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The Woman Who Thought too Much: A Memoir
For readers of A Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion and Bad Blood by Lorna Sage comes an intensely honest and surprisingly witty literary memoir of one woman's life as a sufferer of Obsessive-compulsive disorder Joanne Limburg is a woman who thinks things she doesn't want to think, and who does things she doesn't want to do. As a small child, she would chew her hair all day and lie awake at night wondering if heaven had a ceiling; a few years later, when she should have been doing her homework, she was pacing her bedroom, agonizing about the unfairness of life as a woman, and the shortness of her legs. By the time she was an adult, obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors had come to dominate her life. She knew that something was wrong with her, but it would take many years before she understood what that something was. This memoir follows Limburg's quest to understand her OCD and to manage her symptoms, taking the reader on a journey through consulting rooms, libraries, and websites as she learns about rumination, scrupulosity, avoidance, thought-action fusion, fixed-action patterns, anal fixations, schemas, basal ganglia, tics, and synapses. Meanwhile, she does her best to come to terms with an illness that turns out to be common and even—sometimes—treatable. This vividly honest memoir is a sometimes shocking, often humorous revelation of what it is like to live with so debilitating a condition. It is also an exploration of the inner world of a poet and an intense evocation of the persistence and courage of the human spirit in the face of mental illness.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2010
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518 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 15, 2016
As someone with personal experience of OCD, I get extremely cross about the way it is misrepresented. OCD isn’t about being tidy and organised. OCD sufferers have intrusive thoughts and obsessions and often feel compelled to carry out an action, such as reciting something or touching something, in order to make those thoughts go away. For Limburg, OCD manifests itself in obsessive thoughts about the danger inherent in everything. She sees danger in normal everyday things and obsesses over it, unable to shake the thoughts, and this has a debilitating effect on her life – for example, she can only cross a road when it is completely clear in both directions, a fear that intensifies when she has to cross a road with her small son.
This book is honest, sometimes funny, sometimes depressing, reassuring, and incredibly well-written. The author is a poet, and her talents show in the writing. This makes the book strangely enjoyable to read as well as disturbing. The author comes across as a genuinely lovely person, and it is hard to read sometimes how her disorder has prevented her from enjoying many things in life.
This is such an important book because there are so many misconceptions about OCD. People still view it as something minor, but it can, and does, prevent people from living a fulfilling life. If you suffer from OCD, or think you may suffer from it, this book will offer reassurance that you’re not alone; if you know someone who suffers from OCD, then this book will help you understand what’s going on in their heads, and if you’re one of those people who arranges their bookshelves in alphabetical order and then proudly proclaims, ‘Oh, I’m just a bit OCD’, then you should definitely read this and maybe you’ll realise that it’s no laughing matter.
This book is honest, sometimes funny, sometimes depressing, reassuring, and incredibly well-written. The author is a poet, and her talents show in the writing. This makes the book strangely enjoyable to read as well as disturbing. The author comes across as a genuinely lovely person, and it is hard to read sometimes how her disorder has prevented her from enjoying many things in life.
This is such an important book because there are so many misconceptions about OCD. People still view it as something minor, but it can, and does, prevent people from living a fulfilling life. If you suffer from OCD, or think you may suffer from it, this book will offer reassurance that you’re not alone; if you know someone who suffers from OCD, then this book will help you understand what’s going on in their heads, and if you’re one of those people who arranges their bookshelves in alphabetical order and then proudly proclaims, ‘Oh, I’m just a bit OCD’, then you should definitely read this and maybe you’ll realise that it’s no laughing matter.
May 15, 2021
This was a difficult, but rewarding, read. Limburg writes about subjects (OCD and its ‘spectrum disorders’) that are relatively neglected. It’s unflinchingly honest but always respectful of the author’s family. I enjoyed the balance of memoir and theory. Well-written.
June 29, 2019
Op het einde wordt het wel meer technisch en minder memoir, maar het was nog steeds goed te volgen. Verder een fijn boek, niet melodramatisch en ook niet geforceerd grappig
September 13, 2013
Have you ever had a thought which kept going round and round in your head? Even if you know the thought or the idea is stupid you still can’t get rid of it. There is no way you can reason with this idea and banish it so that you can get on with your life. All of us must at some time had the occasional idea or thought which won’t be banished. But the author has lived with obsessional thoughts for the whole of her life and she has had professional help of various kinds over the years to try and deal with them.
