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You’ll sometimes hear OCD experts cite studies that show virtually everybody has intrusive thoughts (the foundation of OCD; essentially the “O” part). Intrusive thoughts are thoughts that are unwanted and distressing and are in opposition to our core values. OCD folk just can’t turn these thoughts off. I was so incredibly sad to hear that Lee Baer passed away in 2017, right when I found his amazing books. At this time, I was struggling from Pure O OCD and my old therapist didn't know what Pure O OCD is, so I was getting the wrong treatment. I left that therapist and found a new one. It was then that I realized what I had through his diagnosis.
The Imp of the Mind by Lee Baer | Goodreads
Very few depict the true face of OCD: unwanted intrusive thoughts that can get fixated on virtually any topic at all. These thoughts are often of a “taboo” nature (sex, violence, morality), and the compulsions are anything that is done (or avoided) to try to make the thoughts go away. The behavioral compulsions associated with purely-obsessional intrusive thoughts OCD are not apparent; they are all in the mind.What I found most interesting is how Lee described his collaboration with religious leaders to help manage symptoms of religious OCD symptoms. I began to attempt to reach out to religious leaders in my community who have experience working with OCD patients, but I have yet to find any. Baer's book focuses on the patient tormented by "bad thoughts" and living in fear of carrying these out. What is not clear is where the boundary lies between "bad thoughts" and "obsessive" thoughts . When does an "obsessive" thought become a "bad thought" and who decides this and when can an "obsessive" thought be simply and safely labelled a "special interest " and therefore not something to be concerned about... In this sense Baer is in fact helping his patients to relabel their thoughts... These then become less scary, cease to be wrong or bad and regain their proper place in the pantheon of thought. You may also be interested in my columns: Confessing Intrusive Thoughts and How to Stop Compulsively Confessing OCD Intrusive Thoughts Examine these and similar actions as we will, we shall find them resulting solely from the spirit of the Perverse. We perpetrate them merely because we feel that we should not. Beyond or behind this, there is no intelligible principle...."
The imp of the mind by Lee Baer | Open Library
I want to ask you if YOU REALLY WANT TO COMMIT SUICIDE, but I'm not sure you can give me a clear answer, because you are obsessing. He confides to us that everything went well for several years after that: his crime had not been discovered, and he had, to all intents and purposes, got away with it. Indeed, he becomes convinced he’s invincible and his guilt will never be found out. In 2019, the UK Channel 4’s comedy series Pure gave first-person insight into someone with extreme obsessional fears – not about germs or neatness, but sex. The importance of this landmark show to someone with invisible OCD can’t be overstated. Pure was the first time I’d seen OCD represented correctly on screen, maybe ever. It will have changed people’s lives. It also shows that most people are to afraid to speak up about this. No mother wants to admit to having thoughts of killing her child, no boyfriend wants to admit to having thoughts of stabbing his girlfriend so unfortunately they live a life of trying to repress these thoughts, thinking they are evil people that will one day snap and commit these atrocious acts.
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Informative, interesting and incredibly accessible. The writing is clear and concise, with a sort of gentle therapist's tone that never feels condescending or trite - Baer's explanations of how obsessive worries work, how they differ from 'normal thought processes' and how to treat them are frank but hugely empathetic. More often than not, the OCD sufferer is seen as quirky and oh-so-endearing, not dissimilar to a dim pet that you look on lovingly but pityingly. Usually, their function in the story is funny and silly and, most importantly, their illness is something they want to do, rather than something they would do anything to get rid of.
It’s no wonder we still think OCD is a neatness illness – it
In the second season of Sex Education, Otis gets teased for obsessively asking for consent every 10 seconds while losing his virginity; in I May Destroy You, a sexual assault victim has an intrusive thought of his own rape while having sex, but imagining himself as the perpetrator; in this year’s It’s A Sin, a character goes to obsessive lengths to protect herself after learning a friend has Aids.As I am currently on a drive to educate myself about various mental health issues this seemed like a useful addition to my little collection. It was certainly interesting though rather dated now. Baer's work with exposure therapy proved a breakthrough for many but towards the end of the book Baer touches on the then new ideas of CBT and considers how the two might work together or sequentially. Dr. Baer explores the root causes of bad thoughts, why they can spiral out of control, and how to recognise the crucial difference between harmless and dangerous bad thoughts. Of course, Lee also refers to the work of Elaine Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person. Lee argues that many people who struggle with intrusive thoughts may also be ‘highly sensitive.’ The argument is not supported empirically and could potentially further pathologize those that identify as highly sensitive. This journey is very common. Statistics indicate it can take a person with OCD up to 17 years to get appropriate treatment. It’s thought 1 in 50 people has it. In his book about obsessive negative thoughts, The Imp of the Mind, Lee Baer calls it “the silent epidemic”.
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