath is completely different.I share the framework I u
ADHD Hyperfixation or OCD Reassurance Seeking? How Can You Tell?
You can spend hours researching the same question for two totally different reasons and your brain will swear they’re the same. Sometimes it’s ADHD hyperfixation: energized, fascinated, locked in because the topic is rewarding. Other times it’s OCD reassurance seeking: urgent, tight, and driven by the need to feel certain enough to finally be safe. The behavior can look identical, but the function
The Checking Trap: When ADHD Accommodations Turn into OCD Compulsions
Checking can save you when you have ADHD, and it can also steal your life when OCD gets behind the wheel. Today I am breaking down a pattern I see constantly: the same outward behavior that supports executive function can also become a compulsion fueled by anxiety and the need for certainty.• ADHD checking as information-seeking that has an endpoint• OCD checking as anxiety-driven certainty-seekin
ADHD Time Blindness and the Three Bucket System: Why My Schedule Was....Optimistic
Your calendar says you have plenty of time. Your body says you’re already behind. If you’ve ever planned a full “before lunch” lineup and then looked up to realize you scrolled your phone, got gas, and somehow lost the whole morning, we’re talking about the real culprit: time blindness.I’m Rachel, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in ADHD and OCD, and I’m sharing both clinical insi
OCD Rumination: Why Can't I Stop Thinking About It?
Your mind can turn into a courtroom in seconds. One tiny moment from a conversation becomes “evidence,” and suddenly you’re replaying every word for days, hunting for certainty that you didn’t offend someone, miss something important, or reveal something “bad” about yourself. That pattern has a name: mental rumination, one of OCD’s most invisible compulsions and one of the easiest to mistake for b
ADHD and OCD Avoidance: When it Isn't Just Procrastination
Avoidance can look identical on the outside while serving totally different needs on the inside, especially when ADHD and OCD overlap. I share a client tax story that shows how quickly the driver can switch and how the right intervention changes with it. Understanding the "why" behind avoidance can help you choose strategies that actually fit what is happening, instead of feeling stuck i
We All Can Have ADHD and OCD Traits-So What Makes it a Disorder?
Have you ever heard someone say, "Everyone's a little ADHD," or "I'm so OCD," and wondered why those statements don't feel quite right?In this episode, we explore why so many ADHD and OCD experiences sound familiar-and why that doesn't mean everyone has these conditions. We'll talk about:Why everyone experiences distraction, worry, habits, and forgetful
Stop trying harder- Understanding ADHD and executive function
Have you ever been told you just need to "try harder," "get organized," or "be more disciplined"-only to wonder why those strategies never seem to stick?In this episode, we unpack what executive function actually is and why ADHD is not a problem with motivation, intelligence, or laziness. Executive function is the brains management system, and when it works differentl
ERP: Learning to Live With Uncertainty
If you have ever felt trapped in a cycle of intrusive thoughts, anxiety, checking, reassurance seeking, or avoiding situations that feel uncomfortable, you may have heard of ERP. ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) is considered one of the most effective treatments for OCD, but it is also commonly misunderstood. In this episode of Dopamine + Doubt, we break down what ERP actually is, why it wor
ADHD and OCD: When They Look the Same but Aren't
ADHD and OCD can sometimes look surprisingly similar from the outside. Both can involve feeling stuck, needing systems, struggling with routines, overthinking, or repeating behaviors-but the reason behind those behaviors may be very different. In this episdoe of Dopamine + Doubt, we explore the overlap between ADHD and OCD and why understanding the function behind a behavior matters. I share part
Why I Started Dopamine and Doubt
Why did I start Dopamine and Doubt?Welcome to the very first episode of Dopamine + Doubt! In this episode, I share the personal story behind the podcast, how discovering my own ADHD and OCD changed the way I understood myself, and why these two conditions are so often confused. Whether you are navigating your own mental health, supporting someone you love, or you are simply curious about the overl
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