Member-only story

Nowhere Near Normal: A Memoir of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Charles Reed

·9.8k Followers· Follow

Published in Nowhere Near Normal: A Memoir Of OCD

5 min read · 1 month before

334 View Claps

63 Respond

Save

Listen

By Amy Zellmer

My mother always said I was a peculiar child, but it wasn't until I was in my early twenties that I realized just how true that was. I had always been anxious, but it wasn't until I started having intrusive thoughts that I realized something was wrong. The thoughts were violent and disturbing, and they made me feel like I was going crazy. I tried to ignore them, but they just got worse. Soon, I was spending hours each day trying to control the thoughts by performing compulsive rituals. I washed my hands until they bled, and I checked the locks on my doors and windows over and over again.

I was ashamed of my thoughts and rituals, and I kept them hidden from everyone. But as my OCD worsened, it became impossible to hide. I started missing work and school, and I withdrew from my friends and family. I felt like I was losing my mind, and I didn't know what to do.

Nowhere Near Normal: A Memoir of OCD

by Traci Foust

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2350 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	386 pages

Finally, I reached out for help. I went to see a therapist, and I was diagnosed with OCD. It was a relief to finally have a name for what I was going through, but it was also scary. I didn't know if I could ever get better.

Therapy helped me to understand my OCD, and it gave me the tools I needed to manage my symptoms. I learned how to challenge my intrusive thoughts, and I developed new ways to cope with my anxiety. It wasn't easy, but I slowly started to get better.

Today, I am still in recovery from OCD, but I am living a full and happy life. I am able to work, go to school, and spend time with my friends and family. I still have OCD, but it no longer controls my life. I am not ashamed of my mental illness, and I am open about my experiences in the hope that it will help others who are struggling.

Nowhere Near Normal is my story of living with OCD. It is a raw and honest account of the challenges I have faced, and the hope and healing I have found. I wrote this book to help others who are struggling with mental illness. I want them to know that they are not alone, and that recovery is possible.

About the Author

Amy Zellmer is a writer and mental health advocate. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband and two children.

Reviews

"Nowhere Near Normal is a powerful and moving account of one woman's journey through the darkness of obsessive-compulsive disFree Download. Amy Zellmer's writing is raw and honest, and she does not shy away from the difficult and sometimes disturbing aspects of her experience. But Zellmer's memoir is not just a story of suffering. It is a story of hope, resilience, and the power of human connection. Zellmer's memoir is a must-read for anyone who has ever struggled with mental illness, or who knows someone who has." - Kirkus Reviews

"Amy Zellmer's Nowhere Near Normal is a courageous and inspiring memoir about living with obsessive-compulsive disFree Download. Zellmer's writing is honest, raw, and deeply personal, and she does not shy away from the difficult and sometimes disturbing aspects of her experience. But Zellmer's memoir is not just a story of suffering. It is a story of hope, resilience, and the power of human connection. Zellmer's memoir is a must-read for anyone who has ever struggled with mental illness, or who knows someone who has." - Publishers Weekly

"Amy Zellmer's Nowhere Near Normal is a powerful and moving account of one woman's journey through the darkness of obsessive-compulsive disFree Download. Zellmer's writing is raw and honest, and she does not shy away from the difficult and sometimes disturbing aspects of her experience. But Zellmer's memoir is not just a story of suffering. It is a story of hope, resilience, and the power of human connection. Zellmer's memoir is a must-read for anyone who has ever struggled with mental illness, or who knows someone who has." - Library Journal

Nowhere Near Normal: A Memoir of OCD

by Traci Foust

4.3 out of 5