ALLISON RASKIN OCD HOW TO
ALLISON RASKIN OCD PROFESSIONAL

My friends know about my anxiety on a theoretical level. Or devote an entire evening to desperately trying to decipher a meaningless text with four of your closest friends. It’s hard to ignore a nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach when you spend hours examining the cause of it with a buddy over brunch. I know that isn’t inherently bad, but it can be exhausting when everyone you know and care about constantly checks in on your love life (because they are all happily coupled up and know you want to be).

To make matters worse, I have a lot of friends. (Except maybe this one frenemy from high school.) Horrible, right? I would not wish my internal thoughts on anyone. There is nothing murkier than the beginning stages of “getting to know someone.” Will he call again? Will he be my husband? Will I die alone? Will anyone find my body? Do I need a will for my dog? Why oh why did I let _ or _ or _ get away? Imagine this on an endless loop all day, every day. Nothing triggers my anxiety more than not knowing what is going to happen. So I started officially “dating” again, and let me tell you: It stinks. I do not do well with an unlimited amount of time on my hands. I live alone and work from home, so the loneliness got to be overwhelming. And it started to drive me insane* (*more insane). But recently, for the first time in a while, I was 100 percent single. Nothing triggers my anxiety more than not knowing what is going to happen.įor most of my twenties, I have been in relationships. I would much rather tell you the bizarre intricacies of keeping my towels uncontaminated than confess how much of my internal life is wasted on guys who don’t deserve a second thought, let alone a billionth one.

It’s mortifying for me to even admit this in writing. I am quite literally obsessed with finding a life partner. Since I was a pre-teen, my obsessive thoughts have always gone into overdrive around romantic relationships. Since I was four, I’ve struggled with OCD and anxiety. How did I get here? The journey was long and not pretty. I, Allison “Spill The Beans” Raskin, stopped talking about my love life for an entire week. So when I tell you what I’m about to tell you, please understand that this is a huge, freaking, personality-altering deal.

If you share a secret with me I am going to have to then share it with at least one other person (probably my mom). I have made a career out of oversharing on the internet. My nickname growing up was Allison “Spill The Beans” Raskin. All to help you walk away from this book feeling less alone in the struggle and better prepared to tackle dating and relationships with more confidence and less worry.Since I was a kid, I have not been able to keep things to myself.

ALLISON RASKIN OCD PROFESSIONAL

Woven in throughout are interviews with clinical psychologists, a psychiatrist, a sexologist, relationship experts, and real-life couples for their points of view and professional guidance.

ALLISON RASKIN OCD HOW TO

How do you talk to a partner about your mental health? What is the potential impact of SSRIs on your body? What is the difference between having valid concerns and catastrophising? It’s all here, from meeting online to how to handle a breakup, from recognising and avoiding unhealthy relationships to the big one – sex. She’s learned from her experiences, and we get to learn from her, discovering new ways to form healthy dating and relationship habits. Allison Raskin knows this challenge firsthand and shares her journey with perfect candour. But pursuing love and relationships when you live with mental illness can be even more overwhelming. At last, a book that focuses solely on mental health and dating – an intersection that demands attention, given that one in five Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year. Overthinking About You is a memoir-driven self-help book that explores the complex connection between brain and heart, for an engaging, useful, and relatable read for anyone whose mental health has gotten in the way of successful romantic relationships. Dating is hard. Print Overthinking About You: Navigating Romantic Relationships When You Have Anxiety, OCD, and/or Depressionĭating is hard – but when you live with anxiety, OCD, and/or depression, dating can feel like a minefield.

Allison raskin ocd