[Don't] Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health

by Kelly Jensen

Our brains are complex, intricate, and unbelievably fascinating machines that serve as central command for our bodies and our lives day in and day out. And yet, we don’t talk about our brains as much as we should.

bigotry doesn’t need to be visible to remain viable.

Autism is not mental illness, but attempted compliance with nonautistic standards of behavior have played a central role in my lifelong battles with depression and anxiety. I did my best to teach myself how to meet those deeply biased standards, with some success.

I am a productive, functioning member of society. I have bipolar disorder. Those last two things are not mutually exclusive.

Living with bipolar disorder is like being the Goldilocks of your own brain, always in search of the state of Just Right. Just Right is when I’m Me—generally sanguine, frivolous, whimsical, with a touch of grumpy old lady. When I’m manic, I’m Too Much Me. When I’m depressed, I’m Not Enough Me. But isn’t that true of everyone? Aren’t we all in search of a state of Just Right in our lives? In our relationships, in our jobs, in our souls?

I wanted to be free, so I dove in and gave EMDR a try. It was a beautiful experience. I was able to reframe my perception and beliefs about the shooting. I realized I had no reason to feel guilty. I also finally felt like I had stopped running, a sensation that had haunted me and kept me on edge. I found my power again.

My body knew before my mind did: we’ve been here before, and it went badly for us.