Publisher's Synopsis
You're Not a Murderer: You Just Have Harm OCD takes the reader on the journey of mother and writer Kim Conrey and her oldest child, Finn, as they grapple with the unseen, misunderstood beast known as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). This includes Kim finding teenaged Finn shaking and dry heaving on the bathroom floor and saying if the violent, looping images they see in their head could come true, then they don't deserve to live.
While an estimated 1 in 40 adults and 1 in 100 children suffer from OCD, it is estimated that up to 50% of both groups also suffer with the intrusive violent thoughts of Harm OCD and it is estimated to be even higher among youths at 70%. These thoughts include frightening, recurring mental images of hurting oneself or others. The fear and stigma of disclosing such notions keep sufferers from getting help. No one wants to admit to thoughts of harming someone they love. But they're not murderers: they just have Harm OCD. In this authentic and courageous memoir, a mother will reach into her own past of dealing with Harm OCD and attempt to drag some light into the present to illuminate both their paths.
