Breaking Free from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

9 Essential Principles for Getting and Staying Well

This audio E-book is invaluable to patients and family members seeking a better understanding of OCD. It includes vital information that can help the OCD sufferer get his/her recovery on track. The audio format can be particularly helpful to patients with reading difficulties and commuting patients who like to listen in the privacy of their car, or iPod (or similar device).

The "essential principles" include the following:

Principle #1 — Know Your Enemy — Get Accurate Knowledge About The Nature And Causes Of OCD

In this section, you will learn about what OCD is and its component parts. The most common forms of OCD are presented along with some of the less common forms such as hoarding, religious OCD, and health related OCD. The common characteristics of all OCD sufferers will be discussed as well has who gets OCD and why.

Principle #2 — Quit the Denial and Face Up To It: You Have OCD

Acceptance of OCD is the first step to overcoming it. But facing and admitting that you have OCD takes courage, but that is the first step toward the goal of living a life free of OCD. In this section you will learn the keys to facing up to OCD and starting on the path to recovery.

Principle #3 — The Problem Is Not You — It's Your OCD!

OCD is a medical problem — NOT a disorder of bad character or bad parenting. This chapter will help you to untangle the stranglehold that OCD has upon you, your self-esteem and self-image — a vital step in your recovery. You will learn the first initial steps toward freeing yourself from the shame and embarrassment you feel about having OCD.

Principle #4 — Talk Therapy Doesn't Work — Find Out About Exposure and Response Prevention

Ever wonder why your present psychological treatment for OCD may not be working? Learn about exposure and response prevention — the "gold standard" of treatment for OCD. This chapter will discuss how this form of treatment works and why and how you can make it work to gain control over your OCD symptoms. If you have had ERP and it has not helped, this chapter will shed light upon those factors that limit progress and offer tips as to how to get your recovery on track.

Principle #5 — Getting Help Is Not Enough — Getting the RIGHT help is the Key

Ok, so you need to find a qualified therapist to treat your OCD problem. What most OCD sufferers painfully discover is that getting the right help is not easy - in fact, few therapists are qualified to treat it effectively. This chapter offers you solid guidelines for seeking and finding the most qualified help for your OCD problem.

Principle #6 — Stop the Blame Game

Searching through the past for the specific cause of your OCD is "seductive, but not productive." Working in the "here and now" to overcome your OCD is best. Learn how by giving up the blame and committing yourself to an OCD free life.

Principle #7 — Consider Taking Medication for OCD

If you've been working hard on your recovery from OCD for a while and not making the progress you desire, it may be time to consider taking pharmaceutical medications for OCD. Don't worry, however, because the decision to consider medication is no sign of failure. Rather, it's a pragmatic decision to use every available weapon to get your OCD under control. But taking medication often invokes fear in OCD patients. This chapter will provide you with accurate, balanced information to help you make an informed decision about the medication option.

Principle #8 — Family Members are Vital to the Recovery Effort

OCD has a profound effect upon the family. Family members or close partners of the OCD sufferer can either help or hinder the recovery effort in numerous ways. In this chapter, you will learn how to be a positive influence for your loved one with OCD, particularly by understanding the role of family accommodation in the maintenance of the disorder.

Principle #9 — Maintain an Effective Relapse Prevention Strategy to Stay Well For the Long Haul

Getting and staying well from OCD requires an effective strategy of behavioral, medical and lifestyle choices — called "relapse prevention." In this chapter you will understand the difference between "lapses" (which are normal) and "relapses" (more alarming and serious) and learn the factors that contribute to relapse and how to prevent them. You will learn of the lifestyle choices that contribute to long term recovery from OCD and how to incorporate them into your daily life.

Unlike many products sold on the Internet promising to "cure" your OCD, I make no such claim. This audio material is not being offer to you as medical advice. That must be obtained from a consultation with a qualified mental health professional who is familiar with OCD.

Bruce M. Hyman, PhD, LCSW
Director of the OCD Resource Center of Florida [send email]

About the Author:
Bruce M. Hyman, Ph.D., is in private practice in Hollywood, Florida and is Founder and Director of the OCD Resource Center of Florida, specializing in the treatment of adults and children with OCD and related anxiety disorders. Visit Dr. Hyman's website at www.OCDhope.