The popular idea of OCD is of someone who constantly washes their hands or has to keep checking they’ve turned the oven off or locked the front door. This memoir may well help to dispel this idea. The author’s main problem is obsessional patterns of thoughts. She sees excessive danger where most of us would see a normal everyday event. Crossing the road is only possible if there are no moving vehicles in sight from either direction. The author has visions of falling over and being squashed by a car when crossing the road.
Her fear of crossing roads intensified when she had a child of her own. She worries that she – or someone close to her – will be burned by a hot saucepan unless she ensures there is no possible danger. She thinks constantly about incredible sequences of events and wonders whether they will actually happen. She wouldn’t ever carry her baby when walking on hard surfaces or down stairs in case she dropped him.
I found this memoir fascinating and horrifying in equal measure. If you do not have OCD or know anyone with the problem then this will open up a whole new world for you. Unfortunately you may recognise people in your own life who have some degree of OCD.
The popular idea of OCD is of someone who constantly washes their hands or has to keep checking they’ve turned the oven off or locked the front door. This memoir may well help to dispel this idea. The author’s main problem is obsessional patterns of thoughts. She sees excessive danger where most of us would see a normal everyday event. Crossing the road is only possible if there are no moving vehicles in sight from either direction. The author has visions of falling over and being squashed by a car when crossing the road.
Her fear of crossing roads intensified when she had a child of her own. She worries that she – or someone close to her – will be burned by a hot saucepan unless she ensures there is no possible danger. She thinks constantly about incredible sequences of events and wonders whether they will actually happen. She wouldn’t ever carry her baby when walking on hard surfaces or down stairs in case she dropped him.
I found this memoir fascinating and horrifying in equal measure. If you do not have OCD or know anyone with the problem then this will open up a whole new world for you. Unfortunately you may recognise people in your own life who have some degree of OCD.
October 3, 2010
‘I obsessed about all kinds of things’
Joanne Limburg was a fearless child, a champion tree climber at the age of seven, who became an adolescent fearful of walking down stairs. Somehow, by the time she went to Cambridge to study, Ms Limburg was governed by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). What happened to Ms Limburg? And, importantly, how did she learn to live with OCD in order to have become an accomplished (and published) poet, wife and mother?
'I don’t want to die, but I feared for my life.’
This memoir is Ms Limburg’s quest to understand her OCD and to manage her symptoms. There was no clear switch from relative fearlessness to extreme fearfulness, but looking back Ms Limburg recalls some memories which she now regards as warning signs. These signs include the punishing robot that first appeared in a dream and then obsessed her during her waking hours, and her compulsive singing in order to keep bad things at bay. Her journey continues: disorders such as OCD are managed rather than cured.
I found this book a difficult read at times, because of the intensely personal nature of OCD. Ms Limburg has bravely told her story, and many of us will relate to at least parts of her journey. Dealing with distressing symptoms and searching for effective treatment and answers is part of the challenge for many with mental health problems. Some of the visible manifestations of OCD can seem quite bizarre to those unafflicted by it. But ultimately Ms Limburg’s memoir is a personal journey with a message of hope: that while all journeys will be different, sufferers of OCD need not suffer alone.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Joanne Limburg was a fearless child, a champion tree climber at the age of seven, who became an adolescent fearful of walking down stairs. Somehow, by the time she went to Cambridge to study, Ms Limburg was governed by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). What happened to Ms Limburg? And, importantly, how did she learn to live with OCD in order to have become an accomplished (and published) poet, wife and mother?
'I don’t want to die, but I feared for my life.’
This memoir is Ms Limburg’s quest to understand her OCD and to manage her symptoms. There was no clear switch from relative fearlessness to extreme fearfulness, but looking back Ms Limburg recalls some memories which she now regards as warning signs. These signs include the punishing robot that first appeared in a dream and then obsessed her during her waking hours, and her compulsive singing in order to keep bad things at bay. Her journey continues: disorders such as OCD are managed rather than cured.
I found this book a difficult read at times, because of the intensely personal nature of OCD. Ms Limburg has bravely told her story, and many of us will relate to at least parts of her journey. Dealing with distressing symptoms and searching for effective treatment and answers is part of the challenge for many with mental health problems. Some of the visible manifestations of OCD can seem quite bizarre to those unafflicted by it. But ultimately Ms Limburg’s memoir is a personal journey with a message of hope: that while all journeys will be different, sufferers of OCD need not suffer alone.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
August 2, 2013
Joanne Limburg writes her memoir about her years living with OCD, being a teenager when it started, trying to get her phd, or a steady job, finding someone who would marry her and raising her son.
