Hershfield, John, with foreward by Jeff Bell. When a Family Member Has OCD: Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Skills to Help Families Affected by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. (2015.)
Appropriate for: Family members who live with someone with OCD
I regularly read John Hershfield's blog on his website (www.ocdbaltimore.com/ocd-blog/), and I appreciate the clear picture he paints of OCD and what someone with OCD is thinking. This book is simply organized into three parts. The first covers what OCD is and how it's commonly treated, the second how you should treat your family member with OCD most healthily, and the third how OCD affects the whole group. Each chapter ends with a reflective "Consider This" section and a validating "Your Struggle" section. Overall, it doesn't shy away from the tough details, but it's overwhelmingly positive in its approach and outlook.
March, John S., with Christine M. Benton. Talking Back to OCD: The Program That Helps Kids and Teens Say "No Way"--and Parents to Say "Way to Go." (2007).
Appropriate for: Parents of children of middle-school age and up with OCD and teens with OCD
I've had this book on my shelf for years and had looked through it when I first got it, but because my son was too young and unwilling to implement the cognitive behavioral strategies required, I didn't do much with it. Now that my son has had a flare up of OCD and is highly motivated to do CBT and ERP (exposure and response prevention), I read it again. I wouldn't try to do ERP on my own, but this is a great companion through the process. The first part is a complete overview of OCD: what it is, what it isn't, how the brain works, and treatment options. There are lots of good examples of obsessions, compulsions, and their triggers. What I particularly appreciated is that while OCD can seem very daunting and scary, the tone is encouraging and optimistic. The second part maps out the steps of ERP therapy. There are eight steps that typically take several months to complete. The steps include learning about OCD, mapping out the symptoms and a plan of attacked, targeting certain obsessions, and fighting OCD. Along the way, there are suggestions for how the family can support the child who is doing all of this hard work. Both children and parents are addressed separately.While Part Two it is structured as a workbook, unless this book is given to you by a clinician, it is really more of a supplement or a guide than a primary resource. Part One, however, is extraordinarily thorough and helpful to anyone trying to understand such a complicated diagnosis.
Purdon, Christine, and David Clark. Overcoming Obsessive Thoughts: How to Gain Control of Your OCD. (2005.)
Appropriate for: For those with harm OCD and anyone who wants to learn about how OCD works and what mental control is required to fight it
This book focuses on what the authors call "repugnant obsessions," those that are harmful to oneself or others, sexual, and/or religious or moral. It explains what they are and and the fundamentals of exposure therapy, but what I found most valuable was the chapter on mental control. I often wonder what exactly it takes to conquer and manage OCD, and the authors do a great job of really explaining what that looks and feels like. They say, "The paradox of mental control is the harder people try to control a thought, the more difficulty they have with it." This was really a "light bulb moment" for me in being able to understand just what my son is trying to achieve and gave me a new appreciation for it.
Appropriate for: Family members who live with someone with OCD
I regularly read John Hershfield's blog on his website (www.ocdbaltimore.com/ocd-blog/), and I appreciate the clear picture he paints of OCD and what someone with OCD is thinking. This book is simply organized into three parts. The first covers what OCD is and how it's commonly treated, the second how you should treat your family member with OCD most healthily, and the third how OCD affects the whole group. Each chapter ends with a reflective "Consider This" section and a validating "Your Struggle" section. Overall, it doesn't shy away from the tough details, but it's overwhelmingly positive in its approach and outlook.
March, John S., with Christine M. Benton. Talking Back to OCD: The Program That Helps Kids and Teens Say "No Way"--and Parents to Say "Way to Go." (2007).
Appropriate for: Parents of children of middle-school age and up with OCD and teens with OCD
I've had this book on my shelf for years and had looked through it when I first got it, but because my son was too young and unwilling to implement the cognitive behavioral strategies required, I didn't do much with it. Now that my son has had a flare up of OCD and is highly motivated to do CBT and ERP (exposure and response prevention), I read it again. I wouldn't try to do ERP on my own, but this is a great companion through the process. The first part is a complete overview of OCD: what it is, what it isn't, how the brain works, and treatment options. There are lots of good examples of obsessions, compulsions, and their triggers. What I particularly appreciated is that while OCD can seem very daunting and scary, the tone is encouraging and optimistic. The second part maps out the steps of ERP therapy. There are eight steps that typically take several months to complete. The steps include learning about OCD, mapping out the symptoms and a plan of attacked, targeting certain obsessions, and fighting OCD. Along the way, there are suggestions for how the family can support the child who is doing all of this hard work. Both children and parents are addressed separately.While Part Two it is structured as a workbook, unless this book is given to you by a clinician, it is really more of a supplement or a guide than a primary resource. Part One, however, is extraordinarily thorough and helpful to anyone trying to understand such a complicated diagnosis.
Purdon, Christine, and David Clark. Overcoming Obsessive Thoughts: How to Gain Control of Your OCD. (2005.)
Appropriate for: For those with harm OCD and anyone who wants to learn about how OCD works and what mental control is required to fight it
This book focuses on what the authors call "repugnant obsessions," those that are harmful to oneself or others, sexual, and/or religious or moral. It explains what they are and and the fundamentals of exposure therapy, but what I found most valuable was the chapter on mental control. I often wonder what exactly it takes to conquer and manage OCD, and the authors do a great job of really explaining what that looks and feels like. They say, "The paradox of mental control is the harder people try to control a thought, the more difficulty they have with it." This was really a "light bulb moment" for me in being able to understand just what my son is trying to achieve and gave me a new appreciation for it.