Stuff That’s Loud: A Teen’s Guide to Unspiraling When OCD Gets Noisy

Gr 8 Up–According to clinical psychologists Sedley and Coyne, approximately three percent of teens have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In this straightforward guide, the authors address “stuff that’s loud”—a catchy phrase for those thoughts, feelings, and sensations that take hold in individuals with OCD (often in a terrifying and intrusive manner). The tone of the text is conversational, and the message is encouraging with several anecdotes from teens. This book is divided into two parts, “Spiraling” and “Unspiraling.” Part 1 explores how stuff that’s loud can create confusion and surprises. Without adequate interventions and professional help, things can easily spiral out of control. Part 2 provides strategies teens can implement to form healthy relationships, such as using curiosity to step into the unknown, seizing the moment, and caring about people and things that matter. The chapter on how to deal with parents is insightful. Numerous black-and-white illustrations, of mixed quality, supplement the text. Additional resources consist only of a website for the International OCD Foundation and the website and Facebook links for the book.