This book is about the author’s experience living with OCD. How as a child he was overwhelmed by worries and fears, then later on became obsessed with tidiness (picking up every little bit of litter he saw), avoiding germs, fretting about relationships, and more. It seems the repetitive thoughts and worries would come in waves, shifting at different times in his life. He tried various means of finding control, resisted the idea of taking medication or going through exposure therapy for a long time. Friends and family tried to help, but only so much they could do. It reminded me a lot of The Man Who Couldn’t Stop– and the resolution in the end was the same- after hitting his lowest moments when he literally could not leave his room anymore. Then he sought professional help, facing his fears repeatedly in order to cause the thoughts to extinguish themselves and no longer have power over him. In combination with medications, too. It was good to see a positive ending. The illustrations are great. There were a few parts I just could not relate to (about the cat, including the one featured in a recurring nightmare. I just didn’t get it). But the rest felt familiar territory, according to what I know about this mental illness. Breezed through this one in a single sitting.
Borrowed from the public library.
