An OCD survivor with an unusual and (I hope!) helpful tale

[alanwieder]

Hey all --

Greetings. My name is Alan Wieder, and I am the author of a memoir of obsession called “Year of the C**k” that was just published by Grand Central; and a diagnosed OCD sufferer for almost 5 years.

I’m reaching out to the community on the suggestion of my therapist because I’d love to extend my help and advice as an OCD survivor. As a regular guy who endured a devastating OCD experience and lived to write a funny book about it, I think I have a relatable (and, I believe, inspiring) story to tell. I’ll soon be speaking to OCD support groups in the L.A. area, and I thought it would be good to extend my reach online, too, because sites like these have become such an invaluable refuge for so many victims of anxious and irrational thinking. I was on sites like these constantly when I was in my tough place – pretty obsessively, in fact!

“Year of the C**k” deals extensively with a bout of OCD I experienced in 2005 (Year of the Rooster). Not long after separating from my wife in February of 2005, I developed an illogical obsession with the size of my (perfectly normal) penis. It was kind of silly and funny at first... but I soon came to believe that my penis was horrifically, shamefully tiny, and not only that, shrinking by the day. I also developed a host of compulsive rituals surrounding my obsession, including poring over penis statistics on the Internet; measuring my penis tens of times daily; and even penis enlargement techniques. My self-punishing obsession became so severe that I fell into a deep depression, and it eventually spread to other parts of my body: my hands, my hair, my heart, you name it. I came to view my entire body -- every part of it -- as defective and wrong. It’s all candidly documented in my book.

Nowadays – thanks to four years of therapy, a cathartic book-writing experience, and a hard-won new self-view – I am a happier, healthier man who’s no longer haunted by intrusive thoughts (not to say that I don’t still have them from time to time!). Because of that, I think I could be of help to many people currently in the clutches of obsessive cognitive and behavioral patterns.

Anyway, I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself. Feel free to get in touch here, through Facebook (Alan Wieder), or contact me directly at anneeducoq@hotmail.com. In the meantime I'll be perusing the boards and chiming in.

Feelin’ your pain,

Alan Wieder

P.S. I am NOT presenting myself as a therapist, but as just a regular dude who went through a crippling OCD ordeal, overcame it, and would love to chat with other people in need. That’s all. I also DON’T CARE AT ALL whether you buy my book, so moderator, please don’t view this as author spam! Thanks!