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[Don't] Call Me Crazy
Who’s Crazy?
What does it mean to be crazy? Is using the word crazy offensive? What happens when such a label gets attached to your everyday experiences?
In order to understand mental health, we need to talk openly about it. Because there’s no single definition of crazy, there’s no single experience that embodies it, and the word itself means different things—wild? extreme? disturbed? passionate?—to different people.
(Don’t) Call Me Crazy is a conversation starter and guide to better understanding how our mental health affects us every day. Thirty-three writers, athletes, and artists offer essays, lists, comics, and illustrations that explore their personal experiences with mental illness, how we do and do not talk about mental health, help for better understanding how every person’s brain is wired differently, and what, exactly, might make someone crazy.
If you’ve ever struggled with your mental health, or know someone who has, come on in, turn the pages, and let’s get talking.
What does it mean to be crazy? Is using the word crazy offensive? What happens when such a label gets attached to your everyday experiences?
In order to understand mental health, we need to talk openly about it. Because there’s no single definition of crazy, there’s no single experience that embodies it, and the word itself means different things—wild? extreme? disturbed? passionate?—to different people.
(Don’t) Call Me Crazy is a conversation starter and guide to better understanding how our mental health affects us every day. Thirty-three writers, athletes, and artists offer essays, lists, comics, and illustrations that explore their personal experiences with mental illness, how we do and do not talk about mental health, help for better understanding how every person’s brain is wired differently, and what, exactly, might make someone crazy.
If you’ve ever struggled with your mental health, or know someone who has, come on in, turn the pages, and let’s get talking.
228 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2018
About the author
Kelly Jensen
6 books1,223 followersKelly Jensen is a former teen librarian who worked in several public libraries before pursuing a full-time career in writing and editing. Her current position is with Book Riot, the largest independent book website in North America, where she focuses on talking about young adult literature in all of its manifestations. Before becoming a fully-fledged adult-like person, she worked in the swanky Texas Legislative Library entering data into a computer while surrounded by important politicians, scooped gelato for hungry college students, and spent hours reading, annotating, and scanning small-town Texas newspapers into a giant searchable database.
Kelly lives in the Chicago area with her husband, her daughter, her rabbit, and five needy-but-awesome cats. In her free time, she teaches yoga, writes for her personal blog STACKED (stackedbooks.org), drinks a lot of tea, and enjoys disappearing for days reading good books. Her writing has been featured on The Huffington Post, at Rookie Magazine, The Horn Book, BlogHer, and School Library Journal.
Please note: I don't take review requests via Goodreads and I don't respond to comments on reviews that are more than 6 months old.
Kelly lives in the Chicago area with her husband, her daughter, her rabbit, and five needy-but-awesome cats. In her free time, she teaches yoga, writes for her personal blog STACKED (stackedbooks.org), drinks a lot of tea, and enjoys disappearing for days reading good books. Her writing has been featured on The Huffington Post, at Rookie Magazine, The Horn Book, BlogHer, and School Library Journal.
Please note: I don't take review requests via Goodreads and I don't respond to comments on reviews that are more than 6 months old.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 509 reviews
July 26, 2018
I only wish someone had told me not that I was "crazy" but that I was sick, and there was a way to get better.
This book made me cry, but for all the right reasons.
When you start putting parts of yourself out there on the Internet, people begin to wonder about you and to form their own stories. I've seen theories about me circling on Goodreads and Twitter. How I am an evil villainess waiting to tear down the latest YA book. How I review books to be mean or contrarian, or because I am too stupid to do anything else. But here's the truth: reviewing books is my way of surviving.
I am mentally ill. I have depression and anxiety. I am a suicide survivor. I have spent many many years of my life wondering what was wrong with me. I am, if you will, crazy. And that word is fine with me. I recently found out that a lot of the social problems and strange habits I had as a young child (and still have to some extent) are because of high functioning autism - things I remember, like my tendency to not "get" jokes and sarcasm, and things I don't remember, like covering my ears, throwing myself on the floor, and screaming when my parents first tried to take me into a busy preschool class.
I didn't know for so long why I was bad at existing and interacting in ways that are considered socially acceptable. It was two years after my suicide attempt that I discovered Goodreads. I was not in a good place at that time, but this site turned out to be exactly what I needed. Thinking deeply about how books made me feel and turning that into reviews was the perfect food for my weird analytical brain. And I'm still here because this place has been better for me than any of the meds I've ever taken.
I'm telling you this because we need to talk openly about mental illness. And I am so so thrilled that the brave writers, actors and artists in (Don't) Call Me Crazy came together to open up this discussion. From Holstrom's piece on trichotillomania to Kuehn's misophonia to S. Jae Jones' examination of the manic pixie dreamgirl to Meredith Russo's experience of mental illness as a transwoman, this book talks in a frank open way about the realities of mental illness and its treatment options.
Sometimes I'm okay. Sometimes I am very far from okay.
It's both fun and heart-wrenching, breaking up beautiful and important pieces on PTSD, substance abuse, BPD and eating disorders with funny inspirational artwork and reading lists.
Not surprisingly, (Don't) Call Me Crazy takes us to the dark depths of mental illness at times - what V.E. Schwab describes as a "black hole" and Libba Bray calls the "rituals" of anxiety and OCD - but I think, ultimately, it's an uplifting book. As Shaun David Hutchinson tells us in the opening piece, mental illness does not define a person, and there are many many treatment options available.
We just need to break down the stigma around mental illness and talk about it. People need to be educated about it, not only so those with mental illness can understand themselves, but so that the people around them can offer compassion and understanding instead of a "You're crazy!" And I believe that what Kelly Jensen says in her piece is true of pretty much everyone, mentally ill or neurotypical:
I am a person figuring out how to be the best version of myself, one step at a time.
It's certainly how I feel every day.
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July 23, 2017I wrote an essay for this anthology on mental black holes.
June 17, 2022
As someone who struggles with her own mental health, I’ve appreciated the recent uptick in representation in the YA book world—as it’s so necessary and I think it can do so much good, especially for young readers coming to terms with their own mental health—but there are two things I’ve found sorely lacking: nonfiction presented in an interesting and approachable manner from authors that readers already know and love, and representation that reflects even the more marginalized segments of the mental illness community.
