23 of the Best Books for OCD Recovery
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD is a common and debilitating disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Those who struggle with OCD experience unwanted and repetitive thoughts, leading to compulsions that can take over their lives.
While professional treatment is crucial, there are several great books on OCD that can provide valuable insights, coping strategies, and a sense of support.
Without further delay, let’s take a look at 23 of the best books for OCD on the market.
Content
OCD Books written by clinicians
#1 The Self-Compassion Workbook for OCD – by Kimberley Quinlan, LMFT.
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (200+ reviews)
Summary: The Self-Compassion Workbook for OCD offers a step-by-step program to help you understand the emotional experience of OCD. Drawing on a powerful combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), and compassion-focused therapy (CFT), this guide is all about leaning into your fear, managing your emotions, and focusing on recovery with compassion. I might be biased in ranking my own book as #1, but I put my entire heart into this book and truly feel it can walk you through the many difficult aspects of OCD recovery.
Why Read It: Self-Compassion Workbook for OCD is highly recommended for individuals with OCD who self-criticize or experience a high degree of shame due to their condition. This workbook offers self-nurturing and affirmative techniques, enabling individuals with OCD to be kinder and less judgmental towards themselves.
Top Review: “I highly recommend this workbook to anyone living with OCD. It helped me understand for the first time what is happening neurologically, and the self-compassionate approach to ERP was transformative for me. The last paragraph of the book in particular was the message I needed to read and I well imagine this will be the case for you as well.”
#2 The Mindfulness Workbook For OCD – by Jon Hershfield, MFT, and Tom Corboy, MFT.
Amazon Reviews: 4.6 out of 5 stars (1100+ reviews)
Summary: The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD is a comprehensive guide that explores the intersection between OCD and mindfulness. It provides an informative background on mindfulness and explains how to make changes in one’s thinking that will lead to a more mindful, present life.
Why Read It: This Book is an ideal resource for individuals seeking a balance between strategic and non-strategic approaches to OCD management. It explores how mindfulness practices can be utilized as a tool to challenge and decrease OCD, while explaining its link to happiness.
Top Review: “It is easy to digest, separated into three distinct parts: An introduction to mindfulness, a section of how your techniques apply to the different faces of OCD (harm-O, sexual orientation OCD, POCD, and many others), and a section on how the disorder affects your life and how you can communicate this to others.”
#3 The Imp of The Mind – by Lee Baer, Ph.D.
Amazon Reviews: 4.5 out of 5 stars (629+ reviews)
Summary: The Imp of the Mind is a comprehensive guide to self-compassionate recovery from OCD. It covers the latest treatments, strategies, and remedies to help individuals with OCD reduce the impact of compulsive thoughts and behaviors in their daily lives.
Why Read It: The Imp Of The Mind is an excellent resource for individuals with OCD who must learn about and understand the behavioral and psychological aspects of the condition. It deals with the specific root causes and urges that underlie OCD and aims to provide practical ways to address them.
Top Review: “Some of the contents of the book may be scary or triggering, but push through and read it and it WILL help you! Also a very educational book for those looking to learn about OCD and its deeper symptoms.”
#4 Freedom From Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – by Jonathan Grayson, Ph.D.
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (400+ reviews)
Summary: Freedom from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a self-help book that aims to provide individuals with OCD with an effective treatment plan. The book includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques as well as methods that can be utilized in any other form of OCD treatment aimed at developing healthy, practical habits to combat OCD cycles.
Why Read It: Freedom from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is highly recommended as it is strategic and practical. It provides solid advice, details on overcoming OCD, and a sustainable path to recovery. This is highly recommended for people who want a tried-and-true path to successful OCD management.
Top Review: Within the first chapter I knew this book would actually be *helpful*. Dr. Grayson’s words make me feel like someone understands my struggles and their origin, and gives me hope they can be addressed. If you or a loved one have OCD, get this book. It’s the first one you should read.
#5 The ACT Workbook for OCD – by Marisa T. Mazza, PsyD.
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (165+ reviews)
Summary: Combining evidence-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), The ACT Workbook for OCD offers practical, hands-on guidance to help you stand up to OCD! It takes a compassion-based approach so that you can truly connect with your values as you move through OCD recovery.
