Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a relentless condition, the primary symptom being the occurrence of terrifying ideas, images, and urges that jump into a person's mind and return again and again, despite the individual's attempt to remove them. Christians who suffer from OCD may grapple with additional guilt, as the undesired thoughts are frequently of a spiritual nature. Yet people may be surprised to learn that some of the greatest leaders in Christian history also struggled with this malady. What did they experience? How did they cope? Were they able to overcome these tormenting, often violent, obsessions? Where did God fit into the picture? Ian Osborn shares the personal accounts of Martin Luther, John Bunyan, and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, as well as his own story, in exploring how faith and science work together to address this complex issue.
Have obsessions and compulsions paralyzed your life? Does it seem like your battle with obsessive compulsive disorder is leading you in circles with no way out? You can learn from the Israelites in the Old Testament who were fearful to enter the promised land and two men who were different. Joshua and Caleb stood out in the crowd due to the faith they exhibited. Both inherited what God had promised. By having faith, you can walk in their footsteps and inherit your promised land—one in which OCD does not rule your life. Charles Thompson, who suffers from OCD himself, provides tools to boost your faith through prayer, Bible study, spiritual warfare, and devotionals while incorporating established medical methods. The workbook will help you confront OCD by looking at it through God’s eyes. You’ll find that anxiety and pressure can be relieved—and that God has a loving plan for you.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder has been called the "hidden epidemic": only a very few of the many people who have it reveal their condition. Ian Osborn is one of those who suffers from OCD, and his personal experience imbues this book with an exceptional clarity and understanding. Dr. Osborn discusses the various forms OCD takes and--using the most common focuses of obsession--presents detailed and dramatic cases whose objects are filth, harm, lust, and blasphemy. He explains how the disorder is currently diagnosed, and how it differs from addiction, worrying, and preoccupation. He summarizes the recent findings in the areas of brain biology, neuroimaging, and genetics that show OCD to be a distinct chemical disorder of the brain. He contrasts OCD with other "OCD spectrum disorders" such as anorexia nervosa and hairpulling, and he provides a historical overview that traces the development over the centuries of both behavior therapy and medications.
The Doubting Disease by Joseph W. Ciarrocchi brings to the fore the most current information available today on religion and scruples, scrupulosity, and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD). In this book he helps us clearly appreciate the interior anguish suffered by thousands of people of faith who have this symptomatology and what we can do about it. As well as offering a concise, helpful understanding of the demographics, etiology and treatment of scrupulosity and OCD, in the Doubting Disease he also addresses the questions: *How does scrupulosity develop? *What are the differences between common and uncommon scrupulosity? *What are some classic and contemporary models of religious scrupulosity? *Where does the issue of scrupulosity fit into the history of pastoral care? *What are some practical ways to target scruples and increase motivation for reduction of scrupulosity and compulsivity? *How and when should persons get help for scrupulosity and OCD? Essential for all persons involved in general ministry, pastoral counseling, and the treatment of religious persons suffering from scrupulosity and OCD, I believe this book will also be of great service for anyone interested in the psychology of religion and the theological topics of "conversion," "discernment," and "sin." ---Robert J. Wicks Series Editor +
Examine the fourth largest mental health problem in AmericaOCDand how YOU can help! Since obsessive-compulsive disorder affects 2.5% of the world population, someone you know is likely to have this disorder. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Guide for Family, Friends, and Pastors is a handy physician's assistant that not only provides a fresh overview of OCD but also focuses on the issue of scrupulosityobsessive-compulsive anxiety over scruples in self and othersas a religious issue. Written by a pastoral counselor who is also a clinical social worker, this book will help you gain insight into the psychological and neurological dimensions of the disorder, the problems of those suffering from OCD, and the development of support groups. Written with extensive knowledge and deep compassion, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Guide for Family, Friends, and Pastors presents the latest information available on OCD and its effects upon sufferers and their personal relationships. The information is discussed in both pastoral as well as therapeutic aspects, explaining OCD in the brain, then continuing with ways to help a sufferer manage the conflict. Special attention is paid to the issue of scrupulosityseeing sin where there is no sinwhich is especially symptomatic for many Roman Catholics, Orthodox Jews, and Orthodox Muslims. Filled with insightful case studies and a useful bibliography, this book helps you understand OCD from all sides while giving effective strategies for individual and group therapy. In Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Guide for Family, Friends, and Pastors you will find: answers to the most frequently asked questions detailed explanations of terms insightful information on pastoral caring an in-depth exploration of scrupulosity helpful information on trichotillomania (hair pulling), kleptomania (stealing), Tourette’s syndrome, body dysmorphoric disorder (hatred of a particular body part), and hypochondriasis case studies highlighting personal and relationship issues resources for developing support groups resources for further information on OCD A Guide for Family, Friends, and Pastors is for pastors, pastoral counselors, chaplains, lay ministries, social workers, psychiatric nurses, marriage counselors, and for anyone who cares about someone with OCD.
The definitive classic that has helped more than 400,000 people defeat obsessive-compulsive behavior, with all-new material from the author An estimated 5 million Americans suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and live diminished lives in which they are compelled to obsess about something or to repeat a similar task over and over. Traditionally, OCD has been treated with Prozac or similar drugs. The problem with medication, aside from its cost, is that 30 percent of people treated don't respond to it, and when the pills stop, the symptoms invariably return. In Brain Lock, Jeffrey M. Schwartz, M.D., presents a simple four-step method for overcoming OCD that is so effective, it's now used in academic treatment centers throughout the world. Proven by brain-imaging tests to actually alter the brain's chemistry, this method doesn't rely on psychopharmaceuticals. Instead, patients use cognitive self-therapy and behavior modification to develop new patterns of response to their obsessions. In essence, they use the mind to fix the brain. Using the real-life stories of actual patients, Brain Lock explains this revolutionary method and provides readers with the inspiration and tools to free themselves from their psychic prisons and regain control of their lives.
We live in a broken world. Amid the daily realities of sickness and isolation, disappointment and pain, it can be profoundly difficult to grasp the real goodness of God. But this is where God breaks into our darkness with beauty. In the wonder of creation, in art or film, story or song, in the kindness of his people and the good they create, God breaks into our pain in a tangible way, teaching us to trust his kindness and hope for his healing. Beauty is a voice singing into our suffering, beckoning us toward restoration. In This Beautiful Truth, Sarah Clarkson shares her own encounters with beauty in the midst of her decade-long struggle with mental illness, depression, and doubt. In a voice both vulnerable and reflective, she paints a compelling picture of the God who reaches out to us in a real and powerful way through the "taste and see" goodness of what he has made and what he continues to create amid our darkness. "To recognize and trust God's gift in pain," she writes, "empowers us to create and love as powerful witnesses to God's healing love in a hopeless world." If you want to renew your capacity to recognize and encounter God's beauty in your life, this hope-filled book will show you the way.
Obsessive-compulsive thinking and behavior: Is it disobedience? Is it a disease/disorder? Both? How can you tell? How can you help? Emlet discusses the causes of OCD and gives a biblical approach to helping those who fight it. He shows how trusting in Jesus Christ "brings freedom from the tyranny of performance and perfectionism."