With this in mind, you can imagine how ecstatic I was when I learned that (Don’t) Call Me Crazy would fill both of those needs.
The first thing I have to rave about is the wide variety of representations offered in this book. Not only are there authors from so many different backgrounds—queer, trans, bi/multiracial, Latinx, and/or Native, to name a few—but there are so many important diagnoses and topics discussed.
There’s Dior Vargas’ discussion of how hard it is to be a person of color with a mental illness in a society that depicts MI as a “white” issue, S. Jae-Jones’ narrative of what it feels like to be the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, Mike Jung’s relation of autism (and the fact that it is not an illness to be cured, no matter what certain “activism groups” claim)… In fact, I’m just going to include a list at the bottom of this review.
Something else I loved about this collection is that there are so many different viewpoints on healing/coping. There are stories encouraging, others encouraging therapy or meditation, and even one I related very strongly to, where Heidi Heilig discusses feeling like “A Bad Crazy” for choosing not to medicate or to strongly pursue a “cure” for the time being. No writer ever vilifies another path to coping or healing; the general theme is that we do what we need to do in order to survive and pursue peace in life. The finishing piece from s. e. smith, “Call Me Crazy”, even talks about reclaiming slurs and hurtful terms, fighting back against stigmas, and being proud of ourselves—mental illnesses and all.
This may go without saying, but please practice self-care while reading this collection, as there are certainly quite a few triggering topics. There are discussions of sexual assault, abusive family members, eating disorders, hospitalizations, self-harm (including the comic by Yumi Sakugawa, which depicts a cartoonish character harming themselves), transphobia, racism, sexism, suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, ableism, and more.
Finally, I just wanted to share a few of my stand-out favorites and the ones that meant the most to me on a personal note:
→ Ashley Holstrom’s thoroughness in branching off from a discussion of trich to describe its sister illness, dermatillomania, which I have dealt with literally as long as I can remember and have never seen depicted in a book, nonfiction or otherwise.
→ S. Jae-Jones’ commentary on how the romanticization of mental illness in women causes an environment that is not conducive to women seeking and receiving the help they need.
→ Heidi Heilig’s admittance that she considers herself “A Bad Crazy” for not seeking out a cure or treatment for her mental illness—I think a lot of people will be able to relate to this.
→ Amy Reed’s story of her struggles with addiction, in which she reminds us that healing is a forever process.
→ Jessica Tremaine’s history of her disordered eating habits and the desperate need for control that they stemmed from.
→ MILCK’s narrative around the combination of anorexia and depression—and just as notably, the underlying message that nothing is stronger than a woman who is brave enough to love herself in a society that tries to tear her down.
→ Emery Lord’s incredibly relatable piece on depression, numbness, and the general lack of desire to exist—I literally feel like Emery Lord and I are mental illness soul sisters after reading this, and I cried, a lot, because talk about feeling seen.
→ Victoria Schwab’s explanation for why she stays so busy. Her reasoning is precisely the same as my own need to constantly be doing something, even if it’s at the risk of “being present”—and her struggles with obsessive thoughts even began in the same way that mine did, by revolving around an all-consuming fear of losing her parents as a child. From another kid who grew up compulsively listening for the sounds of my parents continuing to breathe while they slept, I see you, Victoria. ♥
Those are just a few of the gems in this collection, though, and I think there is honestly something in this book for everyone and anyone who has any experience with mental illnesses of their own. I cannot recommend this collection highly enough, and hope that it will become a staple item in teen libraries everywhere. Between the stories of hope and healing, the resources offered, and even the uplifting comics and fun lists of movies and books with healthy rep, this is a fantastic resource and one that I will be recommending to friends and loved ones for years to come.
Thank you so much to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
With this in mind, you can imagine how ecstatic I was when I learned that (Don’t) Call Me Crazy would fill both of those needs.
“Crazy” is not a singular—or definitive—experience.
—Kelly Jensen
The first thing I have to rave about is the wide variety of representations offered in this book. Not only are there authors from so many different backgrounds—queer, trans, bi/multiracial, Latinx, and/or Native, to name a few—but there are so many important diagnoses and topics discussed.
I have significance, for I am a human being, entire.
—S. Jae-Jones
There’s Dior Vargas’ discussion of how hard it is to be a person of color with a mental illness in a society that depicts MI as a “white” issue, S. Jae-Jones’ narrative of what it feels like to be the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, Mike Jung’s relation of autism (and the fact that it is not an illness to be cured, no matter what certain “activism groups” claim)… In fact, I’m just going to include a list at the bottom of this review.
They did not know the extent of my talent for smiling when I was a tornado inside.
—Amy Reed
Something else I loved about this collection is that there are so many different viewpoints on healing/coping. There are stories encouraging, others encouraging therapy or meditation, and even one I related very strongly to, where Heidi Heilig discusses feeling like “A Bad Crazy” for choosing not to medicate or to strongly pursue a “cure” for the time being. No writer ever vilifies another path to coping or healing; the general theme is that we do what we need to do in order to survive and pursue peace in life. The finishing piece from s. e. smith, “Call Me Crazy”, even talks about reclaiming slurs and hurtful terms, fighting back against stigmas, and being proud of ourselves—mental illnesses and all.
Nothing is as powerful as a woman who embraces herself, without apology.
—MILCK
This may go without saying, but please practice self-care while reading this collection, as there are certainly quite a few triggering topics. There are discussions of sexual assault, abusive family members, eating disorders, hospitalizations, self-harm (including the comic by Yumi Sakugawa, which depicts a cartoonish character harming themselves), transphobia, racism, sexism, suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, ableism, and more.
People do not tend to know when I am pretty freakin’ unwell. For a lot of reasons. I don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable or burdened or—often, I just don’t want to talk about it.
—Emery Lord
Finally, I just wanted to share a few of my stand-out favorites and the ones that meant the most to me on a personal note:
→ Ashley Holstrom’s thoroughness in branching off from a discussion of trich to describe its sister illness, dermatillomania, which I have dealt with literally as long as I can remember and have never seen depicted in a book, nonfiction or otherwise.
→ S. Jae-Jones’ commentary on how the romanticization of mental illness in women causes an environment that is not conducive to women seeking and receiving the help they need.
