The Thought that Counts: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

From Publishers Weekly
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects an estimated 2.2 million Americans, and in this introduction to the illness, written for older teenagers and young adults, Kant provides a personal account of his OCD experience. He relates how even the most mundane activities may be permeated by depression and terror, recalling for instance how changing for gym class in school was fraught with anxiety. Kant shows how patience, perseverance, empathetic parents and friends, and, especially, good treatment-medication and a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy known as Exposure and Response Prevention-helped him flourish as a college student. He is aided, particularly in providing more in-depth clinical information, by Franklin (clinical director, Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety) and freelance health and psychology writer Andrews (co-author, If Your Adolescent Has an Anxiety Disorder). The authors address a host of practical questions, including educating others about OCD, how those experiencing OCD can divert themselves from the disorder (through regular exercise, among other strategies), and adjusting to life in college. In the sometimes jargon-ridden mental health world, it's refreshing to see a book that is so succinct, straightforward, reasonably priced and helpful.
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Review

"This book is a searing personal account about life with OCD, and as a fellow sufferer, I was impressed by the unique insight it gives the reader...[I]t's the extraordinary testimony of a sufferer that makes the book so powerful; Kant takes the reader into that exclusive club sufferers belong to, and I found myself nodding in recognition throughout. This book will strike a chord with sufferers, and will help many readers understand what OCD really means. "--Ian Puleston-Davies, The Daily Mail, London

Product Description
For the more than 2 million Americans with obsessive-compulsive disorder, the intrusive thoughts and uncontrollable behaviors can take a harsh toll, as author Jared Douglas Kant knows all too well. Diagnosed with OCD at age 11, Jared became ruled by dread of deadly germs and diseases, the unrelenting need to count and check things, and a persistent, nagging doubt that overshadowed his life.
In The Thought that Counts, Jared shares his deeply personal account of trial, tribulation, and ultimately triumph. Using anecdotes, narratives and sidebars, this book adds a human face to a complex disorder. Jared's funny, often touching, sometimes harrowing tale makes for compelling reading. Yet his memoir is only half the story. With the help of psychologist Martin Franklin, Ph.D., and veteran science writer Linda Wasmer Andrews, Jared paints the big picture for other teens with OCD. Drawing on the latest scientific and medical evidence, he explains how to recognize warning signs, where to find help, and what treatments have proved effective. Jared also offers practical suggestions on managing the symptoms of OCD at home, at school, and in relationships with family and friends. The result is both an absorbing memoir and a useful guide that will help to ease the isolation caused by OCD, assuring anyone recently diagnosed with the disease that, with commitment and hard work, they can overcome this illness.
Part of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative series of books written specifically for teens and young adults, this volume offers hope to young people who are struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder, helping them to overcome the challenges of this illness and go on to lead healthy, productive lives.

About the Author

Jared Douglas Kant overcame great obstacles to graduate at the top of his college class in 2006. Today Jared works as a Clinical Research Assistant at the Massachusetts General Hospital Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Clinic and Research Unit. He speaks frequently about his experiences with OCD at conferences and academic institutions, and he contributes to Organized Chaos, the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation's website for teens and young adults.
Martin Franklin is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, & Clinical Director, Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety.
Linda Wasmer Andrews is a freelance health and psychology writer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is the coauthor of If Your Adolescent Has an Anxiety Disorder: An Essential Resource for Parents as well as the author or co-author of numerous other books, including Stress Control for Peach of Mind. Her writing has appeared in magazines such as Self, Parenting, and Psychology Today.