[aldickson5]

Hi All,

I have OCD and I ordered the book "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder for Dummies", and found it unhelpful - e.g. too dumbed down and generic, etc. I have scoured the book industry for a better book about OCD, but nothing really stands out as being better than the one I already have - not even the famous titles.

I'm looking for:
1. A properly-researched scholarly book (i.e. I like books with tangible scientific substance rather than vague, chatty ones based on anecdotes and anecdotal evidence). I'm perfectly happy with textbook-style presentation and content, and do not necessarily need the book to be peppy, cute or funny
2. A book that demonstrates good empathy regarding what it's like to actually have OCD (so probably written by someone who has OCD or a doctor who has spent his/her whole life treating people with OCD and who isn't into selling him/herself or showing off)
3. A book with a balance of analysis of the disorder and coverage of proper, practical, tangible coping strategies (both ones involving medication and ones not involving medication)
4. I generally prefer clear sub-headings because these may?! force the author to make a succinct point and then move on to another discrete point instead of waffling in a generic fashion. And I also find this style easier to follow and learn from.
5. A book that does not talk to me like I'm a sick freak - i.e. it emphasizes both the positive and the negative aspects of OCD in a balanced way and covers how to leverage the benefits of having OCD as well has how to cope with the downsides.
6. A book that covers enough symptoms in order to represent the extremely varied clinical presentation of this disorder, and does not continuously refer to a token symptom that is unrepresentative of the whole population who have OCD, such as hand-washing. I don't care about dirt, and I don't wash my hands more than others, and yet I have severe, medically-diagnosed OCD. And the over-focus in parts of the literature on this one symptom prevented my from self-diagnosing myself with OCD for years.

Sorry, I know those are quite exacting points (probably OCD points, lool), but if you can think of any books that meet even some of these criteria...

Thanks for bearing with me through those bullet-points

Al

I have found it difficult to find good books on mental illness that are just fact books. Normally it is just the same fact sheets we have all seen a hundred times. What you might try is looking up people who suffer from OCD and see if they have written any books.

Just a suggestion