Why Read It: This book not only offers practical tools and techniques, it will help you identify which OCD subtype you suffer from, how to identify the underlying mechanism of your OCD, and move through triggering experiences while staying present by using your values as an anchor.
Top Review: The author is exceptional, and she is compassionately tuned in to how the OCD mind operates. I use her cognitive defusion and other helpful techniques all the time. They are highly effective and I cannot recommend them enough! If I am having a particularly difficult day, all I have to do is pick up this book and refresh the skills I have learned. Then I feel so much better once again in my grounded and peaceful mind.
#6 Everyday Mindfulness for OCD – by Jon Hershfield, MFT, and Shala Nicely, LPC.
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (450+ reviews)
Summary: In Everyday Mindfulness for OCD, two experts in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) offer a blend of mindfulness, humor, and self-compassion to help you stop dwelling on what’s wrong and start enhancing what’s right—leading to a more joyful life.
Why Read It: This book has been written to help sufferers use mindfulness to remain grounded in the present moment so they can finally enjoy the pleasures of life without losing out to fear and uncertainty. With an array of mindfulness and meditation practices, Everyday Mindfulness for OCD encourages self-compassion and non-judgment as you learn to stay one step ahead of OCD.
Top Review: This book is truly amazing and life-changing. It is helping me to experience so much more self-kindness, self-compassion and joy. I couldn’t put it down, and finished it within a few hours. I’m now re-reading over and over. It will be truly supportive for the years to come. I have attacked myself so much for having OCD. I have been so unkind, unloving – my own worst enemy. The authors are helping me to completely recontextualize the experience of having OCD.
#7 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders: A complete guide to getting well and staying well – by Fred Penzel, Ph.D.
Amazon Reviews: 4.2 out of 5 stars (15+ reviews)
Summary: This comprehensive guide is an ideal starting point for individuals seeking reliable up-to-date information about OCD. It covers more than mere treatment alternatives and provides a detailed and practical understanding of OCD, including its reason, diagnosis, and prognosis.
Why Read It: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders: A complete guide to getting well and staying well is a great book for anyone looking for extensive information about OCD. This resource is excellent to refer to as it assists in the understanding of the diagnosis of OCD, recognizes the various ways OCD manifests, and provides practical treatment solutions.
Top Review: “I wish I lived in New York so I could go to Dr. Penzel – but since I don’t, I am SO HAPPY to have this book. Getting better from OCD is a lot of work, and I need all the help I can get. This book provides the ideas, experience, and motivation to keep working at it.”
#8 When a Family Member Has OCD – by Jon Hershfield, MFT.
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (300+ reviews)
Summary: When a Family Member Has OCD is a compassionate and informative guide written for family members of those who have been diagnosed with OCD. The book addresses the various concerns, emotions, and issues that family members may struggle with, including ways they can be involved and helpful in their loved one’s recovery.
Why Read It: This Book offers guidance and validation by explaining the unique challenges individuals with OCD face, creating an understanding of OCD in general, and offering tangible ways family members of people with OCD can be helpful and make an impact.
Top Review: “I have read many books on OCD, Anxiety, and Panic. Although many of them were informative, this book was the first one that immediately “clicked” for me. This book truly allowed me to understand what our child is going through and what we can do to help.”
#9 Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts – by Sally M. Winston, PsyD, and Martin N. Seif, Ph.D.
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (3000+ reviews)
Summary: Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts is a robust example of cognitive-behavioral therapy in action, offering both understanding and a set of practical techniques that can help those coping with intrusive thoughts overcome this form of OCD.
Why Read It: Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts is a must-read for anyone struggling with Intrusive thoughts, the most common symptom of OCD. It’s worth reading as it offers a well-researched and practical method to minimize the frequency and power of intrusive thoughts.
Top Review: “I feel like with this book, I’ve unlocked everything that’s gone wrong with my thinking ever since I had my first major depressive episode back in 2015! I felt trapped with my thoughts and worried from minute to minute whether I would feel good or scared. This book helped put into perspective why that actually was the case.”
