The OCD Mormon: Finding Hope and Healing in the Midst of Anxiety

by Kari Ferguson

Mental illness is not a sin. Getting help shows courage, not weakness. These are just a couple of the messages Kari Ferguson has shared on her popular blog. After years of suffering herself, she's teaching others to combat the stigmas surrounding mental illness, invite an open gospel dialogue, and keep fighting. Learn how to help yourself and those you love return to faith, service, and advocacy in this much-needed book.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Spirituality, Religion, Mental Health, Self Help

176 pages, Paperback

Published September 12, 2017

About the author

KARI FERGUSON is a mental health advocate and blogger. She writes at theocdmormon.com, encouraging openness and dialogue about mental health and religion. She is a contributing writer for The Mighty, a popular online resource for mental health and disabilities, and has written freelance for other publications including Utah Diners Guide, World Art Glass Quarterly, and Desert Saints Magazine. Kari received her BS from BYU in Recreation Management and Youth Leadership and her MA in Sociology from Goldsmiths College, University of London. After returning from her LDS mission to Washington DC South, she taught Writing for Mass Media and Media and Society courses at Utah Valley University.

Reviews

[Bryan Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a mental health professional and as an active Mormon this book hit on so many levels. It is a great view inside the mind and experience of anxiety. It will help loved ones to see what is going on with those who suffer with any mental illness. From a faith based perspective it book will give a great insight on how to turn any adversity into a growth experience to see the hand of God in your life. I would highly recommend.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those looking for a personal account of living with OCD, this is an accessible and useful book. For those unfamiliar with OCD, this book can help to provide empathy and understanding. For those living with OCD, this book can provide some guidance and hope. One of the things that I liked best about this book, was how the author told her story over the course of the book in a way that demonstrated the persistent struggle of recovering from OCD. For those struggling with or caring about someone struggling with OCD, I think this helps to put managing the illness into proper perspective and provides some useful reference points. Obviously everyone's experience and recovery is different, but this book provides a helpful resource for those wanting to learn more about OCD. In my experience with mental illnesses, this type of information is invaluable when things are scary and weird.

Also, I found this book a helpful conversation starter with those struggling with OCD, as I could ask how their experience related to the authors. This allowed us to talk in a comfortable way about some topics that I am not sure that we would have been able to otherwise.

The unique insights the authors provides relative to her understanding of LDS doctrines and culture added important value to this book. There are a lot things the author writes about that will be familiar to many, but have been unspoken. For those in LDS leadership callings, I think this book helps to personalize some experiences common to many that they serve.

If you have interest on this topic, I think this book is worth your time.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s so nice to read the story of a member of my faith who also struggles with a form of anxiety, like I do. Since I don’t have OCD specifically, I couldn’t relate to quite everything, but it still made me feel much less alone in my struggle to care for my mental health while also trying to understand what that means for my religious life. It’s also written for people who do not have mental illness in an attempt to help guide those with loved ones who have mental illness to gain insight on their struggle in the church context. It would be nice if all members of the LDS church could read this.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of books on OCD and this was probably my favorite. I appreciate the frankness with which she tells her story and hopefully it will help others to feel like they can tell theirs and not be ashamed because of mental illness. She gets quickly to the point and gives great pointers for coping, as well as shares her testimony of the Atonement as a tool for overcoming and living with extremely difficult circumstances.

[Lauren Treadwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

To anyone who is interested to know what it is like to have the type of OCD that I struggle with, I would highly recommend this book. Her symptoms and struggles were much more severe than mine are or ever were, but the way she describes how debilitating it can be sometimes is still easy to identify with. And with the backdrop of the gospel that she provides within every chapter, I felt like I found a kindred spirit.

[Caleb Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome and very accurate resource for those in the church who struggle with a diagnosis of OCD. Being an OCD therapist and member of the church, much of Kari’s experience rang true to what I’ve encountered with my clients. I aim to recommend this book to many clients in the future! Grateful that more religious-minded mental health resources are becoming available!

