Being Me with OCD: How I Learned to Obsess Less and Live My Life

by Alison Dotson

Overview

Part memoir, part self-help for teens, Being Me with OCD tells the story of how obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) dragged the author to rock bottom—and how she found hope, got help, and eventually climbed back to a fuller, happier life. Using anecdotes, self-reflection, guest essays, and thorough research, Dotson explains what OCD is and how readers with OCD can begin to get better. With humor, specific advice, and an inspiring, been-there-beat-that attitude, readers will find the book simultaneously touching and practical.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781575426372
Publisher:	Free Spirit Publishing
Publication date:	02/01/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	152
Lexile:	1160L (what's this?)
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Alison Dotson is a writer, copyeditor, and proofreader who was diagnosed with OCD at age twenty-six, after suffering from “taboo” obsessions for more than a decade. Today, she still has occasional bad thoughts, but she now knows how to deal with them in healthy ways.

Alison is the president of OCD Twin Cities, an affiliate of the International OCD Foundation, and the recipient of the 2016 International OCD Foundation Hero Award. Alison has also spoken about her experiences with OCD with several media outlets, including NBC, Khaleej Times, Blisstree, and Health.com, and in The Atlantic, Glamour, and The Huffington Post.

She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her two rescue dogs, Tuffy and Gracie.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Elizabeth McIngvale

Introduction: Climbing Up from Rock Bottom

Chapter 1: OCD and Me

• What Is OCD?
• It’s Official: I Have OCD
• What Do OCD Symptoms Look Like?
• Types of OCD
• Karissa’s Story: What If?
• Josh’s Story: I Had a Germ Phobia
• Why Do I Have OCD?
• Sophie’s Story, Part 1: My OCD Started with a Dog Attack
• What Now?
• Sophie’s Story, Part 2: I Got the Help I Needed

Chapter 2: Reaching Out

• Advocating for Yourself
• Finding a Psychiatrist or Therapist
• My First Visit with a Psychiatrist
• Sometimes Labels Are a Good Thing
• Nicole’s Story: Being Diagnosed Was a Relief

Chapter 3: How Therapy Can Help

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Robert’s Story: Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy
• Helped Me
• Facing Your Fears on Your Own
• “I Don’t Want to Go to Therapy”

Chapter 4: How Medicine Can Help

• Finding the Right Medication
• Kiersten’s Story: It Took Time to Find the Right Medicine for Me
• Side Effects
• Worrisome Side Effects
• Paying for Medication
• I Missed a Dose (and a Dose and a Dose and Another Dose)
• I Took Too Many Pills!
• How Long Will I Need to Be on Medicine?

Chapter 5: What Else Helps?

• Self-Help
• Beyond Basic Outpatient Therapy
• Rachel’s Story: I Got the Help I Needed in a Residential Program
• Surgery
• Believe in Yourself

Chapter 6: I Am Not OCD: Popular Perceptions and Stigmas

• Molly’s Story: Stigma Made OCD Feel Worse
• Everyone and Their Brother Think They Have OCD
• What OCD Is Not
• Using Humor as a Coping Method
• Times Have Changed
• OCD and Related Disorders

Chapter 7: Being You with OCD

• Putting Yourself in Control
• Building a Community of Support
• OCD and Dating
• OCD and School (and Work)
• Keeping Realistic Expectations
• Looking Back
• Looking Ahead

References and Resources

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Editorial Reviews

This book offers young people a candid, compassionate view of an often misunderstood problem.”—Foreword Reviews


Gr 9 Up–Dotson shares her personal story of a lifetime struggling with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in this honest, often-humorous title. The author suffered with an obsession about religion and with a fear of harming others, as well as depression, for more than a decade before she was diagnosed. By sharing her story, she aims to reassure teens with OCD that they aren’t alone and to encourage them to get help as soon as possible so that they can lead richer, fuller lives. The book not only includes Dotson’s personal story but also covers practical information about OCD, steps to getting help, therapy and medication, and checklists of symptoms. Dotson employs an informal, conversational tone that will resonate with teens as she discusses OCD in general and her own personal experiences. Stories from other young adults diagnosed with OCD interspersed throughout break up the text and add alternate perspectives. This title provides clear, concise content and would be an excellent addition to most teen collections.–School Library Journal


“Dotson combines her experiences with personal stories from teenagers, information on treatment, and advice on handling common situations, like dating and school. She does an excellent job balancing the personal and practical . . . A valuable addition to any collection serving teens.”—VOYA


“A wise and compassionate model for teens and young adults who have been newly diagnosed with OCD or are considering seeking out a diagnosis . . . This would also be an ideal guide for friends and family members of those afflicted.”—Booklist


“Every OCD sufferer (and their loved ones) should read Alison Dotson’s wonderful book, Being Me with OCD, without delay. Alison lays out the straight, unbiased facts about OCD and its treatment, along with the moving, hopeful story of her own recovery. Outstanding!”—Lee Baer, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School, director of research of the OCD unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, and author of The Imp of the Mind


“When you read Alison’s story, it’s as if she is sitting next to you speaking to you. Her keen insight, brutal honesty, and raw courage pull back the curtains on one of the most debilitating disorders. Thanks, Alison, for reaching out to help all who are affected by this disorder. You will help many, many people.”—Shannon Shy, International OCD Foundation Board of Directors and author of It’ll Be Okay and Hope Is on Your Side

From the Publisher

06/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Dotson shares her personal story of a lifetime struggling with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in this honest, often-humorous title. The author suffered with an obsession about religion and with a fear of harming others, as well as depression, for more than a decade before she was diagnosed. By sharing her story, she aims to reassure teens with OCD that they aren't alone and to encourage them to get help as soon as possible so that they can lead richer, fuller lives. The book not only includes Dotson's personal story but also covers practical information about OCD, steps to getting help, therapy and medication, and checklists of symptoms. Dotson employs an informal, conversational tone that will resonate with teens as she discusses OCD in general and her own personal experiences. Stories from other young adults diagnosed with OCD interspersed throughout break up the text and add alternate perspectives. This title provides clear, concise content and would be an excellent addition to most teen collections.—Joy Poynor, Rogers Public Library, AR

School Library Journal