S1E144: OCD (Pt 1): The hidden reality and a new way out

S1E144: OCD (Pt 1): The hidden reality and a new way out

From Health Check by The Straits Times

January 6, 2026 · 14 min · Season 1 · Episode 144

About this episode

This episode discusses the realities of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and features insights from psychologists specializing in its treatment.

OCD is more than a quirk. Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you. Obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD is often misunderstood. Although the term OCD is often used casually, it is a potentially severe disorder that can drastically disrupt a person's life.  However, it is highly treatable. Yet, many people remain undiagnosed and untreated for years. To learn more about OCD, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo talks to two psychologists who specialise in the treatment of OCD for a two-part series on what the disorder is about and how a new treatment can help. They are  Dr Jackki Yim, Principal Clinical Psychologist & Deputy Head of Anxiety Service, Department of Mood & Anxiety at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and Ms Tammie Kwek, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Department of Mood & Anxiety, IMH. Highlights (click/tap above): 3:37 Clearing misunderstandings about OCD  5:46 An example of OCD  11:19 How can parents respond to their children who have OCD? Listen to OCD Part 2: 4-day treatment and the Bergen approach - https://str.sg/hZaB Read Joyce Teo's stories…

People in this episode

Host: Joyce Teo

Guests: Dr Jackki Yim, Ms Tammie Kwek

Topics covered

  • OCD
  • mental health
  • psychology
  • treatment
  • misunderstandings

Keywords

  • OCD
  • obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • mental health treatment
  • psychologists
  • anxiety

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Institute of Mental Health, The Straits Times

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