[Jamund Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides latter-day saints who struggle with mental illness a fighting chance to get the help they need. LDS people often expect anxiety or depression to go away through prayers or increased obedience, but in many cases that's not good enough, leaving people confused and disappointed. The OCD Mormon highlights Kari Ferguson's struggle through that cycle as a member of the church with obsessive compulsive disorder. After 10 years struggling she finally got the help she needed. Weaving helpful anecdotes in with her personal story this book will help you in your journey to get help. Despite the book's emphasis on the author's faith most of the lessons should apply to anyone suffering with or a supporting a loved one with a mental illness.


Full disclosure: Kari is my wife (and she's great!)

[Jake Egan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone who struggles with OCD or has close family who does. I think it’s especially helpful if you are in the early phases of experiencing OCD. The author does a great job being vulnerable about her own journey with OCD which helps you feel like you’re not alone in the journey. She also does a great job incorporating the uniqueness of dealing with OCD in the LDS community.

[Jazmyn Dolbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic book. This seemed like such a niche and I didn’t feel like I’d be able to find something that so perfectly articulated how a few of my closest relationships feel. I wish there were more strategies on how to overcome this, but overall, so great.

[Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful resource for those with mental health challenges as well as those who are trying to support them in those trials.

[Mandi Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one so much

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lady is so brave! I really enjoyed reading her story and seeing her incredible faith. Great resource to better understand OCD in a gospel perspective.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a personal, painful, detailed, vulnerable memoir of the author. The book has many good things about it (especially quotes from leaders of the Church about mental illness; thankfully, the leaders address mental illness more often these days), but I thought it would be more centered on scrupulosity. Mental illness is experienced uniquely by each person, so I shouldn't have been surprised. This book is helpful, just not what I was expecting.

My daughter has dealt with serious scrupulosity beyond what is expressed and seems to have been experienced by the author. I saw some of my daughter's experience, but this book becomes more focused on contamination OCD than religious OCD, also known as scrupulosity.

In the book, the author identifies as a "Mormon," but after I finished the book I searched for more about her online and noticed her current profile on Twitter says, "I no longer do church." Since we who still do church have been asked to no longer use the word "Mormon" to describe our faith, the title works more than she probably intended.

This book was recommended to me by a person who has dealt with religious OCD. He's an incredible, currently faithful member of the Church. I'm going to ask if he'll write a book, because I know his would probably be more helpful and relevant to my daughter's particular problems with scrupulosity. He told his story at a stake fireside we attended. I read this book because I was hoping for more of the same, but there wasn't anything new to me here.

Though the book is very short, it does get repetitive toward the end. I kept wanting it to be done. Maybe I was just tired.

Though it is interesting, I feel compassion for the author, and there are encouraging words in the book, I don't think I'll be recommending this one.

[superawesomekt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been aware of Ms. Ferguson's blog for some time, but had not followed it closely as I do not have OCD. However, I had heard this book was worth reading generally and absolutely that is true. Even if you are not a Mormon or do not suffer from OCD, if you are at the intersection of religious faith and mental illness, I think you will relate to the author and her experiences. Ms. Ferguson's writing is clear and she weaves LDS / Mormon doctrine throughout in a supportive and encouraging way for those of her faith.

What I especially liked about the format of this book is that Ms. Ferguson provides many practical tips and suggestions for those who are trying to get help or who are trying to support loved ones. While this is a very personal narrative, it still provides a great framework for the reader to seek help and healing. I definitely found myself in tears at times over her struggle, perhaps in part because it brought to mind some dark days and nights in the past when I was struggling with depression and still learning how to seek help. Our culture is not well equipped to manage mental health, much less mental illness, and Ms. Ferguson's book is trying to change that. I am already recommending this book to many of my friends.

[Sara Snarr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well-done look at dealing with mental health challenges within the Mormon church. The author shares her experiences within the context of Mormon social mores and doctrine. She documents her experiences and struggles before diagnosis, and then her pathway finding and receiving treatment. Many of the experiences, resources, and doctrines discussed apply not only to OCD but to other mental health conditions. A valuable resource for members as well as leadership dealing with their own challenges, or who want to support those around them dealing with mental health challenges. My only critique is that she could have used a little more editing in the last third or so of the book.

[Kalli Moon]

A very important book!

-Bishops are not psychologists.
-There is no shame in getting help and taking medication.
-It takes courage to fight this illness!

It is an honor to have someone be so vulnerable with their story. It makes others feel less alone.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I understand myself a little better now :)