→ Heidi Heilig’s admittance that she considers herself “A Bad Crazy” for not seeking out a cure or treatment for her mental illness—I think a lot of people will be able to relate to this.
→ Amy Reed’s story of her struggles with addiction, in which she reminds us that healing is a forever process.
→ Jessica Tremaine’s history of her disordered eating habits and the desperate need for control that they stemmed from.
→ MILCK’s narrative around the combination of anorexia and depression—and just as notably, the underlying message that nothing is stronger than a woman who is brave enough to love herself in a society that tries to tear her down.
→ Emery Lord’s incredibly relatable piece on depression, numbness, and the general lack of desire to exist—I literally feel like Emery Lord and I are mental illness soul sisters after reading this, and I cried, a lot, because talk about feeling seen.
→ Victoria Schwab’s explanation for why she stays so busy. Her reasoning is precisely the same as my own need to constantly be doing something, even if it’s at the risk of “being present”—and her struggles with obsessive thoughts even began in the same way that mine did, by revolving around an all-consuming fear of losing her parents as a child. From another kid who grew up compulsively listening for the sounds of my parents continuing to breathe while they slept, I see you, Victoria. ♥
Those are just a few of the gems in this collection, though, and I think there is honestly something in this book for everyone and anyone who has any experience with mental illnesses of their own. I cannot recommend this collection highly enough, and hope that it will become a staple item in teen libraries everywhere. Between the stories of hope and healing, the resources offered, and even the uplifting comics and fun lists of movies and books with healthy rep, this is a fantastic resource and one that I will be recommending to friends and loved ones for years to come.
Representations—listed by author, in order of appearance:
Ashley Holstrom: trichotillomania, dermatillomania
Dior Vargas: imposter syndrome, borderline personality disorder (BPD)
Sarah Hannah Gomez: OCD, bipolar II
Stephanie Kuehn: misophonia/4S
Mike Jung: autism
Christine Heppermann: phobias, abuse
S. Jae-Jones: bipolar
Monique Bedard (Aura): erasure of MI in Native communities
Heidi Heilig: bipolar
Emily Mayberry: PTSD
Amy Reed: addictions, abuse
Jessica Tremaine: anorexia, bulimia
Reid Ewing: body dysmorphia
Susan Juby: alcoholism
MILCK: anorexia, depression
Libba Bray: OCD, anxiety
Emery Lord: depression, suicidal ideation
Gemma Correll: anxiety (multiple comics)
Clint Van Winkle: PTSD/PTS
Esme Weijun Wang: anxiety
Victoria/V. E. Schwab: obsessive thoughts
Kristen Bell: depression
Mary Isabel: PTSD, abuse
Lisa Jakub: anxiety
Meredith Russo: depression, suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, body dysmorphia, experiencing transphobia
Yumi Sakugawa: self harm (comic)
Kelly Jensen: depression, anxiety
Adam Silvera: depression, suicidal ideation
Hannah Bae: paranoia
S. Zainab Williams: depression (comic)
Nancy Kerrigan: disordered eating
s. e. smith: depression, misdiagnosed BPD, “craziness”
NOTE: I took notes while reading, but apologize if I missed anything represented in any specific stories. I opted not to include the authors’ races or sexual/gender identities in most of these because I wasn’t familiar with all of the authors and did not want to make any assumptions or out anyone without their consent.
Thank you so much to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Want to Read
July 24, 2017They had me at Victoria Schwab and Adam Silvera.
But the idea of this is amazing!
But the idea of this is amazing!
June 30, 2018
I'm a huge advocate for the idea that we need to talk more openly about mental health. People with mental ilness need to know they matter and that they can get better. People without it need to know they can help. In the last year, this idea has become an increasingly important part of both my personal and professional life.
I try not to be a nudge and talk about my job on here, but I work for the children's book imprint of the American Psychological Association, and it's unbelievably rewarding to say that I can connect people to tools that can address mental health concerns. I wish my parents had these resources when I was a kid; maybe it would have saved me a lot of money in therapy bills as an adult.
But I'm also getting braver at telling people about my own mental health issues. I started writing about it here, which remains relatively distinct from my offline life, and talking with other friends I know are in therapy for similar things. But I recently stood up in front of all 600 APA co-workers and talked about it, I've started talking about it on Facebook, and I talk about it more with friends who aren't struggling themselves. It relieves some of the pressure off my own head, and I feel like it relieves some of the pressure off of others who needed permission to start their own conversations.
I hope so, anyway.
These kinds of conversations are going to save lives, so thank you to Kelly Jensen for this collection. You're helping to make it easier to talk about this stuff. Not every essay in the collection worked for me, but it's important that it's out there. It's going to work for someone.
One essay that did get to me so hard was Adam Silvera's piece on hope in the face of suicidal ideation. I recently wrote a review of his latest book that boiled down to "You know how to burrow beneath my skin in a way few others do and it's amazing." But his essay burrowed beneath my skin in a way that I wrote him an email to thank him for it. I've never written a fan letter in my life, but I wrote one about being depressed.
Guys, read this book. Give it to people you love, especially teens. Learn how to talk about this shit and it's going to help someone get better.
I try not to be a nudge and talk about my job on here, but I work for the children's book imprint of the American Psychological Association, and it's unbelievably rewarding to say that I can connect people to tools that can address mental health concerns. I wish my parents had these resources when I was a kid; maybe it would have saved me a lot of money in therapy bills as an adult.
But I'm also getting braver at telling people about my own mental health issues. I started writing about it here, which remains relatively distinct from my offline life, and talking with other friends I know are in therapy for similar things. But I recently stood up in front of all 600 APA co-workers and talked about it, I've started talking about it on Facebook, and I talk about it more with friends who aren't struggling themselves. It relieves some of the pressure off my own head, and I feel like it relieves some of the pressure off of others who needed permission to start their own conversations.
I hope so, anyway.
These kinds of conversations are going to save lives, so thank you to Kelly Jensen for this collection. You're helping to make it easier to talk about this stuff. Not every essay in the collection worked for me, but it's important that it's out there. It's going to work for someone.
