Louise O'Neill: 'I’ve always been honest with you in these pages, for better or for worse'

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I don’t like confrontation. It makes me feel panicked, as if everything is falling apart and can never be repaired. 

My reaction tends to be an over-sized one, involving shouting or tears but underneath all of that, I can smell my fear. I once dated a man who reacted to these outbursts with amusement, a quirk of a smile as I became increasingly upset.