Leaving the OCD circus : your big ticket out of having to control every little thing

Leaving the OCD circus Your big ticket out of having to control every little thing

Kirsten Pagacz

Book - 2016

Initially the tapping and counting and cleaning and ordering brought Pagacz comfort and structure, two things lacking in her family life. But it never lasted and the rituals she had to perform got more bizarre. By high school she was anorexic and a substance abuser. Here she reveals the story of her traumatic childhood and the escalation of her disease, demonstrating how OCD works to misshape a life from a very young age. Pagacz explains the various tools she used for healing including meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga, exposure therapy, and medication.

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Subjects
Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder > Treatment.
Published
Newburyport, MA : Conari Press 2016.
Language
English
Main Author
Kirsten Pagacz (author)
Physical Description
xiv, 245 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 243-245).
ISBN
9781573246811
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

It wasn't until her future husband heard a public service announcement on NPR describing OCD that Pagacz was able to put a name to her condition. After 20 years of rechecking locked doors, straightening computer cords, redoing school projects, and hearing threatening voices, Pagacz finally gets treatment. Her description of her escalating illness is irreverent, brutally honest, and compelling. With the help of her doctor, she is able to gradually control her obsessive thoughts and compulsive acts using strategies that include observing her actions and facing down Monkey, her mental tormentor. While triggers remain just below the surface, and Pagacz admits to relapses in stressful times, such as her wedding and starting her own business, her successes are inspiring. Excerpts from her poetry as well as thought-provoking quotes are scattered throughout the book, and important information is recapped in Key Points to Remember sidebars. There are no cures or quick fixes for the condition, according to Pagacz, but her practical strategies offer hope to others facing similar struggles.--Smith, Candace Copyright 2016 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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