Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Powerful, Practical Program for Parents of Children and Adolescents [Hardcover]

Tamar E. Chansky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2000

If you're a parent of one of the more than one million children in this country with obsessive-compulsive disorder, you know how confusing, even frightening, the symptoms of OCD can be. You're terrified of losing your child and angry about the havoc this disorder has wreaked in your family. More than anything, you want to be able to unlock the secrets of OCD, understand the cause of your child's bizarre symptoms, and help your child break free of these disruptive, relentless thoughts and actions.

In her landmark book, Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Dr.  Tamar E. Chansky creates a clear road map to understanding and overcoming OCD based on her successful practice treating hundreds of children and teenagers with this disorder. In Part I, Dr. Chansky "cracks the code" of the peculiar rules and customs of OCD -- the handwashing, tapping, counting, and so forth. She explains how OCD is diagnosed, how to find the right therapist partner, and how to tailor treatment options to your child's needs. You'll learn how powerful behavioral modification can be and when medication can help. In Part II, you'll learn how not to be pulled in by your child's debilitating rituals at home or at school, how to talk to your child about the "brain tricks" OCD causes, and how to create an effective OCD battle plan that will empower your child to "boss back" the OCD monster. You'll also learn how to cope in moments of crisis.

Part III offers specific advice for how to help your child handle the most common manifestations of OCD such as fears of contamination, checking, getting things "just right," intrusive thoughts, and more. Part IV is an indispensable guide to additional resources, including books, videos, organizations, and websites.

Filled with Dr. Chansky's compassionate advice and inspiring words from the many children with OCD whom she has helped, this book  will be your lifeline. Battling back from OCD is hard work, but with the comprehensive, proven guidance in this book, you can help your child reclaim a life free from its grip.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

If you're a parent of one of the more than one million children in this country with obsessive-compulsive disorder, you know how confusing, even frightening, the symptoms of OCD can be. You're terrified of losing your child and angry about the havoc this disorder has wreaked in your family. More than anything, you want to be able to unlock the secrets of OCD, understand the cause of your child's bizarre symptoms, and help your child break free of these disruptive, relentless thoughts and actions.

In her landmark book, Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Dr. Tamar E. Chansky creates a clear road map to understanding and overcoming OCD based on her successful practice treating hundreds of children and teenagers with this disorder. In Part I, Dr. Chansky "cracks the code" of the peculiar rules and customs of OCD -- the handwashing, tapping, counting, and so forth. She explains how OCD is diagnosed, how to find the right therapist partner, and how to tailor treatment options to your child's needs. You'll learn how powerful behavioral modification can be and when medication can help. In Part II, you'll learn how not to be pulled in by your child's debilitating rituals at home or at school, how to talk to your child about the "brain tricks" OCD causes, and how to create an effective OCD battle plan that will empower your child to "boss back" the OCD monster. You'll also learn how to cope in moments of crisis.

Part III offers specific advice for how to help your child handle the most common manifestations of OCD such as fears of contamination, checking, getting things "just right," intrusive thoughts, and more. Part IV is an indispensable guide to additional resources, including books, videos, organizations, and websites.

Filled with Dr. Chansky's compassionate advice and inspiring words from the many children with OCD whom she has helped, this book will be your lifeline. Battling back from OCD is hard work, but with the comprehensive, proven guidance in this book, you can help your child reclaim a life free from its grip.

From the Back Cover

(THESE QUOTES ARE FROM BACK COVERS OF TWO EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK)

"Anyone in need of profoundly useful information and expert practical advice on how to help a child afflicted with obsessive-compulsive behaviors would be wise to delve deeply in the pages of this book. Dr. Chansky has accomplished a tour de force, which is certain to offer much-needed assistance both to children with OCD-related problems and to their families." -- Jeffrey M. Schwartz, M.D., Author of Brain Lock: Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior and A Return of Innocence

"A comprehensive resource no parent of a child with OCD should be without. Dr. Chansky's experience as founder and director of the Children's Center for OCD and Anxiety shines through every page."--Bruce M. Hyman, Ph.D., and Cherry Pedrick, R.N. Authors of The OCD Workbook

"Dr. Chansky vividly describes this puzzling and mysterious illness, which can devastate children and entire families. After reading this book, parents of a child with OCD will be armed with the information they need to get their child well as soon as possible."-- Michael A. Jenike, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Chairman, OC Foundation Scientific Advisory Board

"It should be a law that whenever a therapist diagnoses a child with OCD, he or she has to give the parents a copy of Chansky's Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder."-- Patricia Perkins-Doyle, President, Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation

