Break free from OCD

Are you plagued by obsessive thoughts, rituals or routines? Would you like to regain control over your behaviour and cast your fears aside? Whether you are compelled to wash your hands more and more thoroughly or feel the need to keep checking that you've turned off appliances, obsessive worries can be a drain on daily life. However, you don't need to suffer any more. This practical guide, written by three leading cognitive behavioural therapy experts, enables you to make sense of your symptoms, and gives a simple plan to help you conquer OCD. This title includes: detailed information on the many different manifestations of OCD; the differences between normal and obsessive worries; clear information on treating your individual problem; real-life case studies and examples; and, advice and support for friends and family of OCD sufferers. Whether your condition is mild or severe, this definitive resource will help you reclaim your life and keep OCD away for good.

Acknowledgements -- How to Use This Book -- 1. What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? -- Obsessions -- The Nature of Thoughts -- The 'Cognitive Theory' of Emotion and Emotional Problems -- Compulsions -- Impairment and Distress -- Self-assessment Section: So Do I Have OCD? -- How Do You Know If Your Friend or Family Member Has OCD? -- 2. How Did I Develop OCD? -- No Simple Answers: The Vulnerability-Stress Model -- Biological Vulnerabilities -- Psychological Vulnerabilities: The Special Role of Responsibility -- Self-assessment: Do I Have Inflated Responsibility Ideas? -- Triggering Events and Critical Incidents -- Contamination and More -- Course of OCD -- How Did My Problem Develop? -- Summary -- 3. How Does OCD Take Hold and Keep Hold? -- Responsibility Appraisals/Beliefs About Your Thoughts -- Probability and 'Awfulness' -- Superstition and Magical Thinking -- Not Trusting Your Senses/Doing Something Until It 'Feels Right' -- Impossible Criteria and the Need for Certainty -- Avoidance -- The Counterproductive Nature of Compulsions/Rituals/Neutralising or Safety-Seeking Behaviours and Avoidance -- The 'Vicious Flower' -- Troubleshooting: This Isn't How It Works for Me -- Goals:…