#10 Thriving in Relationships when you have OCD – by Amy Mariaskin, Ph.D.
Amazon Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars (25+ reviews)
Summary: A multitude of highly effective methodologies are used throughout this book to help you manage your toughest OCD symptoms before they hijack your relationships. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindful self-compassion practices are given throughout this book to help you alleviate OCD symptoms and forge strong relationships with those around you.
Why Read It: OCD can be an incredibly isolating disorder and can wreak havoc on your relationships. Compulsive behaviors can add great strain on friends and family, and the high degrees of guilt and shame can lead to further isolation and loneliness for the OCD sufferer. Thriving in Relationships When You Have OCD is all about deepening your connection to those around you and no longer letting OCD negatively impact your relationships.
Top Review: This book manages to be incredibly thorough and overflowing with both clinical expertise and relatable real-life scenarios while also being an easy and accessible read. The author’s tone is warm and compassionate and there are great exercises to help put the tools she suggests into practice. Highly recommend Dr. Mariaskin’s book both for those living with OCD and for anyone who is in relationship with someone who has OCD, to help better understand and support them.
Specific OCD Subtypes
#11 Overcoming Harm OCD – by Jon Hershfield, MFT.
Amazon Reviews: 4.6 out of 5 stars (200+ reviews)
Summary: Overcoming Harm OCD includes practical techniques that can be used to break free from the cycle of repetitive thought processes associated with Harm OCD. It helps recognize and challenge, and integrate compassion through identifying obsessional behavior patterns.
Why Read It: This is particularly recommended for those with compulsions concerning harm or obsessive thoughts that their actions or thoughts will inadvertently cause harm to others. This practical guide helps individuals with OCD to refocus on their own thoughts and feelings, thus avoiding the constant pressure that negative thoughts tend to create.
Top Review: “Jon acknowledges that doing the exposures is hard but leads you gently and advises you to try. He tells you about the right path to recovery but does not force you to rush into it because I think he acknowledges that it is not easy. Thank you for writing this book, Jon. You and your writing are truly a gift to the OCD community.”
#12 Relationship OCD – by Sheva Rajaee, MFT.
Amazon Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars (240+ reviews)
Summary: Relationship fears are to be expected, but when those fears become so extreme that they destroy an otherwise healthy relationship then you may have Relationship OCD. Relationship OCD offers an evidence-based, cognitive behavioral approach to finding relief from relationship anxiety, obsessive doubt, and fear of commitment. You’ll learn to accept the presence of intrusive thinking while maintaining the values of a healthy relationship.
Why Read It: This book is laser-focused on ROCD as a theme within OCD. Highly relatable and resonant, those living with ROCD will benefit from greater insight and understanding into this particular subtype.
Top Review: My therapist recommended this book when she first diagnosed me with ROCD. I felt so seen and not alone from the moment I opened it. The exercises (particularly the Thought Log) are practical steps to dealing with ROCD — one step at a time, one day at a time. This book is wonderfully written and a great guide. For months I kept it on me so I could reference it. It doesn’t have all the answers — no one does — but it’s truly worth reading to remind you that you are not alone and that your love and your relationship is a choice that you have the power to make every single day. Even if you are not struggling with ROCD, this book can serve as a great source of relationship wisdom and compassion.
#13 Hypochondriasis and Health Anxiety – by Jonathan Abramowitz and Autumn Braddock
Amazon Reviews: 4.4 out of 5 stars (40+ reviews)
Summary: This compact, easy-to-understand book by experts Jonathan S. Abramowitz and Autumn E. Braddock opens with an overview of the diagnostic issues and assessment of health anxiety and offers a research-based framework for understanding the development, maintenance, and treatment of this problem. The focus of the book is a highly practical guide to implementing treatment, packed with helpful clinical pearls, therapist-patient dialogues, illustrative case vignettes, and sample forms and handouts.
Why Read It: Although written for clinicians, this remains an essential resource for anyone who struggles with health anxiety. While it is in-depth and intellectual, Hypochondriasis and Health Anxiety offer some profound insights into managing those who struggle with these particular anxiety disorders.