"If you have a child with OCD, or are in any way interested in how to help a person handle this beguiling condition, then Tamar Chansky's book is a must. You will find on these pages the rare combination of hard-earned knowledge, gracefully presented... all interested in how to practically apply what we have learned lately about the mind and the brain will love what they find in this wonderfully rich yet concise exposition."-- Edward Hallowell, M.D., author of Connect, Worry, and Driven to Distraction --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (August 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812931165
• ISBN-13: 978-0812931167
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #323,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tamar Chansky is a psychologist and author of four popular books. Her newest book for adults is: Freeing Yourself from Anxiety: Four Simple Steps to Overcome Worry and Create the Life You Want. Her previous books for parents are: Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking: Powerful, Practical Strategies to Build a Lifetime of Resilience, Flexibility and Happiness; Freeing Your Child from Anxiety, and Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Dr. Chansky is passionate about helping kids, parents and other adults pursue the lives that they want to lead, free from the obstacles of anxiety, pessimism and OCD. Dr. Chansky is frequently interviewed in newspapers and magazines on these topics as well as on the radio including NPR's Voices in the Family with Dr. Dan Gottlieb and The Parent's Journal with Bobbi Conner. A blogger on Huffington Post, Dr. Chansky is the Founder and Director of The Children's and Adult Center for OCD and Anxiety in Plymouth Meeting PA, and of the educational website: worrywisekids.org. Dr. Chansky lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two daughters. Visit her website: www.tamarchansky.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

116 of 117 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book Worth Buying, January 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Powerful, Practical Program for Parents of Children and Adolescents (Hardcover)

I was very frightened when my young daughter began displaying obsessive-compulsive behavior. The scariest part was that I was unable to offer help to her even when she asked for it. I did not know whether to continually reassure, punish, or ignore her. After reading Dr. Chansky's book, I no longer lay awake worrying about her future. This book is full of hope and practical advice that works.

I tried her suggestions and noticed a difference in my daughter's level of anxiety immediately. Dr. Chansky has ways of explaining OCD to a child that make it less scary and more understandable. By treating OCD as a "third person" the child is able to separate the OCD voices from their own reasonable thoughts.

I liked the book so much that I took it to my pediatrician so she could recommend it to other parents of OCD children.

75 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Freeing Your Child From Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Pow, November 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Powerful, Practical Program for Parents of Children and Adolescents (Hardcover)

Tamar Chansky really captures the essence of OCD from the patient's point of view. I have lived with OCD since my early teens and have read every book I can find on the subject. I have to say that no other author has so accurately captured the suffering, control, oppressive guilt and desire to break free that the OCD sufferer feels every day. My child has also shown signs of the disorder and fortunately I was able to get her treatment as OCD first reared it's ugly head due to my own experience with the disorder. Dr. Chansky's book is right on. Her recommendations and techniques provide an effective blueprint for parents to follow in saving their children from this insidious robber of normalcy and in helping the family survive the upheaval that accompanies OCD.

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Freeing Your Child from Obsessive=Compulsive Disorder, September 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Powerful, Practical Program for Parents of Children and Adolescents (Hardcover)

When I first realized that my daughter had OCD, I felt as though I had died, or more accurately, she had, and a terrifying stranger had taken my daughter's place. Years later, though I have come to understand this stranger, this enemy who periodically resurfaces and attempts to swallow up her life, and ultimately, our entire family's, I still shudder at its return. This time; however, I was armed! Reading Dr. Tamar E. Chansky's book, Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, a clearly written and straightforward guide, felt as though I had my own therapist, supporting me step-by-step, reminding me that I can really help my daughter "take charge" of her own life again, by being her most supportive coach. Using crystal clear language, Dr. Chansky defines OCD and walks parents through the process necessary to free their child from its grip. Dr. Chansky manages to address questions and concerns that parents might have without making us feel to blame and helps us to see this disease for what it is -- a biochemical disorder of the brain that can be stopped in its tracks, or at the very least, controlled. I know... Night after night, as I sat at my daughter's bedside, watching her slip back into OCD's hold, I mustered the strength to use Dr. Chansky's recommendations, to remember her advise, and to hold on for dear life to her supportive encouragement. Slowly, I watched my daughter become herself again! Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is invaluable for any parent beginning to suspect that their child might suffer from the disorder or if, like me, they have been tangling with it for many years. It also provides its readers with information about what to look for when searching for professional help, addresses the issue of medication, and provides a useful guide to related books, videos, and organizations. In other words, Dr. Chansky helps parents of children with OCD become educated partners in their recovery. I cannot thank her enough.