Towards the end of 2019, I finally got around to reading "Is Fred in the Refrigerator?" by Shala Nicely. It was helpful in opening my eyes to the lack of knowledge that mental health professionals have regarding ERP. In her book, Shala went through several providers for treatment and none tried ERP. It wasn't until she went to an IOCDF conference that she even got to hear about the gold standard treatment.
Have any of you read a book that broadened your understanding of OCD? Or a book that encouraged you through treatment? Please share.
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The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Washing by Judith Rapoport is one of the oldest books on OCD and was about the only one around when I was a kid and I first realized that I had something wrong with me. One of the case studies involves a patient named Sam who describes his tortuous ruminations and the mental rituals he performs in order to avoid the feeling of doom that comes with OCD. When I read that I finally realized I was not alone, that there were other people who had these same twisted thoughts and urges, and that they were not normal but could be treated.
A lot of the information is dated, especially regarding treatment, but the book will always have a place on my shelf because it was such an eye-opener, and I'm grateful for all the work Dr. Rapoport put into studying the disorder and making it known to the general public.
My favorite book of late is "A Liberated Mind" by Steven Hayes. It isn't really an OCD book, though parts of it are totally applicable, but is a good look at mental flexibility in general. I would recommend this to anyone that is past the initial stages of treatment and is starting to do OK with ERP. It can help guide you and assess what you might want to work on besides OCD-specific treatment
My favorite OCD book is Everyday Mindfulness for OCD by Shala Nicely and Jon Hirschfield. It is completely worth reading for how to fight back effectively against OCD with ERP and your general outlook toward life.
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