Top Review: This is a guide for therapists, but it was understandable enough to be of great use to us in a personal situation. Health anxiety has its own special challenges and there hasn’t been much literature specifically addressing it. This book was a big help!
#14 The Doubting Disease: Help for Scrupulosity and Religious Compulsions – by Joseph W. Ciarrocchi.
Amazon Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars (100+ reviews)
Summary: In this book, Joseph helps us clearly appreciate the interior anguish suffered by thousands of people of faith who have this symptomatology and what we can do about it. As well as offering a concise, helpful understanding of the demographics, etiology, and treatment of scrupulosity and OCD, in the Doubting Disease, he also addresses the most common questions asked by those with Scrupulosity OCD.
Why Read It: For those struggling with this particular subtype, this book offers both an emotional and pragmatic insight into this OCD theme. Readers are left feeling understood while also feeling equipped with tools and processes to move forward.
Top Review: When it comes to scrupulosity, there isn’t much out there that approaches from a religious and psychological perspective. The author has knowledge and experience in both realms, which is really helpful. The book gives a lot of examples of the disorder and some ways to approach treatment.
OCD Books – Memoirs
#15 Is Fred in the Refrigerator? Taming OCD and Reclaiming My Live – by Shala Nicely
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (250+ reviews)
Summary: Is Fred In The Refrigerator is the author’s story of her journey from feeling lost in the often-misunderstood world of OCD to triumphing over the disorder with guidance and validation, offering practical steps for recovery.
Why Read It: Those who are trying to find their way through the alienating symptoms of OCD might find this interesting and reassuring.
Top Review: “Reading some books is like “Damn. How did you get inside my head? I relate to Shala’s story on so many levels. I completely understand her desire for perfection and affirmation.”
#16 Pure – by Rose Cartwright
Amazon Reviews: 4.5 out of 5 stars (400+ reviews)
Summary: Pure is a memoir by British author Rose Cartwright discussing her struggles with Pure O or ‘purely obsessional’ OCD. Bretécher offers captivating insights into this lesser-known form of OCD, which is characterized by obsessional fears and compulsive thought patterns.
Why Read It: Pure is a powerful memoir for OCD sufferers or anyone who wants to learn a bit more about OCD’s obscure forms like Pure-O.
Top Review: “A powerful and brutally honest memoir”
#17 The Man Who Couldn’t Stop – by David Adam
Amazon Reviews: 4.4 out of 5 stars (300+ reviews)
Summary: David Adam―an editor at Nature and an accomplished science writer―has suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder for twenty years, and The Man Who Couldn’t Stop is his unflinchingly honest attempt to understand the condition and his experiences. In this riveting and intimate blend of science, history, and memoir, Adam explores the weird thoughts that exist within every mind and explains how they drive millions of us toward obsession and compulsion.
Why Read It: A highly relatable and brutally honest read, David Adam gives his own experiential insight into OCD with an abundance of humor and charm.
Top Review: David Adam’s book on OCD deserves to be considered one of the best overviews on the subject. He weaves in his personal agonies of having OCD in with psychological, neurological and historical aspects of this disorder.
#18 Obsessed: A memoir of my life with OCD – by Allison Britz
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (500+ reviews)
Summary: This is the brave retelling of a young teen’s battle with OCD. Allison Britz walks the reader through every momentary painful step of her journey out the other side in this powerful and inspiring memoir.
Why Read It: Obsessed is particularly ideal for any teens, or parents of teens, who are currently suffering from OCD. It’s an honest account of what it really feels like to live with this disorder. Through the pain, Allison offers hope.
Top Review: Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this book! My daughter was diagnosed with OCD, which is so debilitating, and in the beginning, I did not know where to begin to help her. This book gives a unique insight into what someone with OCD may be going through. This is a must-read for anyone who loves someone with an OCD diagnosis.
#19 Amen, Amen, Amen: Memoir of a girl who couldn’t stop praying – by Abby Sher.
Amazon Reviews: 3.9 out of 5 stars (60+ reviews)
Summary: Full of heartbreak, buoyant with humor, and marked by exceptionally vivid storytelling, Amen, Amen, Amen is a brilliant account of soul-searching, self-discovery, and the boundless efforts of comedian Abby Sher’s attempt to resist those compulsions.
