Taking Control of OCD

Book excerpt: OCD affects between 1 and 2 per cent of the UK population, causing terrible distress to hundreds of thousands. A serious mental illness, it affects people in different ways from well-known rituals such as obsessive hand-washing and checking, to lesser known symptoms such as disturbing intrusive thoughts and hoarding. Those affected typically suffer for a number of years before seeking help and receiving professional treatment. Selected by Dr David Veale and Rob Willson, authors of self-help guide Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, the first person accounts contained in this collection reflect a broad range of experiences of those with OCD. Brave and uplifting, these real life stories provide not only reassurance, but also an inspiration to others to seek help and overcome their illness. Includes two chapters written by Dr David Veale and Rob Willson explaining the causes of OCD and how to overcome it.