OCD affects between 1 and 2 per cent of the UK population, causing terrible distress to hundreds of thousands. A serious mental illness, it affects people in different ways from well-known rituals such as obsessive hand-washing and checking, to lesser known symptoms such as disturbing intrusive thoughts and hoarding. Those affected typically suffer for a number of years before seeking help and receiving professional treatment. Selected by Dr David Veale and Rob Willson, authors of self-help guide Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, the first person accounts contained in this collection reflect a broad range of experiences of those with OCD. Brave and uplifting, these real life stories provide not only reassurance, but also an inspiration to others to seek help and overcome their illness. Includes two chapters written by Dr David Veale and Rob Willson explaining the causes of OCD and how to overcome it.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is now rated the fourth most common psychological disorder in the United States. This resource addresses obsessive thoughts as a specific symptom of the disorder, and in addition to self-care strategies, offers information about professional care.

A Books on Prescription Title Break free from unhelpful rituals and take control of your life Are you plagued by a recurring thought or idea that just won't go away? Perhaps you feel the need to wash your hands frequently, hoard things or repeatedly check that all appliances have been turned off before leaving home? These are common symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (or OCD), a condition that causes distress to hundreds of thousands of people. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been clinically proven to significantly reduce symptoms of OCD. Learn how to break free from the destructive cycle of obsessive behaviour and regain control of your life. Shows you how to reduce the distress caused by disturbing thoughts, images and urges Reduces and gradually helps you overcome compulsions Offers advice on how partners, relatives and friends can help.

When you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), it can feel like your own mind is at war with itself. Instead of having productive and positive thoughts, you rehash the same worries and fears over and over again until they become unbearable. Did you really remember to lock the front door? What if you were to hit someone while driving your car? You may find yourself engaging in exhaustive rituals to keep these thoughts at bay. But soon, the doubts come back with a vengeance. Coping with OCD offers a simple and engaging program that can help anyone with mild to moderate OCD get started on the road to recovery. This book begins with a crash course on what OCD is-and what it is not. You'll learn a proven, three-part program for recovery that uses safe and gradual exposure to distressing thoughts and situations, mindfulness practice, and techniques to restructure thinking. Additional chapters address how families can help, dealing with shame and blame, depression, and maintaining progress. The book also includes a helpful list of resources for further reading and additional support.

No one wants to get rid of obsessive-compulsive disorder more than someone who has it. That's why Talking Back to OCD puts kids and teens in charge. Dr. John March's eight-step program has already helped thousands of young people show the disorder that it doesn't call the shots--they do. This uniquely designed volume is really two books in one. Each chapter begins with a section that helps kids and teens zero in on specific problems and develop skills they can use to tune out obsessions and resist compulsions. The pages that follow show parents how to be supportive without getting in the way. The next time OCD butts in, your family will be prepared to boss back--and show an unwelcome visitor to the door. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Self-Help Book of Merit

Take Control of OCD: A Kid's Guide to Conquering Anxiety and Managing OCD is a must-have guide for kids and teens ages 10-16 with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder to help them take control and use their strengths to find success in school and in life. This fully updated second edition: Uses a cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure/response prevention method to stress gradual exposure to obsessive thinking patterns. Provides a step-by-step ladder-based process to help readers conquer their fears and demolish their worries. Helps kids change their obsessive thoughts, tolerate uncertainty, and develop positive self-talk and stress management. Also helps kids advocate for their needs in school and build successful relaxation procedures. Includes workbook-style pages for readers to complete. By interviewing kids with OCD from across the country, the author offers tons of advice, information, and ideas for students, by students just like them. Readers will find themselves in this book, as it normalizes and validates the often hidden and undisclosed thoughts, urges, and images, and accompanying rituals and compulsions that so many children and teens with OCD struggle with. Ages 10-16

Thoroughly updated based on the latest science, this empowering workbook gives you the skills to overcome obsessional thoughts and compulsive behaviors--and live a freer, happier life. Leading OCD specialist Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz presents a step-by-step program grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), the most effective treatment for the disorder. Vivid stories and numerous practical tools (which you can download and print for repeated use) help you: *Understand how OCD affects your mind and body. *Develop a customized plan for change. *Find relief from distressing intrusive thoughts. *Confront the situations you avoid--and discover a new sense of safety. *Break free of compulsive rituals. *Reduce anxiety and improve your relationships. The second edition is revised throughout with cutting-edge strategies for coping with unwanted thoughts that can't be eliminated completely, plus new learning techniques drawn from brain research. Ready to get over OCD? Your journey starts here. Mental health professionals, see also Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for OCD and Its Subtypes, Second Edition, by David A. Clark, a state-of-the-art treatment guide.