The OCD Workbook: Your Guide to Breaking Free from Obsessive -Complusive Disorder

Once thought to be a comparatively rare mental illness, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is now known to affect about two out of every 100 Americans. OCD has recently attracted considerable media attention, including numerous major news magazine articles, television news program reports, and coverage in popular culture, notably in the UPN television series Monk. Because of this higher profile, more and more people struggling with the disorder are recognizing their symptoms, looking for information on the problem, and seeking treatment. OCD behaviors can take a number of forms; compulsive washing, checking, hoarding, and obsessive thoughts are among the better known. Individuals with OCD can experience significant reduction in quality of life because of the disorder. They may lose the ability to work, to function socially, or even to accomplish basic tasks like shopping and driving. The good news is that a number of treatment options have proven effective at controlling OCD. This book is a great place for anyone with OCD to start looking for help. Since its first publication in 1999, the OCD Workbook has become among the most trusted and recommended OCD resources available. More than 40,000 copies have provided help and hope to people with the disorder, and therapists have come to regard the book as a useful adjunct to their private practices. This fully revised and expanded edition includes new findings on the causes of OCD, including genetic research. It offers information on treatment options including neurosurgery, new medications, and a whole new chapter on day-to-day coping strategies for people with OCD. The new edition includes expanded coverage of related disorders like body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania, and skin picking. New material on relapse prevention, OCD in children, and family involvement in OCD round out this important book.