One essay that did get to me so hard was Adam Silvera's piece on hope in the face of suicidal ideation. I recently wrote a review of his latest book that boiled down to "You know how to burrow beneath my skin in a way few others do and it's amazing." But his essay burrowed beneath my skin in a way that I wrote him an email to thank him for it. I've never written a fan letter in my life, but I wrote one about being depressed.
Guys, read this book. Give it to people you love, especially teens. Learn how to talk about this shit and it's going to help someone get better.
October 10, 2017
Hey, I just met you
And this is (NOT) crazy
But here's my essay
So read it maybe
And this is (NOT) crazy
But here's my essay
So read it maybe
Read
February 28, 2018We have a cover!
Add (DON'T) Call Me Crazy to your to-read shelf & preorder a copy from your favorite book store. Let's crack open this conversation about mental health.
Add (DON'T) Call Me Crazy to your to-read shelf & preorder a copy from your favorite book store. Let's crack open this conversation about mental health.
Read
April 13, 2019I wrote an essay for this!
It took me three months to read this in its entirety, because it is really, really exhausting--but in a good way. Such good stuff in here.
It took me three months to read this in its entirety, because it is really, really exhausting--but in a good way. Such good stuff in here.
July 19, 2018
Incredible. I cannot wait for the world to get to read this collection. I’m so honored to have been included in it.
Mental health is just as important as physical health, kiddos. Let’s end the stigma.
January 2017:
It's not done yet, but I'm writing an essay for this bomb-ass anthology of essays about mental health for young adults. It'll be about my life with trichotillomania, and, I hope, all the words I needed to read when I was 13 and pulling out my eyebrows without knowing why.
Mental health is just as important as physical health, kiddos. Let’s end the stigma.
January 2017:
It's not done yet, but I'm writing an essay for this bomb-ass anthology of essays about mental health for young adults. It'll be about my life with trichotillomania, and, I hope, all the words I needed to read when I was 13 and pulling out my eyebrows without knowing why.
September 5, 2020
but isn’t that true for everyone. Aren’t we all in search of a state of just right , in our lives ?
a very great book that discusses somany different mental illnesses. All the story’s in this book are by different authors and are about different experiences from them with different mental illnesses. Some story’s I related a lot to , some story’s I related to in parts but all story’s are story’s of real people and they are honest and these story’s have hope in them and talk about healing. And dealing with a mental illness.
I think reading this story’s kinda make you feel less alone if you deal with a mental illness of your own like me. I struggle with depression a lot in my life and have for a lot of years. I also struggle with anxiety and self harm and obsessive thougts and fears. And it shows you that you are not alone. Also the story’s are inspiring. I reccoment reading this collection of stories a lot to well probably everyone either to learn more about what it is like to live with mental illness of all different sorts. And I reccoment it for people who struggle , and don’t almost all of us sometimes struggle with things ?
a very great book that discusses somany different mental illnesses. All the story’s in this book are by different authors and are about different experiences from them with different mental illnesses. Some story’s I related a lot to , some story’s I related to in parts but all story’s are story’s of real people and they are honest and these story’s have hope in them and talk about healing. And dealing with a mental illness.
I think reading this story’s kinda make you feel less alone if you deal with a mental illness of your own like me. I struggle with depression a lot in my life and have for a lot of years. I also struggle with anxiety and self harm and obsessive thougts and fears. And it shows you that you are not alone. Also the story’s are inspiring. I reccoment reading this collection of stories a lot to well probably everyone either to learn more about what it is like to live with mental illness of all different sorts. And I reccoment it for people who struggle , and don’t almost all of us sometimes struggle with things ?
May 25, 2020
4.5 stars
October 9, 2018
This book is so important and full of hope. Thank you for showing me that I'm not alone.
July 20, 2020
Disclaimer: I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is no way impacted my review.
Important Note: This anthology (and this review) contain talk of different mental illnesses and experiences with them, suicide/suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and more which can be potentially triggering to some readers. Please be aware of that before picking this anthology up.
Anthologies are difficult to rate as each story is different. Furthermore, an anthology about mental health is even more difficult to rate as I don't want to 'rate' people's personal experiences and how they recount them; therefore, this review is going to be a little bit different from my usual reviews.
(Don't) Call Me Crazy is an anthology featuring 33 different voices, some authors and some not, who share essays, comics, lists, and more to recount their personal experiences with mental illnesses and mental health.
The anthology is split into five different chapters:
1) What's "Crazy?" focuses on beginning the conversation about mental health and stresses the individuality of experiences.
2) Where "Crazy" Meets Culture is a chapter dedicated to portrayals of neurodivergence in media and how popular culture deals with mental illnesses.
3) The Mind-Body Connection places emphasis on eating disorders and addictive behaviors and illnesses about control.
4) Beyond Stress and Sadness is primarily about anxiety and depression - mental illnesses that go beyond the feelings of stress and sadness all people experience.
5) To Be Okay is the final chapter and it recounts these contributor's personal experiences, but with hopeful endings that remind the reader to keep going forward.
*Resources and information about the contributors are also available at the end of the anthology.*
I loved the way this anthology covered many different topics. It really dug into the topic of mental health and I appreciated that in an anthology that was only meant to start the conversation but did so much more in my eyes.
My personal favorite chapter was, without a doubt, To Be Okay. If I could take that chapter away and print it out and frame it I would. It is so powerful in how it manages to share the realities, which can even be horrors at times, of mental illnesses and, without romanticizing them, still provide the reader with hope going forward and remind the reader that happiness and "okay-ness" is achievable.
Here are my highlights/favorite stories of this anthology:
- Defying Definition by Shaun David Hutchinson was such a strong beginning to the conversation and I couldn't have picked a better way to open the conversation.
- What I Know and What I Don't Know by Dior Vargas places a focus on mental health/mental illness in the lives of people of color which I appreciated. It is both personal to the writer and accessible to readers of color who struggle with mental illnesses like myself.
- Being Heard and Hating Sound by Stephanie Kuehn talked about a diagnosis that I had never previously heard of and is not popularly known which I firmly appreciated.
- Mike Jung's focus on autism was also an important addition to this anthology and I particularly appreciated his focus on labels and which he's okay with and which he's not okay with.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl by S Jae-Jones was a masterpiece. It was so well-written and so impactful and discusses both mental illness and feminism in a way.
