Obsessed

A brave teen recounts her debilitating struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder—and brings readers through every painful step as she finds her way to the other side—in this powerful and inspiring memoir.

Until her sophomore year of high school, fifteen-year-old Allison Britz lived a comfortable life in an idyllic town. She was a dedicated student with numerous extracurricular activities, friends, and loving parents at home.

After awakening from a vivid nightmare in which she was diagnosed with brain cancer, she became convinced the dream had been a warning. Allison believed that she must take action to prevent the cancer in her dream from becoming a reality.

What began with avoiding sidewalk cracks quickly escalated to counting steps as loudly as possible. Over the following weeks, her brain identified more dangers and fixes. She had to avoid hair dryers, calculators, mobile phones, computers, anything green, bananas, oatmeal, and most of her own clothing.

Unable to act “normal,” the once-popular Allison became an outcast. Her parents questioned her behaviour, leading to explosive fights. When notebook paper, pencils, and most schoolbooks were deemed dangerous to her health, her GPA plummeted, along with her plans for the future.

Finally, she allowed herself to seek help and was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. This brave memoir tracks Allison’s descent and ultimately hopeful climb out of the depths.