strange86

I picked up a book about OCD (my first, I believe) a few weeks ago, and I've found it to be a book that can help me on many levels. It's called "Obsessive Compulsive Anonymous" with a subtitle of "Recovering From Obsessive Compulsive Disorder". There isn't an obvious author. (I think the cover gives it away--it's shocking blue with the title in gold letters.) It's a different kind of book. It's centered around Obsessive Compulsive Anonymous meetings, which according to this book are like Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. (I never knew that there were OCA group out there.) The book offers some descriptions of what the twelve steps are that the group follows, as well as letters by professionals, and over thirty personal stories from people with OCD. This last part can mean that people with many different kinds of symptoms are represented. What I really like about this book is that like AA meetings, it's very spiritual in nature, and upholds the belief that only through a Higher Power (which for me is God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, me being a Christian) can we be helped and ultimately healed. (I would recommend this book even for atheists and agnostics.) It also tells of some things that I haven't necessarily seen in the textbooks regarding OCD that I've looked at before, i.e. subtle character flaws of some people with OCD. It helps me see things in myself that otherwise I wouldn't identify as OCD, but are symptoms and are areas that I need help in.
I haven't read the whole thing and probably won't for a long time--it's a very dense book and I sort of think that it shouldn't be read all in one sitting without taking notes, etc. It cost me $19 and I picked it up at Border's. I thought I'd pass that along to any of you who are interested or who are looking for a good reference book regarding OCD.