Silent Rituals of the Mind: Living with OCD

Description

Silent Rituals of the Mind is about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

In particular it is about the more hidden forms of the condition: mental rituals and tics, rumination, compulsive thought patterns and unwanted thoughts.

It is an account by the author of his life with OCD, and the development and impact of the condition from childhood to adult life.

The book discusses coping strategies including techniques for reducing anxiety, exposure and de-sensitisation, diet, lifestyle and relaxation. It emphasises the importance of accepting yourself as an OCD sufferer before embarking on the journey towards recovery.

The author gives a vivid and at times raw account of severe episodes which have resulted in breakdown and hospitalisation.

Silent Rituals of the Mind also takes a light hearted look at some of the ‘advantages’ of suffering from OCD and discusses portrayals of the condition in the media, drama and situation comedy.

The book asks the difficult question: does the highly regulated culture in which we live contribute to incidences of OCD?

About the Author

Andrew Colley was born in 1958. His career has included being a professional actor, a teacher and a lecturer. He currently teaches at a special school in Essex where he has responsibility for a group of students with profound and multiple learning difficulties and autism.

On a freelance basis Andrew has also worked for Creative Partnerships Thames Gateway, The International Schools’ Theatre Association, and the Education Department of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

During the 1990’s Andrew had a number of books published for schools including plays and short stories. He also collaborated with the BBC and the Open University on audio and film material for students. This included writing a drama series in French and a radio drama in German.

In 2004 his musical play Famous and Forgotten, about the early history of women’s football, won the Naked Talent playwriting competition and was staged professionally at The Mercury Theatre Colchester. He went on to write a second documentary drama Melted Soul, about round the world yachtsman Donald Crowhurst.

Andrew has had a number of articles published in the Times Educational Supplement, and in August 2007 his piece My Best Friend Drowned … was published in The Guardian Newspaper Saturday Magazine. Andrew has also contributed a short story Spring Recovery to the BBC online ‘My Story’ project.

He is a member of the charity OCD Action, and is a trustee of The Laughter Specialists – a charity which brings trained clown doctors into hospitals, hospices, special schools and respite centres.

He has suffered from forms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder since he was a very young child. He has been treated as both an in-patient and outpatient, and has received medical and therapeutic support.

Andrew lives in Essex with