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In this Quiet Confessions mini-episode, Chelsea shares their experience with postpartum OCD, something they didn’t realize they had until it completely overtook their second postpartum journey.
From health anxiety and relentless Googling to ER visits and overwhelming fear, Chelsea reflects on how OCD showed up in unexpected ways.
This honest confession sheds light on a lesser-discussed part of postpartum mental health and the intense need for reassurance when nothing feels safe or certain.
Key Takeaways
- Postpartum OCD can look very different from mainstream portrayals—often involving obsessive worry and health anxiety rather than cleanliness or order.
- The overlap between anxiety and OCD is significant, but there’s a difference in intensity and focus, especially postpartum.
- Google searches can intensify fears and obsessive thought patterns, especially for new parents.
- Reassurance-seeking is a common compulsion in OCD and often increases when other compulsions (like Googling) are restricted.
- Exposure therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), along with medication, were key parts of Chelsea’s recovery.
- It’s possible to mistake OCD for generalized anxiety for years—postpartum can be the moment it becomes unmistakable.
Memorable Quotes
- “Google was my worst enemy.”
- “I was literally rewriting my life in an instant.”
- “I don't think I've ever admitted that out loud, but that was not a safe drive home.”
- “Postpartum OCD doesn’t get talked about as much—and it doesn’t always look like the stereotypes.”
- “I just don’t want her to die... and nothing was rational at that point.”
- “Reassurance seeking, perseverating, and Googling. That was my whole world.”
- “This isn’t the life I pictured.”
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Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection
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