I really loved this book! I loved her research, her unredemptive ending and her honesty about how the disease affected her.
it is not a self-help book. Some OCD sufferers may be worse off, some may be better, others may not have been diagnosed but may find that now they have a reason to seek help. Or not.
This is just simply Joanne's story. Honest and true.
I really loved this book! I loved her research, her unredemptive ending and her honesty about how the disease affected her.
it is not a self-help book. Some OCD sufferers may be worse off, some may be better, others may not have been diagnosed but may find that now they have a reason to seek help. Or not.
This is just simply Joanne's story. Honest and true.
March 13, 2014
The author was very forthright in her journey with OCD. I appreciated her honesty and tenacity. What could have been a crippling situation for her instead gave her the increasing will to conquer and overcome her obstacles. The author is brave to share her story in an intimate and uncensored manner.
July 6, 2017
I do not understand the school system in England, and the author has not given me much of a glimpse into why she has the thoughts or actions that she does. The author just seems like a depressed, anxious teenager. I am not engaged and don't plan to finish reading this book.
December 10, 2018
It's hard to say that this is an inspiring book, and if the last few pages are any indication, I don't think Limburg would want anyone to say that. Her memoir is filled with struggle and strife and privilege and lots and lots of thoughts about the horrendous ways that she could somehow die. She's getting better at a lot of things, but there's still a long way to go.
In her memoir, she includes a great deal of research, probably so that she could better explain what she was discussing, and so that we can better understand. She includes hard conversations with ex-best friends, boyfriends, family, and therapists. She includes moments of levity with counselors, her husband, her parents. Her life is a good one, but one totally impacted by OCD.
This was an incredibly thoughtful book, one that helps to shed light on what it's like to live with OCD as a child, adult, and parent, and I haven't seen a memoir like that. Possibly because there isn't--at least, not at the time when Limburg was writing. It's dense, funny, realistic, and absolutely great for those wanting to know more about other people's perspectives on life.
Review cross-listed here!
In her memoir, she includes a great deal of research, probably so that she could better explain what she was discussing, and so that we can better understand. She includes hard conversations with ex-best friends, boyfriends, family, and therapists. She includes moments of levity with counselors, her husband, her parents. Her life is a good one, but one totally impacted by OCD.
This was an incredibly thoughtful book, one that helps to shed light on what it's like to live with OCD as a child, adult, and parent, and I haven't seen a memoir like that. Possibly because there isn't--at least, not at the time when Limburg was writing. It's dense, funny, realistic, and absolutely great for those wanting to know more about other people's perspectives on life.
Review cross-listed here!
February 10, 2021
Jest to dobra, choć niełatwa do czytania książka. Autorka opowiada o swoim życiu, w którym przez cały czas musiała się zmagać z symptomami swojej choroby przez długi czas nie otrzymując żadnej pomocy z zewnątrz mimo intensywnych poszukiwań. Jej egzystencja była trudna, neurotyczna i długo bardzo jałowa. Książka bardzo przybliża temat zaburzeń obsesyjno-kompulsywnych, choć jest to obraz przefiltrowany przez doświadczenia autorki.
September 24, 2025
As an OCD sufferer it’s always fascinating to read about other people’s experiences. It is great to see that it is becoming more understood but there are still so many misconceptions that prevent people from being properly diagnosed and treated. Limburg holds nothing back and shows how OCD progresses in your life as your life circumstances change. A very insightful read.
Read
June 1, 2019I started this but soon gave up. I didn’t find any themes or organizing principles, just “I did this then I did this then I did this.” Too bad because the subject matter interests me. And I do love her poem on laundry.
April 12, 2024
Interesting in places. Frustrating lack of information
June 22, 2021
“One has to shrug and accept that life is horrific and unbearable, but live it anyway.”
The lived experience of obsessive compulsive disorder through the eyes of a poet. This is an insightful memoir with a detailed description of one of the many clinical manifestations of the disorder.
I really appreciated the discussion on the relationship between the toleration of doubt and internal discomfort and the accomplishment of creative tasks. “In order to write anything real, you have to kill that luminous potential and erect something concretely disappointing in its place.”
