Osborne, Tormention Thoughts and Secret Rituals, The Hidden Epidemic of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

I found the reading extremely interesting, I really had never thought about the difference between obsession and compulsion.  It shows how little society knows about obsession and it's negative effects when they name a perfume after it!!  I will be honest, I do throw the term OCD around to describe something, for instance, I am moving into a new apartment right now and just told a friend that my husband was going OCD sanding the walls.  He really isn't OCD, but he was going above and beyond the need to sand in order to make the walls appear smooth, I am sure he will not be thinking about the walls later on.....

What I appreciated the most from the author was that he suffered from OCD along with his patients that he discusses.  I feel that while reading about his patients was interesting, the fact that he suffered from the same problem as well eye opening.  I would never have expected someone with OCD to treat someone with the same problem, although, if I had OCD I might find comfort in talking to someone with the same problem, I would feel that they understood me. 

I have seen people with OCD on TV and heard about the disorder here and there, but to read about what these people go though is terrible.  To obsess about something that is unlikely to happen or to the point where it interferes with life must be devastating not only for the person suffereing, but also for their family.  Take Raymond for instance, his obsession with filth took a toll on his family - his wife states that he is drinving his kids crazy, but I think they might have been frighted also.  If my parent were acting compulsive as Raymond did I am sure I would have been scared as well as annoyed.  I can see in his case how badly a sufferer would want to hid his disorder. 

I would never have thought of a mental illness as physical but after reading the chapter, I have a better understanding of how this is possible.  It isn't just the way you think, something is causing you to think a certain way.  I had always thought that the obsession with hand washing was exactly that, an obsession, not a compulsion because of something one might be thinking.  That there are so many different types of physical and mental compulsions is fascinating - checking, reassurance, hoarding, repeating prayers, counting, etc. 

It is amazing that in just twenty years so much progress has been made in regard to this disorder.  Something that was thought to affect a very small percentage of people and was untreatable, is now one of the most common mental illnesses and treatable.