- Bless This Mess by Amy Reed discussed many important points that would take far too long to list and was one of the more powerful pieces of this anthology.
- Reid Ewing's piece of body dysmorphia is such a necessary piece of work and I felt so strongly while reading it.
- MILCK's piece to her 14-year-old self was so special because it showed perseverance and how things do get better.
- Rituals by Libba Bray is so unique in how it is written and is so powerful in what it conveys.
- Ways to Say "Anxiety" by Esme Weijun Wang was short, but impactful and relatable and I truly found it got the realities of the anxiety experience.
- Black Hole by Victoria Schwab was, without a doubt, one of the best pieces of the anthology.
- Coda by Meredith Russo was likely my second favorite piece in this anthology and it discusses transness, mistreatment/discrimination based on being trans, hospitalization, and more, and I felt everything reading it.
- Happiness Goes On by Adam Silvera was my favorite piece in this anthology. No author has ever represented my exact experience with mental illness the way Silvera has and he continued to wow me with his newest essay. All I can say is, this one meant everything to me.
- Call Me Crazy by s.e. smith was another unarguable impactful piece that discusses labels and stigmatization in-depth.
As you can see, this anthology is powerful. I wanted to discuss these and more stories in-depth, but no one has the time or the energy to read that. All I can say is I am so thankful a piece of work like this exists in the world today. And I am so thankful to all the contributors who were willing to be honest about personal stories. This will change the lives of so many readers.
Disclaimer: The editor of this anthology, Kelly Jensen, has been called out for problematic behavior in the past. I do not condone this behavior in any way (and will not be discussing it in the comments as I'm not trying to 'spill tea'), but I wanted to share that this has caused me to have negative feelings about her but this has not impacted my overall review in any way and I did not lower any ratings due to my personal feelings.
Important Note: This anthology (and this review) contain talk of different mental illnesses and experiences with them, suicide/suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and more which can be potentially triggering to some readers. Please be aware of that before picking this anthology up.
Anthologies are difficult to rate as each story is different. Furthermore, an anthology about mental health is even more difficult to rate as I don't want to 'rate' people's personal experiences and how they recount them; therefore, this review is going to be a little bit different from my usual reviews.
(Don't) Call Me Crazy is an anthology featuring 33 different voices, some authors and some not, who share essays, comics, lists, and more to recount their personal experiences with mental illnesses and mental health.
The anthology is split into five different chapters:
1) What's "Crazy?" focuses on beginning the conversation about mental health and stresses the individuality of experiences.
2) Where "Crazy" Meets Culture is a chapter dedicated to portrayals of neurodivergence in media and how popular culture deals with mental illnesses.
3) The Mind-Body Connection places emphasis on eating disorders and addictive behaviors and illnesses about control.
4) Beyond Stress and Sadness is primarily about anxiety and depression - mental illnesses that go beyond the feelings of stress and sadness all people experience.
5) To Be Okay is the final chapter and it recounts these contributor's personal experiences, but with hopeful endings that remind the reader to keep going forward.
*Resources and information about the contributors are also available at the end of the anthology.*
I loved the way this anthology covered many different topics. It really dug into the topic of mental health and I appreciated that in an anthology that was only meant to start the conversation but did so much more in my eyes.
My personal favorite chapter was, without a doubt, To Be Okay. If I could take that chapter away and print it out and frame it I would. It is so powerful in how it manages to share the realities, which can even be horrors at times, of mental illnesses and, without romanticizing them, still provide the reader with hope going forward and remind the reader that happiness and "okay-ness" is achievable.
Here are my highlights/favorite stories of this anthology:
- Defying Definition by Shaun David Hutchinson was such a strong beginning to the conversation and I couldn't have picked a better way to open the conversation.
- What I Know and What I Don't Know by Dior Vargas places a focus on mental health/mental illness in the lives of people of color which I appreciated. It is both personal to the writer and accessible to readers of color who struggle with mental illnesses like myself.
- Being Heard and Hating Sound by Stephanie Kuehn talked about a diagnosis that I had never previously heard of and is not popularly known which I firmly appreciated.
- Mike Jung's focus on autism was also an important addition to this anthology and I particularly appreciated his focus on labels and which he's okay with and which he's not okay with.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl by S Jae-Jones was a masterpiece. It was so well-written and so impactful and discusses both mental illness and feminism in a way.
- Bless This Mess by Amy Reed discussed many important points that would take far too long to list and was one of the more powerful pieces of this anthology.
- Reid Ewing's piece of body dysmorphia is such a necessary piece of work and I felt so strongly while reading it.
- MILCK's piece to her 14-year-old self was so special because it showed perseverance and how things do get better.
- Rituals by Libba Bray is so unique in how it is written and is so powerful in what it conveys.
- Ways to Say "Anxiety" by Esme Weijun Wang was short, but impactful and relatable and I truly found it got the realities of the anxiety experience.
- Black Hole by Victoria Schwab was, without a doubt, one of the best pieces of the anthology.
- Coda by Meredith Russo was likely my second favorite piece in this anthology and it discusses transness, mistreatment/discrimination based on being trans, hospitalization, and more, and I felt everything reading it.
- Happiness Goes On by Adam Silvera was my favorite piece in this anthology. No author has ever represented my exact experience with mental illness the way Silvera has and he continued to wow me with his newest essay. All I can say is, this one meant everything to me.
- Call Me Crazy by s.e. smith was another unarguable impactful piece that discusses labels and stigmatization in-depth.
As you can see, this anthology is powerful. I wanted to discuss these and more stories in-depth, but no one has the time or the energy to read that. All I can say is I am so thankful a piece of work like this exists in the world today. And I am so thankful to all the contributors who were willing to be honest about personal stories. This will change the lives of so many readers.
Disclaimer: The editor of this anthology, Kelly Jensen, has been called out for problematic behavior in the past. I do not condone this behavior in any way (and will not be discussing it in the comments as I'm not trying to 'spill tea'), but I wanted to share that this has caused me to have negative feelings about her but this has not impacted my overall review in any way and I did not lower any ratings due to my personal feelings.
