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Man, Interrupted: Welcome to the Bizarre World of OCD, Where Once More is Never Enough
James Bailey suffered from a bizarre and debilitating form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. He was acutely anxious about mind-altering drugs getting into his system and warping his behavior. Paranoid questions would routinely plague him. Were people trying to spike his food? Could he get high just by touching a photograph of a marijuana leaf? The treatment program he went through brought him face to face with his nightmares. He was asked to mingle and shake hands with the local junkies, overcoming his fear that whatever they had taken would be transmitted to him through their skin. Thanks to his indomitable spirit, James is now able to see the absurdity of many of the bizarre situations in which he found himself. His quirky sense of humor combined with his strength of character helped him to recover and go back out to face the world again.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 5, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 21, 2009
Hmmm. An odd book whch i feel in some ways never got to where it was going.
I never really found the main character or understood the basic premise of his OCD.
The book seemed essentially rather random.
I never really found the main character or understood the basic premise of his OCD.
The book seemed essentially rather random.
August 25, 2008
Well written and funny and informative about OCD.
June 2, 2015
It really is amazing how different people are. Most people think our differences come from our opinions, but it is so much more. This book allows us to see through the eyes of someone that has OCD and tries to help himself. James, had a severe OCD, he also experience some quite stressful events in his life, this turns him into a total weirdo. The book starts with his admittance to a stay-in clinic for helping people with OCD. From the moment he gets out of the cab his treatment starts and it has nothing to do with the heart-felt talk we see on movies. He is really honest in his book but not in life. While the topic is serious he makes us laugh at the ridiculous he gets himself into because of his OCD (like almost electrocuting himself, by washing the electric cables in his car with water and soap). Anyway it is a funny and honest reading and I think everyone that is not to familiar with mental illness should read this book. Don't worry - it is a funny and easy read. You have no idea what is happening into James' mind.
August 13, 2011
I read it but I can not say that I enjoyed it. I did not appreciate its discriminating and sometimes racist comments and thought patterns. I chose Man, Interrupted because of its title attracting my attention and reminding me of Girl Interrupted. If it had a different title I would never had read it and been saved the pain. If only I could shake the habit of reading something through just because I have started it!
April 3, 2021
The title caught my interest and I was curious to learn about how other people deal with OCD.
There is a large spectrum of OCD and in my experience I learned that people can move along the spectrum over the period of their life and even just stay stagnate. Overall, I found it an interesting read and the writer pens his experiences in such a way that I was able to empathize with certain situations along his journey.
There is a large spectrum of OCD and in my experience I learned that people can move along the spectrum over the period of their life and even just stay stagnate. Overall, I found it an interesting read and the writer pens his experiences in such a way that I was able to empathize with certain situations along his journey.
June 9, 2023
Great story about OCD the author achieved over against All odds and he has it funny way of telling it.
May 16, 2012
James Bailey and I were My Space friends with a common interest in writing. He read some of my short stories and wrote to me, suggesting I read his novel. So I went out and tracked it down in a small bookstore. It's a remarkable book in that it is a first hand look at OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and even more remarkable for never getting maudlin or soliciting sympathy. Bailey's style is to give a matter of fact account of how the disorder 'ordered' his life and how he came to terms with it, challenged it and ultimately, won his battle against it. It's a very human story and because of that, a good read.
June 27, 2014
I had quite a high hope for this book and it turned out to be gibberish! It seemed the writer never really understood his OCD and I was left wondering why he hadn't been able to work on it on his own with a terapist when he seemed to have no problems getting better very fast.
I was also left wondering why on earth I had to read about his atraction to Asian women and why he used almost all his time in the program hitting on them!? Sure it was a little bit funny in the beginning and his character seemed to be a good guy but after 100 pages of his "I like Asian women"- and "Everybody's OCD is funny!"-nonsense I really had it with this guy. I wish he'd taken the subject more seriously.
I was also left wondering why on earth I had to read about his atraction to Asian women and why he used almost all his time in the program hitting on them!? Sure it was a little bit funny in the beginning and his character seemed to be a good guy but after 100 pages of his "I like Asian women"- and "Everybody's OCD is funny!"-nonsense I really had it with this guy. I wish he'd taken the subject more seriously.
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November 11, 2008Why does this book KEEP getting deleted off my shelves? REALLY???????? WHY????????? I obeyed what the GoodReads staff commanded of me! I didn't attack anybody! I have valid and legitimate reasons for not wanting to read this book! I've read a bad review from my friend! Come on, already.
April 1, 2009
This was pretty bad, although so bad it was slightly entertaining. The main character has some strange fascination with Mel Brooks and Asian girls.
July 19, 2011
Great book and not only fun and raw but gave me a whole new look at how people deal with OCD the writer is so talented and funny, brilliant and emotional!
May 15, 2012
i was sent this book by a friend who i talked to about my o.c.d. and it turned out to be a very good and helpful book!
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September 27, 2012Very well written, very informative, humorous and uplifting at the same time. Very good insight into OCD. Highly recommend it to anyone who has OCD.
December 13, 2011
OCD. At last I understand what it is
August 2, 2011
Interesting read about OCD.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
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