Here's a spoiler-free review on Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone by someone who suffers from Pure-Obsessional OCD.

Book Review: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Published on May 4, 2017January 10, 2021 by Meagan

This is a spoiler-free review. Parts that may be deemed spoilers will be marked.

I honestly didn’t have that high of expectations when I first picked up Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone. I was watching a book review video on YouTube when my ears perked up at the sound of OCD. Without knowing anything else about the book, I went to the library and picked it up the same day.

Every Last Word is a YA novel about 16-year-old Samantha. She’s a swimmer, popular, and looks just like everybody else. But underneath it all, she suffers from Pure-Obsessional OCD. She second-guesses every move, thought, and word in her life. She goes to therapy every Wednesday, but the last thing she wants is a change in her life.

However, one day she meets a new friend, Caroline. Caroline introduces Sam to Poet’s Corner, a hidden room in her school underneath the theater. It’s run by a tight-knit group of outcasts. Sam is drawn to them instantly, especially to AJ who plays the guitar. Slowly, she beings to feel normal than she ever did when she was part of the popular crowd. She might even start to feel recovered…

I wanted to gain insight to how my boyfriend sees my mental illnesses. Here are 12 questions I asked my boyfriend about loving someone with a mental illness

Relationship Q&A: Loving Someone with a Mental Illness

Published on April 24, 2017December 2, 2020 by Meagan

Even though I write a lot about relationships here on my blog, I am by no means a relationship expert. I’m constantly learning and growing. Plus, I usually only get to talk about things from my perspective.

By creating this post, I wanted to gain insight into how my boyfriend sees my mental illnesses. I figured it’ll not only help strengthen our relationship, but maybe if others are in his situation, it’ll help them cope as well. I’m so lucky to have a significant other that I can always talk openly about my mental health with.

Without further ado, here are 12 questions I asked my boyfriend about loving someone with a mental illness.

I never got to bond with my mom. Not in the way most daughters get to bond with their moms. For me, I guess it's always just been easier this way.

Growing Up with an Emotionally Unavailable Mom – Part Two

Published on April 6, 2017November 30, 2023 by Meagan

CONTENT WARNING: This post mentions sexual abuse.

You’re supposed to be able to go to friends and family for guidance. They’re supposed to help you when times are tough and you need a shoulder to lean on.

When you never got that experience in your life, it really messes you up. It creates lasting damage that you’re supposed to be able to hurdle over.

This is part two of my Growing Up with an Emotionally Unavailable Mom series. Please read part one to get more background info.

Relationship OCD is the kind of doubt that seeps in unexpectedly and chips away at the very core of love. Here are common obsessions and compulsions of ROCD

Relationship OCD and the Fantasy of Finding “The One”

Published on March 28, 2017November 30, 2023 by Meagan

Although I’ve lived with mental illness my whole life, I am not a medical professional. If you need help finding a mental health care provider, call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit BetterHelp to talk to a certified therapist online at an affordable price. This post contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclaimer.

Imagine your wedding day. Think about the thoughts you have right before you walk down the aisle. Think about your cold feet. Soak up all the doubts, reservations, and skepticisms circling in your brain, encompassing your entire being.

Now imagine having that feeling all day long, every single day. That’s Relationship OCD.

It’s the kind of doubt that seeps in unexpectedly and begins to chip away at the very core of love. Every concept of life. Every part of you. It’s one of the cruelest things life could ever throw at you.

Here are the common obsessions, compulsions, and treatment plans for Relationship OCD (ROCD):

You have to actively choose to show your partner love. These next 5 tips are little things you can do today that can help improve your relationship.

5 Little Things You Can Do to Improve Your Relationship Today

Published on March 13, 2017December 2, 2020 by Meagan

Being in a relationship is a never-ending process. It’s an on-going act of love. You don’t get just married and call it a day.

Remember all those things you did to try and woo your partner in the first place? Why did you stop doing them? Did you just get too comfortable? Did you get lazy?

The point is you have to actively choose to show your partner love. These next 5 tips are little things you can do today that can help improve your relationship.

25 Date Ideas for Those With Qualtiy Time Love Language

25 Date Ideas for Those With Quality Time Love Language

Published on March 2, 2017April 7, 2023 by Meagan

We all receive love differently. We also all give love differently.

It’s so important to communicate with your partner, so you can both find out how you each receive love. Focusing on each other’s primary love language can help both of you show your love in a way that is understood by both.

You can figure out your love language here. I highly recommend reading up on it more in this book. It’s a #1 bestseller, and so many people have said it has saved their marriage.

These next 25 dates are amazing for not only the partner whose primary love language is quality time but for both partners to create lasting memories you can both cherish.