We spoke to Lynne Drummond, author of, Everything You Need to Know About OCD, about her recent book and her upcoming Cambridge Festival Event, 18 March, 7pm, at Cambridge University Press Book Shop.  

Dr. Lynne Drummond is an internationally renowned psychiatrist and researcher on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Q&A with Author, Dr. Lynne Drummond 

Why is your research important? 

Lynne Drummond: Despite being a common condition, which is listed by the WHO as being one of the top 10 contributors to global burden of disease, OCD is often misunderstood. People with OCD are 160 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. Both clinical services and research in OCD are under-resourced and, as a consequence, many people with OCD are suffering unnecessarily. It is vital to promote better understanding and treatment of OCD. Most people with OCD improve with correct treatment. We also need to understand how best to help those who are more difficult to treat.

People with OCD are 160 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population.

Lynne Drummond

Tell us about your upcoming Cambridge Festival event? 

Lynne Drummond: In a short talk, I will describe how to recognise OCD and explain why it matters. I will also examine who gets OCD and look at the effective treatments available. In addition, I will discuss how families can help. After the talk I will take questions and hope there will be a discussion about what each of us can do to promote better recognition and understanding.  

What is the best way to support someone with OCD? 

Lynne Drummond: OCD has an effect on the whole family. The best way to help someone with OCD is to ensure they are receiving appropriate treatment. However, the person with OCD needs to want to be treated and the treatments are not things that can be enforced on them. I will explore what a family can do if their loved one is not currently wanting help. 

Find out more about Dr Drummond’s upcoming Cambridge Festival event and book your place here.  

The Cambridge Festival   

The Cambridge Festival, 17 March-2 April, is an interdisciplinary event spanning the sciences, arts, humanities and social sciences.   

The festival, held by Cambridge University, showcases some of the world-leading research that is happening across Cambridge. The events are categorized by theme, Discovery, Power, Environment, Health and Society, and are free and accessible to all.   

Here at the Cambridge University Press, we are proud to showcase a selection of our inspiring authors at this year’s Festival. Each will present their fascinating research in an approachable, easy to digest format. Read more about our selection Cambridge Festival events here.   

About the author 

Dr Drummond is an internationally renowned psychiatrist and researcher, who has been helping people with OCD for over 40 years. She is committed to raising awareness of OCD, to ensure individuals who have OCD are getting the support they need.  

Recently, she has spoken about the condition on the BBC’s Morning Live and has been featured in The Sun and The Mail on Sunday. Her 2022 publication, Everything You Need to Know About OCD, gives a comprehensive insight into this condition, and features self-help chapters to guide the reader through graded exposure therapy, a highly effective treatment for OCD.