The Ray of Hope: A Teenager's Fight Against Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - Hardcover

Ray St. John

9780578070322: The Ray of Hope: A Teenager's Fight Against Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0578070324 ISBN 13: 9780578070322

Publisher: Vermilion Press, 2011

Ray St. John is a 17 year old who has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). His symptoms began when he was five years of age. During his teen years his OCD worsened and became mainly sexual in nature. His symptoms progressed and his life essentially came to a halt. With the help of this mother, Ray beat back his OCD (using a therapy called exposure response prevention therapy (ERP)) one day at a time. By the time he was a senior in high school, his symptoms had become negligible and his life had returned to normal. Ray decided to write this book to help other adolescents who are suffering from OCD. The book, which is part memoir and part self help, is arranged in a question/answer format to allow teenage readers to quickly locate the parts of the book they find helpful. In his book, Ray answers questions such as: Why did OCD happen to me? Am I a pervert for having sexual obsessions? Should I tell my teachers about my OCD? Can I still go to college even though I have OCD? Ray hopes that what he has written will provide both information and encouragement to his readers so that they, like him, can defeat their OCD and have a great life.

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About the Author:

Ray is currently a senior in high school and lives in a rural area in Central Illinois. He lives with his parents on the St. John ancestry farm by the Vermilion River. Ray loves the outdoors and hiking along the river, activities which have served as a refuge during the darkest moments of his OCD. He is planning a career in a discipline that will allow him to help others who are suffering from mental disorders.

Review:

A pertinent question-and-answer guide to obsessive-compulsive disorder for teenagers by a teenager. High school senior St. John showed signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder as early as age 5, when he suffered a brief bout of uncontrollable hand-washing, and his OCD worsened and became predominantly sexual once he reached puberty. After describing his symptoms and their disabling impact on his life, the author divides the rest of the book into 34 brief chapters, each of which asks and answers a question about OCD of interest to any teenager afflicted. St. John addresses whether sufferers will pass on OCD to their kids, if medication can help with the problem and how teens can move on after being diagnosed. The tone throughout is conversational, as one teen speaking to other teens, and the author admits that teenagers are likely to read only the Q&A chapters of interest to them, rather than reading the book cover to cover. Due to the nature of his OCD, several of the chapters contain sexually explicit material, but the overall effect is one of frankness and vulnerability rather than prurience. Instead of sugarcoating the exposure-and-response prevention therapy that the author undertook with the help of his mother a pediatrician who also manifests signs of OCD St. John makes crystal clear the difficulty of the treatment: It is hard work, and you will hate it. You will want to quit and go back to your OCD even though it keeps you down. However, the book offers a measure of hope for other teenagers with OCD:I know that with time, patience, and perseverance you will take back your life from OCD, St. John says in his concluding chapter. I did. For teenagers with OCD and their loved ones, this one-of-a-kind book provides useful answers and heartfelt encouragement. --Kirkus Indie

This courageous book does what its title suggests, bringing a 'ray of hope' to teens suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. By telling his own story openly and honestly, teen author Ray St. John does what a team of doctors and psychologists might not be able to do, reassuring other teens they are not alone and that they can reclaim their lives. Especially during the formative years, an OCD of sexual nature must make a teenager's life miserable, but Ray proves that with hard work and determination, the devastating disease can be overcome. - Jim Barnes, Editor --Independent Publisher

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