'In this marvelous book the authors provide the key information that teens and families need about OCD and its treatment. Highly recommended not only for patients but also for practitioners looking for material to use in their practices.' - John S. March, MD, MPH, Professor and Chief, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Program for Child Affective & Anxiety Disorders, Duke University, Durham, NC 'Do you have troublesome habits that get in the way? Do you have worries that bother you much more than you should? THIS BOOK MAY BE FOR YOU. The hardest thing for anyone to control is their own mind. This book points the way, to you and to those close to you, to free yourself from OCD.' - James F. Leckman, MD, Neison Harris Professor of Child Psychiatry, Pediatrics and Psychology, Director of Research, Child Study Center, Yale University 'Breaking Free from OCD should be a staple book for OCD sufferers and their families. It ditches confusing medical jargon in order to give constructive and helpful information and advice. It is the kind of book which I wish I had owned when my OCD was at its worst, one which shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and shows you how to get there.' Joe Wells, author of Touch and Go Joe: An Adolescent's Experience of OCD Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a potentially life-long debilitating disorder, which often emerges during teenage years and affects as many as 1 in every 50 people. Young people living with OCD experience recurrent obsessions or compulsions that are distressing and interfere with their social lives, relationships, educational functioning and careers. Written by leading experts on OCD, this step-by-step guide is written for adolescents with OCD and their families, to be used in home treatment or as a self-help book. Using the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is the proven method for helping those with OCD, it offers teenagers a structured plan of treatment which can be read alone, or with a parent, counsellor or mental health worker. The guide provides useful advice and worksheets throughout. This self-help book for young people aged 10-16 is an invaluable resource for adolescents who have suffered from, or know someone who has suffered from, OCD, their families, teachers, carers, and mental health professionals. Contents: Part A: Understanding Your OCD. 1. About this Book. 2. What is OCD? 3. Can I Get Better from OCD? 4. What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy? 5. Understanding My OCD. Part B: How To Recover from Your OCD. 6. How to Use this Book to Change Your OCD. 7. Understanding the Role of Anxiety. 8. What Does My OCD Look Like? 9. Designing Exposure and Response Prevention Exercises. 10. Making Progress with Exposure and Response Prevention Exercises. 11. Overcoming Difficulties. 12. What is the Role of My Thoughts? 13. How Can I Challenge My Thoughts? 14. How Can I Test Whether My Thoughts Will Come True? 15. How to Maintain the Gains I Have Made. Part C: OCD and the Bigger Picture. 16. OCD and My Family. 17. OCD, School and Friends. 18. Where to Go for More Information. Appendix: Questionnaire. Subject index. Author index. |