May is Mental Health Awareness Month so O’Fallon Public Library is showcasing some brilliant books written about mental health on our blog as well as Instagram and Facebook pages.

Because We Are Bad by Lily Bailey

Because We Are Bad: OCD and a Girl Lost in Thought by Lily Bailey is a memoir of a childhood ruled by intrusive thoughts.

Lily knows a few things for sure, that she killed someone with a thought, spread disease, and stared too long at the other children at school. Because of this, she must perform secret rituals to redeem herself, no matter how long or how repetitive.

Consumed by her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Lily creates a second person within herself and starts thinking of herself (and this person) as”we.” This person inside her convinces her that she is bad and tells her the things she needs to do to make up for it. These obsessions and rituals become more and more intricate. Intrusive thoughts completely occupy every minute of her day.

Even though this raw and emotive story can be heart breaking at times, Lily is still wonderfully funny. Creating a completely experiential story, Lily writes so that reading her thoughts is like existing inside her head. Because We Are Bad will grip you from the start and not only hold your interest, but urge you to read on. This debut memoir is one everyone should read. If you want to know more about an experience from the point of someone who has lived with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or simply want to read a story about a very human experience, Because We Are Bad is the book for you.

If you want more updates this month on mental health book recommendations, both literature and self-help, follow us on Instagram, like us on Facebook, and of course, follow our blog for more books to add to your reading list.

Eleka S.

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• Managing Your Mental Health One Day at a Time 
• Ashley is history
• Coming Soon!
• Fun Finds on the Holds Shelf