Freedom from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Updated Edition)
Jonathan Grayson
Language: English
Pages: 384
ISBN: 042527389X
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Nearly six million Americans suffer from the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which can manifest itself in many ways: paralyzing fear of contamination; unmanageable “checking” rituals; excessive concern with order, symmetry, and counting; and others.
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, including:
- Self-assessment tests that guide readers in identifying their specific type of OCD and help track their progress in treatment
- Case studies from Dr. Grayson’s revolutionary and profoundly successful treatment program
- Blueprints for programs tailored to particular manifestations of OCD
- Previously unexplored manifestations of OCD such as obsessive staring, Relationship OCD (R-OCD), obsessive intolerance of environmental sounds and chewing sounds
- Therapy scripts to help individuals develop their own therapeutic voice, to motivate themselves to succeed
- New therapies used in conjunction with exposure techniques
- “Trigger sheets” for identifying and planning for obstacles that arise in treatment
- Information on building a support group
- And much more
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.
Actions Sexual encounters Shoplifting Abortions Lies Masturbation The attempt to perfectly follow religious doctrine turns religious rituals into triggers for both obsessions and neutralizing compulsions. For example, when reciting a prayer, your concern turns to saying the words perfectly, with perfect attention. The slightest stutter or wandering thought can be a cause to repeat a prayer. The anxious pressure exerted by your OCD just adds to the likelihood of
no changes are made in how you approach the goal? The most obvious way to make a goal different is to make it smaller; perhaps too much was attempted for a first effort. Maybe a newcomer who planned to touch a public restroom toilet with the intention of going home and contaminating his home and everything in it tried to do too much for the first time. A more reasonable goal might have been touching a light switch in the room and then contaminating everything at home. Sample Goals for a
interference. After all, many things can interfere. I could have a headache. I could be next to a loud obnoxious person who is playing music I can’t stand. 3. Life is full of imperfect times and this is one of them. It doesn’t matter if it would be better without counting (insert your own ritual here), because this is my life now. My job is to enjoy whatever I can at this moment—no matter how small the crumbs are. Gradually I will learn to allow counting (insert your own ritual here) to
should keep listening to this). Lower-Hierarchy Exposure Script for “Am I Gay?” Obsessions (here) 1. I’m in a Starbucks noticing the other men getting coffee. Some of them look gay to me. I’m not sure how this makes me feel. If I’m really gay, I’ll have to decide whether or not to stay married and accept second best. I really would like to leave Starbucks, but I have to stay here with these feelings and let them be here. Higher-Hierarchy Script for “Am I Gay?” Obsessions (here)
centers on checking—a class of compulsions rather than obsessions. Recall from Chapter 3 that obsessions refer to what you fear, and compulsions are what you do to try to neutralize your fear. Almost all of you, regardless of the type of obsessions that plague you, are likely to have some form of checking rituals as a part of your OCD repertoire. With a multitude of forms, you may wonder exactly what constitutes checking. For the purposes of this chapter, checking refers to rituals that are