The Thought that Counts: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (Adolescent Mental Health Initiative) - Softcover

Kant With, Jared; Franklin Ph.D. And, Martin; Andrews, Linda Wasmer

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195316894 ISBN 13: 9780195316896

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2008

Synopsis

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 this title

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, Ph.D. 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.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 8 Up—Part memoir, part educational self-help tool, this book lives up to the double entendre embodied in the title. Kant tells of his life as an uptight junior high student who found that his obsessions were beyond the realm of the ordinary and placed him in the approximately one percent of the population with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Blessed with loving, affluent parents, he was sent to the best doctors, therapists, and even a boarding school where he received the support and therapy he needed. Each chapter chronicles a new stage in his life from acknowledging to accepting his disorder. He recounts his struggles as well as his triumphs, making it clear that there is no easy fix for OCD, but also emphasizing that it does not have to control one's life. Written in conjunction with a medical professional, the second half of each chapter gives practical information on definitions, treatments, and tips for living comfortably with this disorder. Although still in his early 20s, Kant has learned to identify his own strengths and weaknesses and adjust his approach to life to make the most of his individual gifts. This book would be helpful for those who are diagnosed with OCD at a young age. The personal voice is strong; Kant tells his story with humor and in a self-deprecating style.—Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD
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About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0195316894
• ISBN 13: 9780195316896
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192