My OCD recovery book tip: ‘Pure O’ by Chad Lejeune

A fantastic source of information on recovery from OCD the book Pure O by Chad Lejeune. This book was a real game changer in my recovery from OCD, and I always recommend it to clients. Chad’s other book ‘The Worry Trap’ is also very helpful. Chad uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) when he treats OCD patients. I really like his way of working and use it in my own practice. 

He compares anxiety to having a gorilla in the room with you. He says the worse thing you can do is fight it. Accept (the A of ACT) it is there, and commit (the C of ACT) to accepting Mr Gorilla is there, and doing what you are doing anyway. Move with purpose. This is a form of exposure work because you are doing the opposite of what your OCD wants you to do – you are getting on with your day, you are not seeking reassurance, washing hands, etc. This is easier said than done, and it really is about progress not perfection.

I also love Chad’s use of mindfulness based techniques with his acronym ‘LLAMP.’ Label, Let Go, Accept, Mindfulness, Purpose. Some or all of these practises can be helpful – different clients find different things  more effective than others.  Just acknowledging (Label) that a thought is indeed OCD and not the truth can be hugely helpful. Letting Go is easier said than done, and some people like to do this via imagery, or imagining the thoughts disappearing. Accepting I had OCD was hard, but when you accept, it eventually gives you some form of peace.

Mindfulness can be anything that you OCD doesn’t want you to do, such as cooking a nice meal, or going for a walk and practising observing what is around you. Purpose encapsulates the previous letters, because you can use mindfulness to proceed with purpose – you’re making that decision to keep on keeping on despite feeling anxious. If you keep on doing this, your anxiety will literally get bored, and you can practice using these principles again and again until the anxiety fades. This for me has been fundamental in my OCD recovery journey.

© Jessica Drake