Try Not to Think of a Pink Elephant (Fremantle Press)

Mental illness is so misunderstood—often even by those of us who live with it—but obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) gets an odd deal. The phrase ‘a little bit OCD’ infantalises the condition while at the same time evoking negative connotations. As always, knowledge is a balm. In this anthology, five writers with OCD provide insightful, honest accounts of what obsessive compulsive disorder has meant for them. The stories in the book delve deeply into childhood memories that wrench at the heart, and from those first experiences go on to explore lives lived fully and imperfectly by adults who have found their own ways of dealing with the diagnosis. All five stories are standout successes. Sienna Rose Scully’s piece might be helpful for younger readers or parents of young people. Others will glean insight from Katharine Pollock’s perceptive critique of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Martin Ingle captures love with OCD with visceral reality, while Patrick Marlborough shares his wit with cross-continental experiences, and Dani Leever’s memoirs of compulsion-based OCD are brutal and raw. This is not an easy book to read, and nor should it be for the reader who is an outsider. But for those who are struggling to know what to do with similar experiences, these authors offer compassion and grit. Their stories will stay with you.

Rebecca Whitehead is a freelance writer from Melbourne.

Category: Reviews