The Man Who Couldn't Stop

By: David Adam

Narrated by: Daniel Philpott

In this captivating fusion of science and personal memoir, writer David Adam explores the weird thoughts that exist within every mind. David has suffered from OCD for twenty years, and The Man Who Couldn’t Stop is his honest attempt to understand the condition. At what point does a harmless idea become a blinding blizzard of unwanted thoughts? Drawing on the latest research on the brain, as well as historical accounts of patients and their treatments, this is an audiobook that will challenge the way you think about what is normal, and what is mental illness.

©2014 David Adam (P)2014 W F Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"Superb... A brave and helpful contribution to deepening our understanding of the intricate complexities of mental ill-health." ( The Times)

"Combines a scientific account of OCD from ancient times to the most recent research with passages of tenderly written memoir." ( Telegraph)

Life changing!

This book is life changing for ANYONE who reads it! I have never seen such a full and honest portrayal of a mental health disorder, and the narration was gripping from beginning to end. Bravo!!

Profound and Insightful

A brave and deep, yet concise dive into this terrifying affliction. Adam is courageous in shining a spotlight here, a subject with is little understood and highly misrepresented. His bravery in talking about his own affliction is commendable. A must read for therapists, psychologists and anyone interested in the mind.

Amazing look into the mind of OCD

Really enjoyed this book. Great balance of history of mental illness of this nature with personal experience. Definitely recommend this read to anyone who is curious about this condition. I didn't expect a book of this nature to be so difficult to put down...but I was intrigued cover to cover.

This is what OCD is.

I've suffered with OCD and PTSD for years. I plan to suggest this book to everyone who wants a better understanding of what the disability is.

Insight about a disorder and the life it steals

Great book, well written and contains a lot of informant about the disorder itself and what life is like with it.
I have to read many books such as this for my schooling and this one sticks out as one that provides a holistic overview of OCD not just what it’s like to have it as many others do.

very informative and entertaining

This is a great book. it explains what OCD is in a manner that is understandable and relatable. it covers The symptoms, the various treatments through the ages, the feelings involved in, And what's wrong with the way it's classified as a condition and what might be a better way to classify it.

Better understanding of OCD

I learned quite a bit about OCD which my son has lived with since he was a young boy, he is now 30. Wish I had read something like this sooner, I suppose I thought I understood the topic a great deal better. My only negative about this book is that he did not really get into much about the brain scans and related research that has been done over the last few years. I am certain, however, there are many books I can find which will lend more to that topic. If you are dealing with OCD or have a loved one who is, you definitely want to read this book.

Very well written

This book is game-changing for those dealing with OCD or who think they might have OCD; it is well written and helps you understand your symptoms very well.

OCD is a very complex disorder with a lot of different symptoms. Unfortunately, many think OCD is only about washing hands many times per day or checking locks. This book gives you a deep understanding of OCD and explains different symptoms very well.

Captivating

Apart from being well written and narrated, this book draws the you into the mind boggling world of OCD. And leaves you thinking "but for the grace og God, that could've been me". The various cases (not least the author himself) gives the book an enormous level of credibility. After finishing this book I've started it over again straight away.

Highly Recommend

As someone who struggles with obsession, this was massively helpful for me. It helped me realize I’m not alone, and even though David Adam’s experiences are not identical to mine, I can see myself in parts of his life. It was also very helpful to explore some of the study of obsession and history of psychological research and treatment. I’ll definitely be revisiting this book in the near future. It’s become one I’m very pleased to own. Shout out to author John Green for recommending it.