The OCD Confessional

Surviving OCD: TV Reporter Lillian Donahue’s Story of Recovery and Hope

Liam Season 1 Episode 5

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In this powerful episode of The OCD Confessional, we talk with Lillian Donahue, a broadcast journalist whose battle with severe OCD nearly took her life at just 25 years old.

Lillian shares how her OCD spiraled into constant terror, debilitating intrusive thoughts, and overwhelming compulsions — all while she was working as a full-time TV reporter.

She opens up about:

  • What it’s like living with intense OCD
  • The moment everything changed
  • How she survived
  • Her path back to journalism
  • What she wishes the world understood about OCD
  • The treatment and tools that made recovery possible

This is one of the most honest conversations we’ve ever had on the show — one that proves OCD is not a personality quirk… it’s a serious, treatable medical condition that affects millions.

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube & everywhere podcasts live.
📲 Instagram & TikTok: @theocdconfessional
📺 YouTube: The OCD Confessional https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ

Supported by NOCD
If you or someone you love is struggling with OCD, check out NOCD — a leading virtual health platform that connects people with licensed therapists specially trained in Evidence-Based ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy. NOCD offers live video sessions, between-session therapist messaging, access to in-app therapeutic tools, and a global peer community. Their goal: make expert OCD treatment accessible, effective, and affordable.

➤ Visit https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional to learn more and get matched with an OCD-trained therapist.

🧠 The OCD Confessional is hosted by Liam Martin & Alicia Hill — real stories, intrusive thoughts, and the tools we use to cope (with plenty of laughter).

Disclaimer: The OCD Confessional is intended for education, awareness, and community support only. It does not provide therapy or professional mental-health advice. If you are struggling or in crisis, please seek help from a licensed mental-health professional. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.