January 13, 2019
2.5 STARS
Anthologies are usually a mixed reading experience for me, including (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY. I’m not an unbiased reader. I’ve had anorexia and Major Depressive Disorder, I still occasionally have relapses of PTSD, anxiety and Persistent Depressive Disorder. I also worked as a child psychologist after recovering from my most serious issues. I’m not on disability for fibromyalgia. I believe in a strong body/mind connection and am convinced early trauma and recovery broke my body beyond repair. Most importantly, I’m very content with my life, often happy. Therapy works. My bias is toward embracing treatment with zest and compliance.
Opening up oneself and sharing the most difficult struggles can be scary. Many of the hopeful stories will give readers at the beginning of their journeys toward healing confidence. Some of the chapters in (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY felt more like therapy exercises than helpful contributions to an anthology about mental health. I don’t want to mention which since some of the writers may be in the midst of their journeys toward recovery, growth and/or self acceptance. Editor Kelly Jensen must have had difficulty pulling together this anthology, knowing some contributors may be more fragile than others.
Teens who haven’t yet received treatment and those just starting to heal will benefit most from (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY. Those further on in the process may not enjoy this anthology as much.
Anthologies are usually a mixed reading experience for me, including (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY. I’m not an unbiased reader. I’ve had anorexia and Major Depressive Disorder, I still occasionally have relapses of PTSD, anxiety and Persistent Depressive Disorder. I also worked as a child psychologist after recovering from my most serious issues. I’m not on disability for fibromyalgia. I believe in a strong body/mind connection and am convinced early trauma and recovery broke my body beyond repair. Most importantly, I’m very content with my life, often happy. Therapy works. My bias is toward embracing treatment with zest and compliance.
Opening up oneself and sharing the most difficult struggles can be scary. Many of the hopeful stories will give readers at the beginning of their journeys toward healing confidence. Some of the chapters in (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY felt more like therapy exercises than helpful contributions to an anthology about mental health. I don’t want to mention which since some of the writers may be in the midst of their journeys toward recovery, growth and/or self acceptance. Editor Kelly Jensen must have had difficulty pulling together this anthology, knowing some contributors may be more fragile than others.
Teens who haven’t yet received treatment and those just starting to heal will benefit most from (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY. Those further on in the process may not enjoy this anthology as much.
May 24, 2020
Many thanks to Algonquin Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
This is one of my favorite books that deals with mental illness! To see the others and to here me ramble about my brain, watch my video, A Brief Trip Inside My Mind!
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November 20, 2019I don't think I was the right audience for this book. I expected it to be more informative, but for me personally most of the essays were not. Or maybe the point of this book is to simply find something you can relate to and not necessarily like everything. I don't know.
I'm not going to rate this for two reasons. First, talking openly about one's mental health is not easy and I admire everyone who shared their personal experience in this book. Second, the fact that it didn't work for me as I hoped doesn't mean that other people won't find it more relatable and helpful.
That being said, I would like to mention the essays that I really liked, in the order as they appear in the book:
Defying Definition by Shaun David Hutchinson
Ways to Say "Anxiety" by Esme Weijun Wang
Black Hole by Victoria Schwab
Happiness Goes On by Adam Silvera
I'm not going to rate this for two reasons. First, talking openly about one's mental health is not easy and I admire everyone who shared their personal experience in this book. Second, the fact that it didn't work for me as I hoped doesn't mean that other people won't find it more relatable and helpful.
That being said, I would like to mention the essays that I really liked, in the order as they appear in the book:
Defying Definition by Shaun David Hutchinson
Ways to Say "Anxiety" by Esme Weijun Wang
Black Hole by Victoria Schwab
Happiness Goes On by Adam Silvera
October 21, 2018
With regard to mental illness (MI) and MI-related books, the anthology (Don't) Call Me Crazy was one of the top books I wanted to read this year. In a world where, in the past and to this day, MIs have been often misunderstood and tied to stigma in society, I believe a piece of literature in which well-known individuals and authors share their own experiences with MI is immensely valuable.
The anthology touches upon several subtopics, underlined in my review, and cover a vast amount of illnesses, some common, some rare. To be honest, I falsely believed that this anthology would also entail fictional short stories, but all the pieces are autobiographical. However, the mode of storytelling is quite diverse – streams of consciousness, plays, photos, drawings. I liked the essays most which were either the most creative in terms of MI portrayal (such as writing a play with OCD and anxiety as characters) or the most well-written in terms prose.
To make my life easier, I decided to proceed mathematically with my overall rating and rate the book by the mean of all essays put together. Keep in mind that my individual ratings of the essays are not a judgement of said person's experience, but mainly how well it is told to the reader. The pieces which consisted of photos or a drawing, I did not rate because they are, in my estimation, too short to form a proper judgement. I also couldn't review all essays, due to limited time, so I decided to pick a few and share my thoughts and some quotes.
FULL REVIEW TO COME.
–––
Chapter 1: What's "Crazy"?
Defying Definition by Shaun David Hutchinson
on depression
5 stars
Defining the Thing is the Trick by Ashley Holstrom
on trichotillomania
3.5 stars
What I Know and What I Don't Know by Dior Vargas
on borderline personality disorder and impostor syndrome
2.5 stars
What's, well, "crazy?" by Sarah Hannah Gomez
on bipolar disorder II with OCD
4 stars
being heard and hating sound by Stephanie Kuehn
on misophonia
3.5 stars
i hate to interrupt this conversation about mental illness, but guess what – I'm autistic by Mike Jung
on autism
3.5 stars
= 3.5 stars overall.
Chapter 2: Where "Crazy" Meets Culture
The Devil Inside by Christine Heppermann
on anxiety
3 stars
Manic Pixie Dream Girl by S. Jae-Jones
on bipolar disorder
4.5 stars
constellation of stars by Monique Bedard (Aura)
on… well, I'm not sure what to describe this essay as, but if there were a diagnosis "indigenous pain", then this would probably be it? Either way, the prose was beautiful.
3.5 stars
top 10 crazies in fiction by s.e. smith
on own voices MI rep
4 stars
what we're born with and what we pick up along the way by Heidi Heilig
on bipolar disorder
5 stars
the alchemy of healing by Emily Mayberry
on PTSD
4 stars
= 4 stars overall.
