Obsessive Compulsive Disorder All You Want to Know about OCD for People Living with OCD, Carers, and Clinicians

Obsessive compulsive disorder affects between 1 and 3 per cent of the population. Ranging from relatively mild symptoms to being a profoundly disabling disorder, it is a condition that is amenable to modern treatments. This book examines the evidence for and potential role of a range of treatment methods, from CBT to pharmacological approaches. It asks what an individual can do to help themselves, and how friends and relatives can assist in the recovery process. Although firmly based in clinical research, it is written in a jargon-free and accessible style to help provide deep understanding of the disorder. Personal narratives and case studies of people living with OCD feature to illustrate points, and the book considers emerging research and the future of approaches to OCD. Built upon decades of experience, this guide will inform and support adults and young people living with OCD, as well as carers, families and health professionals.

1. So what is OCD and is it really a problem?; 2. Who gets OCD and how would anyone know if they had it?; 3. Types and presentation of OCD; 4. Drug treatment; 5. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD; 6. Children and adolescents with OCD; 7. Old treatments, modern developments, new research and potential treatments for the future; 8. Other conditions which appear similar to OCD; 9. What can family and carers do to help a person with OCD?; 10. What can the person with OCD do to help themselves?

Lynne M. Drummond is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Senior Lecturer with South West London and St George's NHS Mental Health Trust, where she has run a CBT specialist service since 1985. She works closely with charities including Triumph Over OCD and Phobias UK (TOP UK), OCD Action and OCD UK. Passionate about public education, Drummond advises in the media. Recent work includes Channel 4's 'A Little Bit OCD with Jon Richardson', winner of a Mind Media Award in 2013, and ITV's 'OCD Ward', shortlisted for a Mind Media Award in 2014.
Laura J. Edwards is a freelance writer with an interest in making science accessible to the public. For this project, she assisted with ensuring that the book's language and explanations are accessible to its readers. She also collaborated on the book's approach and content.