Offers advice on how to choose the most effective therapies and medications, and how to avoid relapses.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a relatively common psychological problem. The symptoms - which can be seriously disabling in extreme cases - can include excessive hand-washing or other cleaning rituals, repeated checking, extreme slowness and unwanted, repugnant intrusive thoughts. This book covers the nature, symptoms, causes and theories of OCD. It discusses the treatments that are available and provides valuable practical advice to those who may need help. Numerous case histories are given throughout the book, highlighting various aspects of the disorder and its treatment. There are in-depth sections on scrupulosity, culture and OCD, mental pollution, OCD in children and on the similarities and differences between childhood OCD and autistic disorder. This fourth edition has been updated with succinct explanations of recent research, information on treatment advances and the recent expansion of treatment services for anxiety disorders, including OCD, in the NHS. In this updated fourth edition, Stanley Rachman gives a clear account of the nature of obsessive-compulsive problems which will prove useful for sufferers and their families, as well as general readers interested in finding out about the disorder.

A prescription for recovery from obsessive-compulsive disorder, this new paperback combines the latest in scientific knowledge with case histories and practical suggestions for self-help, offering new hope to those touched by this insidious and widespread malady. The authors have distilled their years of research, experimentation, and practice into a readable how-to manual.

Providing clinicians and patients with the latest developments in research, this new edition is a succinct and practical introduction to the diagnosis, evaluation and management of OCD and other related disorders. Part of the Oxford Psychiatry Library series, this pocketbook includes individual chapters on the phenomenology, pathogenesis, pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy of OCD and other related disorders, and features fully updated content and research. The book also includes a helpful resources chapter, and an Appendix with summaries of the major rating scales used to assess patients with OCD, which will be of use to both clinicians and patients. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Obsessive-compulsive-related disorders (OCRDs) are anxiety disorders characterized by obsessions and compulsions, and varying degrees of anxiety and depression. OCRDs are considered to be one of the most disabling of psychiatric disorders and they present a tremendous economic and social burden, both for the affected individual, their family, and for society at large. In contrast to other psychiatric conditions of a comparable or lesser prevalence and patient burden, relatively little is understood about the aetiology, and cognitive effects of OCRDs.

A comprehensive introduction to one of the most common psychiatric disorders, a condition that results in intrusive, irrational thoughts and/or repetitive, illogical physical or mental actions. Titles in this Health and Psychology Sourcebooks series address psychological, physical, or environmental conditions that threaten human health and wellbeing. This book presents a comprehensive overview of OCD—one of the five most common psychiatric disorders. Obsessions range from those associated with contamination, safety, and order or symmetry to scrupulosity, or the need the do the "right" thing. Compulsions range from counting, touching, and tapping to excessive cleaning/washing, arranging, or even hoarding. Written by a therapist among the most experienced in the world in dealing with this disorder, this book covers the incidence, symptoms, diagnosis, history, development, and causes, as well as the effects and costs of OCD. It also addresses theory, research, and treatments and offers insight into and case studies illustrating how the disorder displays in society, at work, and in relationships. A glossary of terms, suggested further readings, and resource websites and organizations listing are included.