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Summary
Summary
For the more than 2 million Americans with obsessive-compulsive disorder, the intrusive thoughts and uncontrollable behaviors can take a harsh toll, as author Jared Douglas Kant knows all too well. Diagnosed with OCD at age 11, Jared became ruled by dread of deadly germs and diseases, the unrelenting need to count and check things, and a persistent, nagging doubt that overshadowed his life.
In The Thought that Counts, Jared shares his deeply personal account of trial, tribulation, and ultimately triumph. Using anecdotes, narratives and sidebars, this book adds a human face to a complex disorder. Jared's funny, often touching, sometimes harrowing tale makes for compelling reading. Yet his memoir is only half the story. With the help of psychologist Martin Franklin, Ph.D., and veteran science writer Linda Wasmer Andrews, Jared paints the big picture for other teens with OCD. Drawing on the latest scientific and medical evidence, he explains how to recognize warning signs, where to find help, and what treatments have proved effective. Jared also offers practical suggestions on managing the symptoms of OCD at home, at school, and in relationships with family and friends. The result is both an absorbing memoir and a useful guide that will help to ease the isolation caused by OCD, assuring anyone recently diagnosed with the disease that, with commitment and hard work, they can overcome this illness.
Part of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative series of books written specifically for teens and young adults, this volume offers hope to young people who are struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder, helping them to overcome the challenges of this illness and go on to lead healthy, productive lives.
Author Notes
Jared Douglas Kant is Clinical Research Assistant at the Massachusetts General Hospital Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Clinic and Research Unit
Martin Franklin, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, & Clinical Director, Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety
Linda Wasmer Andrews is a freelance health and psychology writer
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up-Part memoir, part educational self-help tool, this book lives up to the double entendre embodied in the title. Kant tells of his life as an uptight junior high student who found that his obsessions were beyond the realm of the ordinary and placed him in the approximately one percent of the population with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Blessed with loving, affluent parents, he was sent to the best doctors, therapists, and even a boarding school where he received the support and therapy he needed. Each chapter chronicles a new stage in his life from acknowledging to accepting his disorder. He recounts his struggles as well as his triumphs, making it clear that there is no easy fix for OCD, but also emphasizing that it does not have to control one's life. Written in conjunction with a medical professional, the second half of each chapter gives practical information on definitions, treatments, and tips for living comfortably with this disorder. Although still in his early 20s, Kant has learned to identify his own strengths and weaknesses and adjust his approach to life to make the most of his individual gifts. This book would be helpful for those who are diagnosed with OCD at a young age. The personal voice is strong; Kant tells his story with humor and in a self-deprecating style.-Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects an estimated 2.2 million Americans, and in this introduction to the illness, written for older teenagers and young adults, Kant provides a personal account of his OCD experience. He relates how even the most mundane activities may be permeated by depression and terror, recalling for instance how changing for gym class in school was fraught with anxiety. Kant shows how patience, perseverance, empathetic parents and friends, and, especially, good treatment-medication and a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy known as Exposure and Response Prevention-helped him flourish as a college student. He is aided, particularly in providing more in-depth clinical information, by Franklin (clinical director, Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety) and freelance health and psychology writer Andrews (co-author, If Your Adolescent Has an Anxiety Disorder). The authors address a host of practical questions, including educating others about OCD, how those experiencing OCD can divert themselves from the disorder (through regular exercise, among other strategies), and adjusting to life in college. In the sometimes jargon-ridden mental health world, it's refreshing to see a book that is so succinct, straightforward, reasonably priced and helpful. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Foreword | p. ix |
Preface | p. xiii |
1 On Second (and Third and Fourth) Thought: Obsessions and Compulsions | p. 3 |
My Story | p. 3 |
Diseases, Physical and Mental | p. 4 |
Disasters Waiting to Happen | p. 6 |
Less-Than-Happy Camper | p. 7 |
Invasion of the Mind Snatchers | p. 8 |
The Big Picture | p. 10 |
So What Exactly Is OCD? | p. 11 |
What Forms Can the Disorder Take? | p. 13 |
How Common Is OCD? | p. 19 |
What Causes the Disorder? | p. 20 |
What's the Least I Need to Know? | p. 26 |
2 Slippery Slope to the Hospital: Diagnosis and Hospitalization | p. 28 |
My Story | p. 28 |
Darkness Falls Early | p. 29 |
The World Gets Scarier | p. 31 |
Toxic Fears and Poisonous Thoughts | p. 32 |
Desperate and Despairing | p. 34 |
Inside a Psych Ward | p. 35 |
The Big Picture | p. 38 |
What Are the Warning Signs? | p. 38 |
Where Can I Turn for Help? | p. 41 |
How Is a Diagnosis of OCD Made? | p. 43 |
What Kinds of Treatment Really Work? | p. 44 |
When Is Hospitalization Helpful? | p. 46 |
What's the Least I Need to Know? | p. 48 |
3 Adventures in Daily Living: OCD at Home and School | p. 50 |
My Story | p. 50 |
Locker Room Meltdown | p. 52 |
Just Following Orders | p. 53 |
Retracing My Steps | p. 54 |
Paying Scrupulous Attention | p. 56 |
Sorry for Everything | p. 57 |
The Big Picture | p. 59 |
How Does OCD AFfect Life at Home? | p. 61 |
How Does OCD Affect Life at School? | p. 63 |
What Steps Help Manage OCD at School? | p. 65 |
What Should You Tell Friends about OCD? | p. 67 |
What's the Least I Need to Know? | p. 70 |
4 Reaching for a Lifeline: Psychotherapy and Medication | p. 72 |
My Story | p. 72 |
Off to Boarding School | p. 73 |
Hitting the Panic Button | p. 75 |
Winning by Surrender | p. 76 |
Cognitive-Behavioral Help | p. 79 |
Looking East for Inspiration | p. 80 |
The Big Picture | p. 83 |
What Form of CBT Is Most Effective? | p. 85 |
What Types of Medication Are Helpful? | p. 91 |
How Can I Pay for Treatment? | p. 94 |
Which Self-Help Strategies Are Useful? | p. 96 |
What's the Least I Need to Know? | p. 97 |
5 Rituals, Routines, and Recovery: Living With OCD | p. 99 |
My Story | p. 99 |
Staring Down OCD | p. 100 |
Life Beyond High School | p. 102 |
Hoarding 101 | p. 104 |
Cleaning Up My Act | p. 106 |
The Big Picture | p. 107 |
How Does Substance Abuse Affect OCD? | p. 110 |
How Are Tic Disorders Related to OCD? | p. 112 |
What Are Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders? | p. 114 |
Which Other Disorders Are Related to OCD? | p. 116 |
What's the Outlook for My Future? | p. 120 |
What's the Least I Need to Know? | p. 121 |
6 Where I Was Is Not Where I Am | p. 122 |
Romancing the Illness | p. 123 |
Does That Sound Rational? | p. 126 |
The One-Shower Rule | p. 127 |
Sweet Stink of Success | p. 128 |
Tooling Up for the Future | p. 130 |
Frequently Asked Questions | p. 133 |
Glossary | p. 143 |
Resources | p. 149 |
Bibliography | p. 157 |
Index | p. 161 |