Dee Salmin knows exactly who she is -- a confident, sex positive woman surrounded by love.

But like many others, Dee always felt pressure to hook up, get a boyfriend, and ignore her own passions to maintain a "cool girl" persona.

It wasn't until a near-death experience forced her to learn to walk again, that she started to question some of the "advice" she had always accepted.

In this week's long listen, Dee opens up to Dave about the experiences that shaped her, the abuse it took her years to recognise, and how she learned to love and live authentically.

Editor's Note: In addition to her work as an author, Dee Salmin is the host of triple j's podcast The Hook Up.

Guests: 

• Dariya (Dee) Salmin, author of It's Not Love Actually: How to Find the Life and Love You Deserve

Get the whole story from hack:

• Follow us on Instagram and TikTok
• Subscribe to the hack podcast
• Listen on the triple j app or on your radio live every weeknight at 5:30pm