We've all felt the giddy flutter of excitement when our new lover walks into the room. Waited by the phone, changed our plans...But are we in love, or is there something darker at work? In Desire: Where Sex Meets Addiction, Susan Cheever explores the shifting boundaries between the feelings of passion and addiction, desire and need, and she raises provocative and important questions about who we love and why. Elegantly written and thoughtfully composed, Cheever's book combines unsparing and intimate memoir, interviews and stories, hard science and psychology to explore the difference between falling in love and falling prey to an addiction. Part one defines what addiction is and how it works -- the obsession, the betrayals, the broken promises to oneself and others. Part two explores the possible causes of addiction -- is it nature or nurture, a permanent condition or a temporary derangement? Part three considers what we can do about it, including a provocative suggestion about how we describe and treat addiction, and a look at the importance of community and storytelling. In the end, there are no easy answers. "A straight look about some crooked feelings," Desire shows us the difference between the addiction that cripples our emotions, and healthy, empowering love that enhances our lives.

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 sophomore year of high school, fifteen-year-old Allison Britz lived a comfortable life in an idyllic town. She was a dedicated student with tons of extracurricular activities, friends, and loving parents at home. But after awakening from a vivid nightmare in which she was diagnosed with brain cancer, she was convinced the dream had been a warning. Allison believed that she must do something to stop the cancer in her dream from becoming a reality. It started with avoiding sidewalk cracks and quickly grew to counting steps as loudly as possible. Over the following weeks, her brain listed more dangers and fixes. She had to avoid hair dryers, calculators, cell 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 behavior, leading to explosive fights. When notebook paper, pencils, and most schoolbooks were declared dangerous to her health, her GPA imploded, along with her plans for the future. Finally, she allowed herself to ask for help and was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. This brave memoir tracks Allison’s descent and ultimately hopeful climb out of the depths.

The #1 ebook bestseller ‘Thrilling, unputdownable, a fabulous rollercoaster of a read – I was obsessed by this book’ B A PARIS, bestselling author of BEHIND CLOSED DOORS ‘One of the sexiest, most compelling debuts I’ve come across this year, it cries out to become a TV drama’ DAILY MAIL

We live in an age of obsession. Not only are we hopelessly devoted to our work, strangely addicted to our favorite television shows, and desperately impassioned about our cars, we admire obsession in others: we demand that lovers be infatuated with one another in films, we respond to the passion of single-minded musicians, we cheer on driven athletes. To be obsessive is to be American; to be obsessive is to be modern. But obsession is not only a phenomenon of modern existence: it is a medical category—both a pathology and a goal. Behind this paradox lies a fascinating history, which Lennard J. Davis tells in Obsession. Beginning with the roots of the disease in demonic possession and its secular successors, Davis traces the evolution of obsessive behavior from a social and religious fact of life into a medical and psychiatric problem. From obsessive aspects of professional specialization to obsessive compulsive disorder and nymphomania, no variety of obsession eludes Davis’s graceful analysis.

Obsession pulls us towards our loving work. Discipline pushes us to do anything. Discipline is overrated. It feels tough, powered & pressured on our routine while true obsession is underrated. Obsession is merely a play, a great pleasurable play from our heart & soul. It doesn't need any perfect routine & our entire life is dedicated to it unknowingly. Discipline is visible with time. If you seek it you can't ever find it. Obsession makes time invisible. It may not be the best of the world but can give you the best feeling of the world. If you often tell yourself to be disciplined then you aren't devoting entirely to your work. It's like telling a gloomy man to become contented. What if I told you to stop being sad when you are sad! So, I can't say to myself, to be disciplined when I'm in my comfort zone. The most intense world's best personalities like Nikola Tesla, Plato, Aristotle, William Shakespeare, Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Franz Kafka, Alexander the Great, Alfred Hitchcock, Stephen Hawking, Confucius, Michael Jackson or even Diogenes weren't focused on being disciplined but their obsession & that became irresistible as soon as they loved it. Diogenes once said, there is a false love that will make you something you are not. Suppose you were the last person on this earth, who would you impress? The world is divided between two kinds of personalities, consumed and energetic. If you observe, you will find a lot of people doing arduous work to live out their livelihood. They all feel their work tough and that's what our elders teach us; do the hard work. We all feel work is a burden and we have to do it even when we don't like it. What's the real secret of being energetic? Of course, energy can be faked. Truly, energy can be faked for so long until your mind bursts out and you feel extremely dissatisfied within your soul. Now, how to win the hearts of the audience? How to create the masterpiece that makes you eternal for life? Can you really make your life exciting by yourself? History is often remembered by artists and it's a great myth that we aren't artists. Everyone is an artist. It's not only the painters, writers, directors or musicians who are artists but everyone. If you aren't using your artistic capabilities in your work, you are pushing yourself slowly to get consumed. Irresistible Obsession, the book has carefully crafted thirty well-researched practical techniques for automatic discipline without knowing time & pain, skill mastery and finally work obsession to control your fortune. After researching, analysing history and learning about the world's best personalities, we feel, this book is insanely deep to assist you to find your own soul and the minute details of your most loving work. It's useful for artists, routine work, writers, creative people & most importantly, passionate people who want to live a fulfilled life. With insane techniques, the book, Irresistible Obsession will transform your life forever while making you into the person to reach and accomplish your goals with deep perfection, without making any hurry even with reasonable rest. In gist, it will bring out your best flawlessly even without giving you any pain. Focus is meditation; Multitasking is overrated; Motivation is void and irregular; Genius is overrated; & Interest and curiosity are underrated. A genius can also fail if he doesn't work honest enough. Affirmative, time is an illusion. Almost all people have enough time to shake the world. In this book, we are focusing on being irresistibly obsessed with our passion, so we can become your best, not someone else's best. Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. - Confucius.