Why Read It: An incredibly engaging read, this memoir relives the experiences of a woman who was once a fun-loving and carefree child who became plagued with dark obsessions leading to endless compulsions. Among the honesty of this read, there are glimmers of laughter and of course, hope.
Top Review: …this is no maudlin “My Struggle with [X]” memoir–it’s a smart, thoughtful book about a woman who just happens to deal with some big psychological issues. And it made me look at my own little compulsive habits and how they affect my relationships.
OCD Books for Kids
#20 What To Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck – by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D.
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (1400+ reviews)
Summary: What to do when your brain gets stuck guides children and parents through cognitive behavioral techniques that have been proven to help treat OCD. You will find plenty of engaging examples and activities, along with step-by-step instructions to put those practices into place.
Why Read It: What to do when your brain gets stuck is a hyper-actionable workbook that not only offers knowledge and understanding, but real-life exercises and practices that you and your child can start doing today to regain control of their OCD.
Top Review: “I am a therapist specializing in OCD treatment. I am one of the few in our area who will treat children. The children that I have shared this book with are happy to recognize their own “stuck” thoughts in the illustrated pages. I have had adults purchase the book as well because it simplifies and clarifies an oftentimes misunderstood and debilitating disorder.”
#21 Up and Down the Worry Hill – by Aureen Wagner, Ph.D.
Amazon Reviews: 4.5 out of 5 stars (100+ reviews)
Summary: Up and Down the Worry Hill is an interactive storybook that teaches kids cognitive-behavioral therapy principles to help manage anxiety symptoms. The book has exercises they can use to practice what they learn.
Why Read It: Up and Down the Worry Hill is an excellent resource for parents and children for providing insights into living with OCD through the tool of storytelling.
Top Review: “My 12-year-old son and I read this together last night and it really helped us talk about how he is feeling. It was well written and helped my son really identify with these OCD behaviors. I highly recommend this book for children and pre-teens.”
#22 Practice Being Brave – by Molly Gambrel.
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (50+ reviews)
Summary: Practice Being Brave is a children’s book that tells the story of CJ, a young girl who loves animals. CJ begins to experience recurring unwanted thoughts that bother her for which she visits Dr. Bree. She learns about OCD and how to manage it through the use of 6 special tips to help her, and other kids just like her.
Why Read It: Practice Being Brave gives children an opportunity to relate to the scary stories and uncertain feelings that OCD can bring.
Top Review: “This book is fun enough that my kids ask for it and helpful enough to spark great conversations”
#23 Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD – by Eli R. Lebowitz, Ph.D.
Amazon Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (500+ reviews)
Summary: Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD: A Scientifically Proven Program for Parents is the first and only book to provide a completely parent-based treatment program for child and adolescent anxiety. Parents are not advised to try to change their child’s behavior but rather address their own so they can swap anxiety-accommodating behaviors for supportive behaviors.
Why Read It: From understanding child anxiety and OCD, to learning how to talk with an anxious child, to avoiding common traps and pitfalls (such as being overly protective or demanding), to identifying the ways in which parents have been enabling a child’s anxious behaviors, this book is full of detailed guidance and practical suggestions.
Top Review: This book was literally a blessing! It helped us help our child handle her anxiety in no time! We’re so thankful to the therapist who recommended it to us. Would highly recommend it to parents who want to help their child break free from their anxiety.
Beyond self-help
We commend every single person who takes their recovery into their own hands.
There are many books out there worth reading to gain understanding and knowledge of OCD so you can begin to recognize how it functions.
So we hope you find these books helpful!
When you are ready to take the next step toward recovery, we have two options available to you:
#1: Private therapy
If you are based in California and would like warm and compassionate OCD support from our highly qualified mental health professionals, please submit an initial intake form here and we will be in touch!
#2: ERP SCHOOL (self-paced program)
If private therapy isn’t yet available or accessible to you, why not join ERP SCHOOL? Created by top OCD specialist, Kimberley Quinlan, LMFT, you will receive guidance on how to use scientifically proven tools and techniques to manage your specific obsessions and compulsions. Join ERP SCHOOL here.
