SELF HELP MATERIAL

Introduction

OCD Ireland has selected the following self help material based on the reveiws of OCD Suffers, professionals and  other websites.

Please note that this list is only a selection of reviewed material

IMP OF THE MIND
Author: Lee Baer
Publisher: Plume, UK (2002)
ISBN: 0452283078

Reviewed by BigKeefer

This book is aimed purely at OCD suffers who have the "bad thoughts" flavour. Most commonly referred to as "Pure-O". It is split into two parts:

Part One: The problem of Bad Thoughts

- The Imp of the Perverse
- Thoughts of harming children
- How can I be certain they're just thoughts?
- What causes Bad Thoughts?

Part Two: Treatment of Bad Thoughts

- Facing your Fears Head-on: Exposure Therapy
- Questioning your Bad Thoughts. Cognitive    

  therapy
- Blasphemous Bad Thoughts
- Medications for Bad Thoughts
- A Plan of Action

Both parts use real life OCDers experiences, as examples, to illustrate the points the author is trying to put across. This works extremely well - not least in the fact that it is a tremendous relief to hear about people that have similar, if not identical, thoughts to yourself. (As yes, this means that you're not mad either!) And an even greater relief to see they have received treatment that has made them much, much better Also, it makes the procedures and theories that Baer describes so much easier to understand - as we all understand the sufferer's point of view!

Part One basically describes this flavour of OCD and how it works and what causes them. This will be the "This is sooooo me!" part of the book for people who will relate, and keep relating, after the first few pages! This part serves to make you realise that you are not alone, millions of people have this problem - and yes, it's worth saying again, you aren't mad.

Part Two, as you can see, settles down into the "So what can I do about it then?" part of the book. Much of what you read here you may well have heard of before - such as: writing down your worst feared scenario and then recording it and playing it back over and over for an hour, exposure and prevention therapy (if one of your thoughts is stabbing someone - then you would be encouraged to put yourself in a situation which has a knife ready to hand - rather than avoid them all the time.). This works on the theory of "habituation" which is an often heard word around OCD. (I'm a big advocate of it as it worked for me)

Even if you think you have heard it all before - it is well worth reading this book! It describes therapy in such a way that makes you think "Hmm. That makes sense! I'll give it a go!". It won't give you a quick cure to OCD - but then nothing will. What it will give you is a> the hope to keep going and b> the methods needed to help yourself and/or seek help from people who can aid your journey towards the end of that OCD tunnel.

In fact, in conclusion, if you suffer from this particular flavour OCD - I would strongly recommend that you read this book. It contains everything you need to get a good head start on the "Imp of the Perverse".

Brainlock
Author: Jeffrey M. Schwartz
Publisher: Harper Collins, UK (1997)
ISBN: 0060987111

Reviewed by MG
My therapist suggested this one ages ago, and like Bigkeefer says the four steps is worth trying, it does work, just be patient with yourself, don't expect miracles, it takes practice. well worth a read.

Review added 26th August 2003
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Stop Obsessing
Author: Edna Foa and Reid Wilson
Publisher: Bantam Books, US (2001)
ISBN: 0553381172

Reviewed by Daisy, Bristol
I'm an OCD sufferer and this book was recommended to me by my Psychiatrist & CBT therapist during the start of my treatment 2 years ago. At first I didn't think any book was going to aid in my recovery. However I have found this book a great source of help. It is very easy to read and gives practical advice for sufferers to follow regardless of their severity of OCD. Two years on, after being diagnosed, my OCD has eased though it is still a daily battle for me. Despite having read this book several times it is still a very good 'refresher' aid and a book that I like to have close by at all times. A very useful tool indeed.

Review added 28th August 2003

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The OCD Workbook : Your Guide To Breaking Free From Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
By Bruce Hyman, Ph.D. and Cherry Pedrick, R.N.

Reviewed by Ian Osborn, M.D. State College, PA
The OCD Workbook is the most helpful presentation of behavior therapy for OCD that has been published in quite a few years. Cherry Pedrick, an R.N who has herself suffered OCD, and Bruce Hyman, Ph.D., a psychologist and social worker who specializes in treating the disorder, make a great team. Their book flows smoothly along with a wonderfully compassionate tone while providing an excellent blend of clinical and theoretical material.

The book is divided into four sections. Part One presents an easily digestible review of OCD's diagnosis, proven causes, and effective treatments. Part Two, the heart of the book, discusses cognitive-behavior treatment in detail, including instructions for self-directed treatment programs. Part Three deals with OCD spectrum disorders and childhood problems. Part Four finishes with a discussion of how family members, support groups, and various types of therapists can help.

I found Part Two's presentation of behavior therapy to be exceptional. Clearly written, easy to follow, and yet very complete; it is the best introduction to behavior therapy for OCD that I have yet read. For every major subtype of disorder there is an outline for a complete therapy program.

Have a problem with "hit and run obsessions?" Pedrick and Hyman provide worksheets for assessing the symptoms, monitoring obsessions and compulsions, constructing a situations hierarchy, and then executing exposure and response prevention. All for that one specific problem and with examples of every form filled out! Likewise, step-by-step instructions are provided for the treatment of common contamination, harm, sexual, religious and orderliness obsessions. Pedrick and Hyman do not neglect the hard to treat cases. Pure obsessions, obsessional slowness, and hoarding are also tackled in an easy-to-understand manner with case studies included.

One of the main strengths of The OCD Workbook is the inclusion of a number of different approaches to behavior therapy. For those OCD sufferers who are "psyched up" to make an all-out effort, the book provides a "fast track." For those more fearful, there is a gradual method to follow that still gets results. Recently developed behavior therapy techniques including ritual delay and imaginal exposure are presented in a reader-friendly manner.

I particularly enjoyed the layout of the book. We do not have to wade through one lengthy paragraph after another. Rather, every page is divided into manageable sections with clear headings. Lists, highlights, sidebars, and set-off examples make the book ultra-easy to follow and a pleasure to read. A quibble is the lack of an index.

The OCD Workbook falls short only in trying to cover too much. Non-behavior treatments such as medications are dealt with superficially. Similarly, discussions of disorders that are associated with OCD such as depression, ADHD and Trichotillomania are not detailed enough to satisfy most readers.

All in all, The OCD Workbook is a wonderful addition to our resources. I am already using it with some of my patients. The discussion of behavior therapy is so clear and complete that it is equally helpful for both therapists conducting treatment and OCD sufferers taking on the disorder by themselves.

The OCD Workbook by Bruce Hyman, Ph.D. and Cherry Pedrick, R.N.