Austė Žalnieriūnaitė answers “I find Esther's descent into insanity a...”

Maddie asked this question about The Bell Jar:

I find Esther's descent into insanity a little rushed or hasty, but I have never experienced mental trauma like hers. Is it relatable to anyone else? Has anyone gone through what Esther is experiencing and could shed some light on this?

Austė Žalnieriūnaitė If you suffer from bipolar or borderline disorder, insanity can come pretty quickly and without any notice. You can be up one second and down the next…moreIf you suffer from bipolar or borderline disorder, insanity can come pretty quickly and without any notice. You can be up one second and down the next. My downs are mostly triggered by such small things as a wrong word or a wrong glance. All the negativity grows from a small itch to an enormous inner pain/sadness. In my case — disappointment and feeling of worthlessness. I can also relate to the lying/living in the fantasies, creating various scenarios of the life, pretending to be someone else... I guess that the feelings in the book are described with much sincerity and makes it really touching/beautiful.(less)

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