The Imp of the Mind: Exploring the Silent Epidemic of Obsessive Bad Thoughts

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As a research psychiatrist I found reviewing this book to be both enjoyable and challenging. The author makes effective use of what I presume to be literary techniques to demystify his subject. His anthropomorphic title, The Imp of the Mind, drawing on Poe’s “The Imp of the Perverse” (1850), conjures a dynamic homunculus residing in the brain (the orbital frontal cortex?), biding its time until a moment of frontal lobe vulnerability and then mercilessly disrupting executive function. Literary license notwithstanding, to many people it certainly feels like this is happening. Its occurrence in epidemic proportions (the subtitle of the book is Exploring the Silent Epidemic of Obsessive Bad Thoughts) is perhaps hyperbole, but undoubtedly attractive to the potential reader. The interesting thing about how the author (who, incidentally, is also a psychiatrist and researcher, making this so much better) looks at the problem is that he takes a look at a condition, obsessive thoughts, as the main problem of the individual themselves, and then helps them come to an understanding of why they are obsessing over those thoughts. 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.

The description of the control and need for certainty by those who feel disempowered may certainly resonate with the imagery of the Imp disturbance. Sufferers may also find comfort with Lee’s efforts to help individuals learn to tolerate each thought and challenge themselves to face their fears- in this case the creature that torments them. Of course, those practicing acceptance and commitment therapy may not appreciate Lee’s imagery of the Imp and in fact challenge the Imp as simply an entity that could be simply protecting oneself from their ultimate fear (in other words, how could you hate something trying to protect you). I was hospitalized when I was 18. My first two roommates were suicides that were caught in time - accidentally (they fully wanted to do it). I have known suicides all my life, some who are gone and some who are still struggle and a few who are free of their depression. I have never known one that was afraid they would somehow get to be suicidal against their will, or have it somehow creep up on them.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. At that point in my illness I was devouring every bit of vaguely “OCD” media I could find: documentaries, news reports, reality TV, celebrity interviews, standup comedy, even specials about psych wards in general – anything that gave me some insight into the humanity of a person with mental illness. 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.

Some of this book was very interesting to me as I have suffered from obsessive thoughts. I don't know if I'll ever read it cover to cover as it is a bit too detailed and scientific for me. I don't mind a little science but a little goes a long way for me. But I love to learn new things, and I learned something I never knew before about obsessive thoughts. When a person is having obsessive thoughts, the frontal lobe of his/her brain is extremely active. On the contrary, the brain activity of a person about to commit a criminal act slows down. I've read quite a bit about the obsession component of OCD but never remember reading this before.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. As someone who has struggled with obsessive thoughts for as long as I can remember, it was amazing to read this book. I wish I found it years ago. Though I knew much of the information due to my own research and being in the mental health field, it was refreshing getting to read this book and hear individual stories and how Dr. Baer's clients worked through their issues. If you have or suspect you have OCD, especially if it is primarily obsessional, this book may give you a lot of comfort and is a must read.

Lccn 00041072 Ocr_converted abbyy-to-hocr 1.1.20 Ocr_module_version 0.0.17 Openlibrary OL21503452M Openlibrary_editionThis book delves into the Imp of the Mind, that thing that makes people think of the worst possible thing they could do. Similar to driving down the road and having that intrusive thought of driving your car into incoming traffic. Most people who think that can think, "wow, that's a bit of a crazy thought", then just go on with their day. Others, especially those suffering from other mental issues put a lot of value or weight on this thought and start to obsess about it. And as this book teaches through examples, these thoughts don't define us. They are simply just a bad thought but the more you obsess about it, the more you try to repress the thought the more powerful the thought becomes. That's what scares me. I just don't want there to be a link. I pray to God that my harm thoughts are from OCD. What made me really enjoy this was that the book wasn't pretentious in just telling you the scientific views. Instead it delved into not just one but multiple different cases from actual patients. The included the bad thoughts, sometimes in graphic detail that these patients were experiencing. It also explored certain mental ailments that could make the "Imp of the Mind" more powerful. I read this book after it was suggested by my therapist, after a recent diagnosis of OCD 13 years after its onset at the beginning of high school. I wish 13 year old me could have had access to this information, and in many ways reading this was an experience of grief. Overall, the text does a very well job normalizing intrusive thoughts. I appreciated the historical references made of past historical notes made referencing OCD thoughts and stories of modern day cultural icons that may have also experienced difficulties with obsessive symptoms.