I currently cannot afford therapy and i’m having really bad body issues as well as OCD. I cannot stop checking and asking for reassurance. My will to do things keeps lowering and i’m scared of it getting worse. If anyone has any books or recommendations that speak on body image issues, and dealing with uncertainty and OCD. I really want to get better.
I've been working through "The ACT Workbook for OCD" by Marisa T Mazza over the last 6 months, and it's definitely kept me from going too far over the edge and has been very helpful. Would recommend getting yourself a nice notebook and a nice pen to motivate you work through it and taking all the activities with complete seriousness.
Can't Stop Thinking: How to Let Go of Anxiety and Free Yourself from Obsessive Rumination BY Nancy Colier
@sick&tired I don’t think this book is for OCD specifically but very direct and helpful
Also two of the main lessons I’ve learned from OCD: 1) live your life and make your choices based off your values not based off your fears 2) you have to accept that the worst could happen.
@Anonymous i will admit the second one sounds very scary to me right now but those are two good lessons! thank you
I don’t but maybe I can tell you how my therapy started and that might be helpful. In my therapy I started by writing down all of my compulsions and then limiting how much I’m aloud to do each one. For example I also did too much reassurance seeking, so the rule was I was only aloud to ask for reassurance once per event I was worried about. Maybe you can have a buddy that helps keep you accountable to that. Like maybe tell your buddy about your list and that you’re trying to follow it. Just having someone else involved can maybe help. Or for me it might’ve been I’m only aloud to check the door is locked once. Or only aloud to check the stoves when I leave the house and when I go to bed. It’s hard and i wasn’t perfect but just having those rules and accountability helped me a lot. You’ve probably fully researched, but just in case, I was surprised to learn that my insurance fully covered NOCD. So I haven’t had to pay for therapy at all.
I read a lovely graphic memoir called Cheeky: A Head-To-Toe Memoir by Ariella Elovic. It's a heart-warming and funny memoir about the author's journey of body acceptance and rejecting beauty standards. I also read another graphic memoir relating to body image. It's called Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green. This one can get pretty heavy so approach with caution (trigger warning: eating disorders, anorexia, and sexual abuse). However I did find it to be very powerful. As far as OCD books, Chrissie Hodges memoir Pure OCD is quite good (also can be very heavy though). These books aren't really academic, but I find it healing to connect to people's stories. Alegra Kastens also has a great OCD/mental health podcast called Books, Looks, and Lobotomies. Feel free to reject any/all suggestions you don't find relevant/helpful. Wishing you well ❤️
Brain Lock by Jeffrey M Schwartz. It has helped me so much. While it doesn’t mention body image specifically it really helps provide understanding as well as steps to over come ocd.
Solidarity. I’m right there with you.. the compulsions are tiring.
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