Resources - The OCD Stories

OCD and anxiety are very treatable, speak to a mental health professional and they will be able to help. There are also many other resources for OCD, here are a few that may help:

If you are feeling suicidal, please reach out to the relevant support i.e. your therapist, emergency services, or call a suicide hotline/helpline. Global suicide hotlines/helplines (this blog we found may help): https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/. This website can also help you make a safety plan to help keep you safe: https://stayingsafe.net/ST/

Therapy for OCD

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the main therapy for OCD. There is a particular part of CBT that works for OCD which is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. A CBT therapist will be able to help you get better – contact one of the OCD charities to find a CBT therapist, other mental health charities, your doctor, or search online for a CBT therapist.

Find out more about Exposure and Response Prevention therapy (ERP) for OCD: https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/ocd-treatment/erp/

Charities

There are many OCD charities, but here are a few:

International OCD Foundation – https://iocdf.org/

OCD Action – https://www.ocdaction.org.uk/

OCD Youth – https://ocdyouth.org/

OCD UK – https://www.ocduk.org/

Riley’s Wish – http://www.rileyswish.com/ (OCD and addiction)

The OCD Gamechangers – https://ocdgamechangers.com/

Maternal OCD – https://maternalocd.org/

Made of Millions – https://www.madeofmillions.com/conditions/obsessive-compulsive-disorder

Peace of Mind Foundation – https://peaceofmind.com/

JACK Mental Health Advocacy – https://jackmha.org/

Some other international charities: https://iocdf.org/about/global-partners/

Books

There are quite a few wonderful books about OCD and its therapy, here are a few:

The Self-Compassion Workbook for OCD outlines a step-by-step program to help you understand the emotional experience of OCD, and develop the tools you need to manage your disorder and build a better life. Drawing on a powerful combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), and compassion-focused therapy (CFT), this breakthrough guide will teach you how to balance intense emotions, lean into your fear, and focus on recovery. Over time, you’ll learn to replace self-judgment with kindness and self-compassion, so you can stop suffering and start thriving.

In The Happiness Trap, Dr. Russ Harris provides a means to escape the epidemic of stress, anxiety, and depression, unlocking the secrets to a truly fulfilling life.

Updated and expanded in its second edition, this empowering book presents the insights and techniques of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), covering more topics and providing more practical tools than ever before.

In Everyday Mindfulness for OCD, you’ll discover how you can stay one step ahead of your OCD. You’ll learn about the world of mindfulness, and how living in the present moment non-judgmentally is so important when you have OCD. You’ll also explore the concept of self-compassion—what it is, what it isn’t, how to use it, and why people with OCD benefit from it. Finally, you’ll discover daily games, tips, and tricks for outsmarting your OCD, meditations and mindfulness exercises, and much, much more.

Everything You Need to Know About OCD gives you a comprehensive insight in to this condition, how to spot symptoms of it in yourself or a loved one, and outlines the treatment options available. The book features self-help chapters that guide you through Graded Exposure therapy, a highly effective psychological treatment for OCD. These chapters will equip you with strategies to banish unwanted thoughts and help you regain control of your life.

Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts offers an evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to help you get unstuck from distressing thoughts; overcome feelings of guilt, shame, and loneliness that can accompany these thoughts; and reduce your overall anxiety. You’ll learn about the different types of unwanted thoughts, why these thoughts keep getting stuck, and ways to break out of this vicious cycle. Finally, you’ll discover how changes in attitude and beliefs can help you move beyond your thoughts so you can focus on the things that really matter.

The Act Workbook for Teens with OCD is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), and teaches teens with OCD new skills to handle the stream of pesky obsessions that show up in their mind.

It presents the Choice Point – a tool to help teens choose how to handle those tricky moments when dealing with unwanted thoughts. Chapter by chapter, teens learn powerful skills to unhook from their obsessions, including exposure exercises and strategies for accepting their emotions, and complete activities to help them overcome their compulsions, avoidant behaviors, and requests for accommodations.

Getting Over OCD is thoroughly updated based on the latest science, this empowering workbook gives you the skills to overcome obsessional thoughts and compulsive behaviors–and live a freer, happier life. Leading OCD specialist Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz presents a step-by-step program grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), the most effective treatment for the disorder. The second edition is revised throughout with cutting-edge strategies for coping with unwanted thoughts that can’t be eliminated completely, plus new learning techniques drawn from brain research. Ready to get over OCD? Your journey starts here.

Freedom from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder provides Dr. Jonathan Grayson’s revolutionary and compassionate program for finally breaking the cycle of overwhelming fear and endless rituals. Demystifying the process of OCD assessment and treatment, this indispensable book helps sufferers make sense of their own compulsions through frank, unflinching self-evaluation, and provides not only the knowledge of how to change—but the courage to do it.

The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD offers practical and accessible tools for managing the unwanted thoughts and compulsive urges that are associated with OCD. With this workbook, you will develop present-moment awareness, learn to challenge your own distorted thinking, and stop treating thoughts as threats and feelings as facts.

This fully revised and updated second edition also includes new meditations, information, and chapters on emotional and mental contamination, existential obsessions, false memories, and more.

Facebook support groups

There are also many good OCD support groups on Facebook that may help. Here’s a good one: https://www.facebook.com/groups/165363354166903/ This community or others may help you feel less alone, as there are many people on there going through similar experiences.

Online support groups

You can search for in-person support groups near you through the OCD charities. If there are none near you, there are some online OCD support groups now where you can chat with others online:

IOCDF list of online support groups: https://iocdf.org/ocd-finding-help/supportgroups/online-and-phone-ocd-support-groups/

OCD Action: https://ocdaction.org.uk/online-support-groups/

OCD UK: https://www.ocduk.org/support-groups/online/

The central London OCD support group: https://twitter.com/londonocd

Podcasts

You can listen to over 350 podcast episodes we have recorded with people with OCD and OCD experts. Listen on all podcast apps, Spotify and here.

The OCD Stories Patreon

The OCD Stories is on Patreon and offers exclusive video content of new podcast recordings and the option of a monthly zoom hangout with Stuart. Please see details here.