29. Is there real hope for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

29. Is there real hope for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

From No Such Thing as Normal by NZME

April 3, 2026 · 49 min

About this episode

The episode explores Isabella's journey with severe contamination OCD and her experience with the Bergen 4-day Treatment.

Isabella* is just 22, but she’d been living with severe contamination OCD for eight years. It had taken over her life - touching people, objects, even parts of her own home, felt dangerous. Every interaction came with a cost: hours of cleaning, sanitising and rituals. In this episode we follow Isabella’s story. From a life ruled by OCD to her experience with a revolutionary therapy: the Bergen 4 day Treatment (B4DT).   Over 100 thousand New Zealanders are estimated to suffer from OCD and access to treatment is difficult.  Thanks to the charity Open Closed Doors the B4DT had it’s first New Zealand trial in January of this year.  And the results were phenomenal.   Guests: Isabella* Dr Bjarne Hansen Dr Marthinus Bekker Emma Chapman Mihi Gillies   To find out more, or to support the charity go to Open Closed Doors .    Resources: Open Closed Doors . Fixate - FB group In this episode: Isabella’s story: what OCD feels like from the inside The hidden cost of OCD: intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and the exhausting mental load Why OCD is so often misunderstood, and why logic alone doesn’t work The impact on families…

People in this episode

Guests: Isabella, Dr Bjarne Hansen, Dr Marthinus Bekker, Emma Chapman, Mihi Gillies

Topics covered

  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • mental health
  • Bergen 4-day Treatment
  • therapy
  • intrusive thoughts
  • family impact

Keywords

  • OCD
  • contamination
  • therapy
  • mental load
  • Exposure and Response Prevention
  • recovery
  • anxiety

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Open Closed Doors

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