Home Page - Triumph Over Phobia (TOP UK)

Triumph Over Phobia (TOP UK) runs a national network of self-help groups to help people with phobia or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) to overcome their problems using graded self-exposure.

Triumph Over Phobia (TOP UK) is a UK registered charity which aims to help sufferers of phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder and other related anxiety to overcome their fears and become ex-sufferers. We do this by running a network of self-help therapy groups. Groups meet weekly and are structured, warm and supportive. If you would like more information please complete the enquiry form below or phone/email on 01225 422705 or info@topuk.org

Triumph Over Phobia (TOP UK) was started in 1987 with the professional help of Professor I M Marks, MD, FRCPsych of the Institute of Psychiatry, London, by the late Celia Bonham Christie MBE, MA, who had overcome her fear of flying by following the self-help instructions from Living with Fear (Marks, I.M., McGraw-Hill).

Part-time Fundraiser Vacancy

TOP UK is looking for a part time, temporary fundraiser. The vacancy is advertised on the Charity Job Website If you would like more information or want to apply please send your CV and a covering letter to TOP UK

OCD Action National Conference on 24/11/2012

OCD Action has a comprehensive programme of events for their conference on Saturday 24th November in London. Further details and booking information is available on the OCD Action Website. There will be a TOP UK stand at the conference with lots of information about OCD and phobias.

Philip King's fundraising pilgrimage

Philip King has set off to walk the Via de la Plata pilgrimage from Seville to Santiago de Compostela. It is a gruelling walk of over 1000km and is the longest of the pilgrim routes in Spain. Philip is hoping to complete the walk in 8 weeks. Philip attended our Torquay group and had decided to use this trip to try and raise much needed funds for the charity.
For more information and to make a donation go to Philip's site

Jo Brand
TOP UK is pleased to announce that Jo Brand has agreed to become a Patron of the charity. Jo said she "feels enormously sympathetic towards OCD sufferers, their families and friends who are inevitably part of the torment and often feel so powerless to help. TOP UK can - I very much hope to witness the establishment of more local self-help groups nationwide and the confidence of GP's and health professionals to recognise the programme as a valuable therapeutic tool back to health and happiness."
Hoarders

A film production company who made the BBC documentary "Hoarder, Mum and Me" is looking for hoarders to take part in a follow up documentary. More details can be found at http://freepdfhosting.com/53c78750d4.pdf

Radio 4

Do you suffer from a phobia or phobias? BBC Radio 4 is making a programme about this important issue and would like to hear from you, in confidence. We are particularly interested to hear from people suffering from multiple phobias, recurring phobias, and rare phobias. Get in touch - naomi.edemariam@perfectlynormal.net - and our researcher will email or chat to you on the phone, to explain more about the programme.

New Research Provides Insight into how OCD Develops

New scientific evidence challenges a popular conception that behaviours such as repetitive hand-washing, characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), are carried out in response to disturbing obsessive fears.

The study, conducted at the University of Cambridge in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam, found that in the case of OCD the behaviours themselves (the compulsions) might be the precursors to the disorder, and that obsessions may simply be the brain's way of justifying these behaviours.

The research provides important insight into how the debilitating repetitive behaviour of OCD develops and could lead to more effective treatments and preventative measures for the disorder. For more information look at our latest news page
Help Wanted
We are looking for someone to help write and edit our quarterly newsletter. If you have experience in this area and would like to help please contact us at info@topuk.org
New Support Service

TOP UK is delighted to be offering an exciting new telephone support service for members of the public using the Living Life to the Full website. If you are worried or have a low mood this course may be able to help you. LLTTF is a free online life skills course. It aims to help develop the skills and knowledge necessary to deal with the issues and demands of everyday life. More information is available on our LLTTF support page.

New Group in Southwark/Lambeth
We are opening a new group in London. If you live in the Southwark or Lambeth area and would like help with your OCD or phobia please get in touch. Groups are not drop in so anyone who is interested will need to complete an application form. If you would like more details on the group please phone or email Trilby on 01225 422705 or info@topuk.org
York Group
We want to open a new self-help group in York. If you live in the area and would be interested in volunteering to help run the group please get in touch.
New Horizons
The Government wants to help everyone have better mental health and are currently working on a new plan called "New Horizons - Towards a Shared Vision for Mental Health". This will start in 2010. You can have a look at the plans in an easy to read booklet at the link below:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_104426.pdf