Up to six million Americans are afflicted with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a serious, emotionally crippling disease. Cleaning, counting, washing, checking, avoiding--these are just some of the rituals that sufferers are powerless to stop. Now an expert on OCD reveals breakthroughs in diagnosis, successful new behaviorist therapies, drug treatments, and more.

One boy spends six hours a day washing himself--and still can't believe he will ever be clean

Another sufferer must check her stove hundreds of times daily to make sure she has turned it off

And one woman, in an effort to ensure that her eyebrows are symmetrical, finally plucks out every hair

All of these people are suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), an emotionally crippling sickness that afflicts up to six million Americans. Cleaning, counting, washing, avoiding, checking--these are some of the pointless rituals that sufferers are powerless to stop. Now a distinguished psychiatrist and expert on OCD reveals exciting breakthroughs in diagnosis, succesful new behaviorist therapies and drug treatments, as well as lists of resources and references. Drawing on the extraordinary experiences of her patients, Dr. Judith Rapoport unravels the mysteries surrounding this irrational disorder . . . and provides prescriptions for action that promise hope and help.