Scorpions: A Memoir

'A skilful, poetic and bleakly funny account of coping with a lifelong condition' – THE GUARDIAN

‘Absolutely extraordinary writing.’ – JAMES O'BRIEN

'So fantastic' – CHRIS EVANS

'Candid and compelling. A must-read.' – BRYONY GORDON

'Brilliantly readable.' – PATRICK MCGRATH

My mind is full of scorpions. A cerebral itch, impossible to scratch. I know these creatures well, but they know me better. They answer to another name, this nest of scorpions, the writhing black mass that lives inside my head…

For as long as Tuppence Middleton can remember, she has struggled with obsessive thoughts and compulsions. She visualises her OCD as scorpions inhabiting her mind, something to be hidden that impacts her life daily:

• Have I killed my cat?
• When was the last time that person in front of me vomited?
• How many people have touched this door handle since it was cleaned?
• Should I tap the outside of the airplane to save my loved ones from harm?

Often used as a shorthand for tidiness or as the punchline of a joke, OCD is one of society’s most misunderstood disorders and it’s rarely spoken about with such honesty and openness.

In this beautifully written, moving and often darkly funny memoir, Tuppence recounts what it feels like to share your mind with a nest of scorpions.

'A fantastic memoir . . . Scorpions is intensely personal, yet somehow manages to be universal' – JOHN ROBINS

'There isn’t a page that won’t leave you with greater understanding and empathy' – JANET ELLIS

'Brilliantly immersive, funny, and brave' – LISA OWENS