Chapter 3: The Mind-Body Connection
bless this mess by Amy Reed
on addictive disorder
3.5 stars
loosened associations by Esmé Weijun Wang
on psychosis
(too short to rate)
meeting disorder by Jessica Tremaine
on anorexia and bulimia
4.5 stars
i underwent cosmetic surgery for my body dysmorphia... and i wish i hadn't by Reid Ewing
on body dysmorphic disorder
3.5 stars
flattened by Susan Juby
on addictive disorder
3.5 stars
Dear 14-year-old milck by MILCK
on anorexia nervosa
4 stars
= 4 stars overall.
Chapter 4: Beyond Stress and Sadness
rituals by Libba Bray
on OCD and anxiety disorder
5 stars
the five people you overhear when depressed at a van gogh exhibit by Emery Lord
on depression (and Van Gogh's depression, too)
4.5 stars
Mystic by Gemma Correll
on agoraphobia
(too short to rate)
fighting the war on the home front by Clint Van Winkle
on PTSD
3.5 stars
ways to say "anxiety" by Esmé Weijun Wang
on anxiety
4 stars
The Train of Overthinking by Gemma Correll
on anxiety
(too short to rate)
Black Hole by Victoria "V. E." Schwab
on anxiety
4.5 stars
i'm over staying silent about depression by Kristen Bell
on depression
3.5 stars
Telephone Anxiety by Gemma Correll
on (social?) anxiety
(too short to rate)
driver's ed by Mary Isabel
on PTSD
4.5 stars
the pretender by Lisa Jakub
on panic disorder and agoraphobia
3 stars
= 4 stars overall.
Chapter 5: To Be Okay
Coda by Meredith Russo
on bipolar disorder with psychotic symptoms (and gender dysphoria)
4 stars
Tearing Feelings Apart by Yumi Sakugawa
(too short to rate)
the light bulb, the broom, and the work they don't tell you about by Kelly Jensen
on depression and anxiety
4 stars
Happiness Goes On by Adam Silvera
on suicidal ideation
4.5 stars
Survival Mode by Hannah Bae
on parental mental illness
3.5 stars
A Witch's Guide by S. Zainab Williams
(too short to rate)
Believe in Yourself by Nancy Kerrigan
on dealing with pressure and mental health issues
3 stars
Call Me Crazy by s.e. smith
on owning the crazy (and misdiagnosed borderline personality disorder)
3 stars
Keep Going by Esmé Weijun Wang
on hanging in there
(too short to rate)
= 3.5 stars overall.
The anthology touches upon several subtopics, underlined in my review, and cover a vast amount of illnesses, some common, some rare. To be honest, I falsely believed that this anthology would also entail fictional short stories, but all the pieces are autobiographical. However, the mode of storytelling is quite diverse – streams of consciousness, plays, photos, drawings. I liked the essays most which were either the most creative in terms of MI portrayal (such as writing a play with OCD and anxiety as characters) or the most well-written in terms prose.
To make my life easier, I decided to proceed mathematically with my overall rating and rate the book by the mean of all essays put together. Keep in mind that my individual ratings of the essays are not a judgement of said person's experience, but mainly how well it is told to the reader. The pieces which consisted of photos or a drawing, I did not rate because they are, in my estimation, too short to form a proper judgement. I also couldn't review all essays, due to limited time, so I decided to pick a few and share my thoughts and some quotes.
FULL REVIEW TO COME.
–––
Chapter 1: What's "Crazy"?
Defying Definition by Shaun David Hutchinson
on depression
5 stars
Defining the Thing is the Trick by Ashley Holstrom
on trichotillomania
3.5 stars
What I Know and What I Don't Know by Dior Vargas
on borderline personality disorder and impostor syndrome
2.5 stars
What's, well, "crazy?" by Sarah Hannah Gomez
on bipolar disorder II with OCD
4 stars
being heard and hating sound by Stephanie Kuehn
on misophonia
3.5 stars
i hate to interrupt this conversation about mental illness, but guess what – I'm autistic by Mike Jung
on autism
3.5 stars
= 3.5 stars overall.
Chapter 2: Where "Crazy" Meets Culture
The Devil Inside by Christine Heppermann
on anxiety
3 stars
Manic Pixie Dream Girl by S. Jae-Jones
on bipolar disorder
4.5 stars
constellation of stars by Monique Bedard (Aura)
on… well, I'm not sure what to describe this essay as, but if there were a diagnosis "indigenous pain", then this would probably be it? Either way, the prose was beautiful.
3.5 stars
top 10 crazies in fiction by s.e. smith
on own voices MI rep
4 stars
what we're born with and what we pick up along the way by Heidi Heilig
on bipolar disorder
5 stars
the alchemy of healing by Emily Mayberry
on PTSD
4 stars
= 4 stars overall.
Chapter 3: The Mind-Body Connection
bless this mess by Amy Reed
on addictive disorder
3.5 stars
loosened associations by Esmé Weijun Wang
on psychosis
(too short to rate)
meeting disorder by Jessica Tremaine
on anorexia and bulimia
4.5 stars
i underwent cosmetic surgery for my body dysmorphia... and i wish i hadn't by Reid Ewing
on body dysmorphic disorder
3.5 stars
flattened by Susan Juby
on addictive disorder
3.5 stars
Dear 14-year-old milck by MILCK
on anorexia nervosa
4 stars
= 4 stars overall.
Chapter 4: Beyond Stress and Sadness
rituals by Libba Bray
on OCD and anxiety disorder
5 stars
the five people you overhear when depressed at a van gogh exhibit by Emery Lord
on depression (and Van Gogh's depression, too)
4.5 stars
Mystic by Gemma Correll
on agoraphobia
(too short to rate)
fighting the war on the home front by Clint Van Winkle
on PTSD
3.5 stars
ways to say "anxiety" by Esmé Weijun Wang
on anxiety
4 stars
The Train of Overthinking by Gemma Correll
on anxiety
(too short to rate)
Black Hole by Victoria "V. E." Schwab
on anxiety
4.5 stars
i'm over staying silent about depression by Kristen Bell
on depression
3.5 stars
Telephone Anxiety by Gemma Correll
on (social?) anxiety
(too short to rate)
driver's ed by Mary Isabel
on PTSD
4.5 stars
the pretender by Lisa Jakub
on panic disorder and agoraphobia
3 stars
= 4 stars overall.