She talks about the ‘just right’ feeling that underlies crippling perfectionism that “drives all kinds of compulsions”, how one can’t “finish something until it feels right rather than taking the objective view.”
I enjoyed reading about how the making of poetry can be seen as an “ingenious attempt at self-cure and a kind of symbolic healing.”
I also very much appreciated how the author refrains from writing a memoir that ‘travels a heroic path from a low point of disease and disorder to a high point of triumph over despair.” This memoir is not confined to such a trajectory and is in control of the narrative story.
The lived experience of obsessive compulsive disorder through the eyes of a poet. This is an insightful memoir with a detailed description of one of the many clinical manifestations of the disorder.
I really appreciated the discussion on the relationship between the toleration of doubt and internal discomfort and the accomplishment of creative tasks. “In order to write anything real, you have to kill that luminous potential and erect something concretely disappointing in its place.”
She talks about the ‘just right’ feeling that underlies crippling perfectionism that “drives all kinds of compulsions”, how one can’t “finish something until it feels right rather than taking the objective view.”
I enjoyed reading about how the making of poetry can be seen as an “ingenious attempt at self-cure and a kind of symbolic healing.”
I also very much appreciated how the author refrains from writing a memoir that ‘travels a heroic path from a low point of disease and disorder to a high point of triumph over despair.” This memoir is not confined to such a trajectory and is in control of the narrative story.
June 29, 2022
I loved this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I have learned so many things about OCD and it her anxiety disorders that I didn't know. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
January 25, 2024
*3.5 stars
I enjoyed this book and thought it a pretty comprehensive look at ocd. I like how it explores non-typical obsessions and compulsions and thoroughly explores the psychodynamic side of things. contrary to what I expected, the book isn't 100% ocd-- it was more a picture of her mental health as a whole, exploring depression, anxiety, ocd and more. it was a mix of autobiography and non-fiction, which felt sometimes fluent, sometimes hard to navigate to me. I did also find it in some parts slightly triggering/made me feel a bit down, but then again, the content is not very sunshine and rainbows! a lot of what limburg explores here is very much (as she mentions once) related to her then-undiagnosed autism, I feel (i felt this particularly with her wondering if her stims are tics), but it also goes to show just how much it is all interlinked in one's brain. overall very much recommendable.
I enjoyed this book and thought it a pretty comprehensive look at ocd. I like how it explores non-typical obsessions and compulsions and thoroughly explores the psychodynamic side of things. contrary to what I expected, the book isn't 100% ocd-- it was more a picture of her mental health as a whole, exploring depression, anxiety, ocd and more. it was a mix of autobiography and non-fiction, which felt sometimes fluent, sometimes hard to navigate to me. I did also find it in some parts slightly triggering/made me feel a bit down, but then again, the content is not very sunshine and rainbows! a lot of what limburg explores here is very much (as she mentions once) related to her then-undiagnosed autism, I feel (i felt this particularly with her wondering if her stims are tics), but it also goes to show just how much it is all interlinked in one's brain. overall very much recommendable.
June 6, 2010
An honest and interesting read, although bordering on reading like a text book at times. Given the author's drive for perfectionism, all the way through I was wondering how she managed to get the book written let alone critiqued and published.
July 6, 2016
Very interesting yet lost the autobiographical nature towards the end which I had found so emotive and personal. Such books are incredibly important in abolishing mental illness stereotypes and I can imagine this story being difficult to write.
Read
January 24, 2011I feel like I should be enjoying this more than I am - perhaps it's the wrong time for me to be reading it. May set it aside...
October 14, 2011
Very informative. I could identify with many of her issues.
May 23, 2012
I was left feeling like i was sneaking on someone's private matters but also admired her for her patience.
July 8, 2012
Liked it, I can really relate to the issues that she went through.
February 8, 2013
I found this difficult to read because I know somebody who suffers from severe OCD. It was however vey helpful,
I would recommend it to OCD sufferers and their family/friends/carers etc.
I would recommend it to OCD sufferers and their family/friends/carers etc.
October 27, 2015
Intense and personal. Erudite and insightful.
December 7, 2011
articulate, wry, almost excruciatingly honest. well written. can't fault it really.
January 9, 2016
A thought provoking read that gets you reflecting on yourself
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews