In his book The Man Who Couldn’t Stop, author David Adam writes about his OCD experience, and examines how the medical perception and treatment of the disorder has evolved.
Though Adam’s specific obsession may not be yours, there is sometimes comfort in reading about others who struggle with the same symptoms we do. Those of us with OCD may feel less alone while journeying with Adam through the pages of his book.
Friends and family of OCD sufferers who sometimes wonder how intelligent people get stuck in a web of obsessions and compulsions, may find some perspective and understanding in this narrative. The narrative begins as Adams nears adulthood during the ‘80s when HIV and AIDS were frequent media topics.
David Adam’s obsession is with HIV. He began to worry he would become infected, even in situations where contracting the illness was nearly impossible.
Adam shares how he scraped his heel on the step of a public swimming pool and worried whether there was blood on the step, so he went back to check. Then, he used a paper towel to stop the blood flow near his ankle and started obsessing that the towel might have had blood on it—so he checked all the other paper towels.
Ever since then Adam has been checking, caught in the never-ending OCD loop of needing and searching for certainty. Although therapy has helped him reduce the clamor of his symptoms, he still deals with them daily. Like many with OCD, he experiences a constant background level of anxiety, even when doing things pleasurable or fun.
In the book Adam shares many feelings and behaviors that others with OCD will relate to. For instance, he recounts repeatedly calling an AIDS hotline and either hanging up before someone answered, or thinking he needed to disguise his voice so he wouldn’t be recognized as a repeat caller.
He describes the humiliation and embarrassment of needing reassurance from others, and how putting up with those feelings is sometimes the price of acquiring temporary peace of mind.
Besides Adam’s personal experiences, the book covers historical, psychological, and biological information about OCD. The Man Who Couldn’t Stop: OCD and the True Story of a LIfe Lost in Thought is available at Amazon.
Sources: NPR; Amazon
Photo credit: Kit MacAllister
