Paperback : $27.94
"It's like the meanest, wildest monkey running around my head, constantly looking for ways to bite me." That was how Kirsten Pagacz described her OCD to her therapist on her first visit back in 1997. She'd been following orders from this mean taskmaster for most of her life, starting at the age of 9 - without knowing it had a name. Initially the tapping and counting and cleaning and ordering (her pencils had to line up perfectly and always be razor sharp) brought her comfort and structure, two things her family life lacked in spades. But the comfort never lasted, the hideously loathsome self-talk only intensified and the rituals she had to perform just got more and more bizarre. By secondary school she had developed anorexia and substance abuse - common "shadow syndromes" of OCD - by adulthood, she could barely hide her problems and held on to jobs and friends by sheer grit. And then one day she found herself in a heap in the middle of a crowded street on a busy Saturday afternoon, wailing and unable to move. This is both a very personal book and a guide for others suffering from the disease.
Part 1 tells the story of Kirsten's childhood and part 2 introduces the tools she used for healing, such as meditation, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, medication, exposure therapy, yoga and others. Readers will learn just how OCD works to misshape a life and, also, how to begin work on their own issues of obsession and compulsion.
"It's like the meanest, wildest monkey running around my head, constantly looking for ways to bite me." That was how Kirsten Pagacz described her OCD to her therapist on her first visit back in 1997. She'd been following orders from this mean taskmaster for most of her life, starting at the age of 9 - without knowing it had a name. Initially the tapping and counting and cleaning and ordering (her pencils had to line up perfectly and always be razor sharp) brought her comfort and structure, two things her family life lacked in spades. But the comfort never lasted, the hideously loathsome self-talk only intensified and the rituals she had to perform just got more and more bizarre. By secondary school she had developed anorexia and substance abuse - common "shadow syndromes" of OCD - by adulthood, she could barely hide her problems and held on to jobs and friends by sheer grit. And then one day she found herself in a heap in the middle of a crowded street on a busy Saturday afternoon, wailing and unable to move. This is both a very personal book and a guide for others suffering from the disease.
Part 1 tells the story of Kirsten's childhood and part 2 introduces the tools she used for healing, such as meditation, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, medication, exposure therapy, yoga and others. Readers will learn just how OCD works to misshape a life and, also, how to begin work on their own issues of obsession and compulsion.
Kirsten Pagacz is the founder of Retro-A-Go-Go, an online seller of retro kitsch. She suffered from OCD for two decades before discovering that it had a name (and a cure). Before founding her own company, she worked in marketing and sales for a number of Fortune 500 companies. She is a member of the International OCD Foundation and won first place in one of their art competitions.
...a compendium of useful information about the disorder and how to
best manage it. Drawing on what worked for her, and based on
researching expert advice, chapters contain a summary of useful
tips and key points to remember. The result is educational and
inspirational. --Dan Kalb, PhD, Psychologist, OCD specialist--
"Reviews"
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 thought and compulsive acts using strategies
that included 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. Teens struggling with
OCD will be encouraged by Pagacz's accessible story. And although
there are no cures for quick fixes for the condition, according to
Pagacz, her practical strategies offer hope to others facing
similar struggles. --Candace Smith, Booklist, September 1, 2016--
"Reviews"
Teens struggling with OCD will be encouraged by Pagacz's accessible
story. --Candace Smith, Booklist, September 1, 2016-- "Reviews"
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