Chapter 5: To Be Okay
Coda by Meredith Russo
on bipolar disorder with psychotic symptoms (and gender dysphoria)
4 stars
Tearing Feelings Apart by Yumi Sakugawa
(too short to rate)
the light bulb, the broom, and the work they don't tell you about by Kelly Jensen
on depression and anxiety
4 stars
Happiness Goes On by Adam Silvera
on suicidal ideation
4.5 stars
Survival Mode by Hannah Bae
on parental mental illness
3.5 stars
A Witch's Guide by S. Zainab Williams
(too short to rate)
Believe in Yourself by Nancy Kerrigan
on dealing with pressure and mental health issues
3 stars
Call Me Crazy by s.e. smith
on owning the crazy (and misdiagnosed borderline personality disorder)
3 stars
Keep Going by Esmé Weijun Wang
on hanging in there
(too short to rate)
= 3.5 stars overall.
June 2, 2019
Full review: https://bookpeopleteens.wordpress.com...
The diverse perspectives (Don’t) Call Me Crazy supplies are something I’ve never seen before, portraying mental illness from every possible angle. Also, it doesn’t focus on one kind of illness: it covers everything from anxiety to trichotillomania to bipolar disorder to everything outside and in-between. Mental illness is a spectrum, and it’s often hard to categorize feelings, but the higher diversity of labels we put out there, the more people can begin to understand what it’s like to be crazy. Rating: five crazy fives/five
For fans of: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera, Turtles All the Way Down by John Green, Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens
Favorite quotes:
- “How much pain and devastation could we avoid by fixing the root of the problem instead of cowering away in fear?”
- “Paper has always listened. When I was young and full of shame and loneliness, I could write down my pain and the paper took it… But no matter what happened, I always had control over what I put on paper.”
- “Don’t let the Muggle-like thoughts dim your magic, dear!”
- “We all have things - and sometimes people - we are unable to look in the eye.”
The diverse perspectives (Don’t) Call Me Crazy supplies are something I’ve never seen before, portraying mental illness from every possible angle. Also, it doesn’t focus on one kind of illness: it covers everything from anxiety to trichotillomania to bipolar disorder to everything outside and in-between. Mental illness is a spectrum, and it’s often hard to categorize feelings, but the higher diversity of labels we put out there, the more people can begin to understand what it’s like to be crazy. Rating: five crazy fives/five
For fans of: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera, Turtles All the Way Down by John Green, Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens
Favorite quotes:
- “How much pain and devastation could we avoid by fixing the root of the problem instead of cowering away in fear?”
- “Paper has always listened. When I was young and full of shame and loneliness, I could write down my pain and the paper took it… But no matter what happened, I always had control over what I put on paper.”
- “Don’t let the Muggle-like thoughts dim your magic, dear!”
- “We all have things - and sometimes people - we are unable to look in the eye.”
August 16, 2020
Uma leitura incrivel em algumas partes e extremamente cansativa em outras.
Fiz questao de ler devagar por ser um assunto muito necessario e ao mesmo tempo complicado porem la pros 50% do livro a leitura passou de devagar para cansativa.
Me identifiquei muito com alguns textos, achei alguns capitulos INCRIVEIS. Ja em outros nao consegui ter empatia com a situaçao da pessoa que escreveu. Em alguns ate cheguei a rolar os olhinhos pra cima porque situaçoes de pessoas muito privilegiadas e/ou questionamentos e problematizaçoes que achei desnecessarias. (Mas muito disso pode ter vindo do meu cansaço com a leitura)
É um livro que se propoem a começar uma conversa sobre saude mental e consegue com maestria falar principalmente sobre ansiedade e depressao. Porem senti falta de trazerem a tona pessoas que sofrem de outros sintomas como esquizofrenia, transtornos mentais que trazem como sintomas ilusoes ou dissociaçao... Mas tambem me surpreendi com alguns textos de transtornos que eu nem ao menos conhecia.
Uma experiencia de leitura meio estranha, intercalando momentos de super euforia que me vi representada em alguns capitulos e momentos de puro cansaço e ate olhinhos rolando pro alto
Fiz questao de ler devagar por ser um assunto muito necessario e ao mesmo tempo complicado porem la pros 50% do livro a leitura passou de devagar para cansativa.
Me identifiquei muito com alguns textos, achei alguns capitulos INCRIVEIS. Ja em outros nao consegui ter empatia com a situaçao da pessoa que escreveu. Em alguns ate cheguei a rolar os olhinhos pra cima porque situaçoes de pessoas muito privilegiadas e/ou questionamentos e problematizaçoes que achei desnecessarias. (Mas muito disso pode ter vindo do meu cansaço com a leitura)
É um livro que se propoem a começar uma conversa sobre saude mental e consegue com maestria falar principalmente sobre ansiedade e depressao. Porem senti falta de trazerem a tona pessoas que sofrem de outros sintomas como esquizofrenia, transtornos mentais que trazem como sintomas ilusoes ou dissociaçao... Mas tambem me surpreendi com alguns textos de transtornos que eu nem ao menos conhecia.
Uma experiencia de leitura meio estranha, intercalando momentos de super euforia que me vi representada em alguns capitulos e momentos de puro cansaço e ate olhinhos rolando pro alto
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September 9, 2018I requested this basically only because my favorite author has an essay in it, but I ended up really enjoying all of the essays I read. I'm choosing not to read all of them just because a few are a *bit* too triggering for me.
I'm choosing not to rate the book since mental health is obviously a very personal topic, so I don't feel right about rating personal experiences, but I will say that it would be great if a little more diversity as in race, religion, and sexualities. This has a lot more diversity as a few other anthologies, but it's not perfect by any means.
(Also apparently the editor has said some gross things about ace people, as someone who is on the spectrum, this is hurtful, so now I'll always be thinking about that when I see the book on my shelf, so thanks a lot, jensen.)
I'm choosing not to rate the book since mental health is obviously a very personal topic, so I don't feel right about rating personal experiences, but I will say that it would be great if a little more diversity as in race, religion, and sexualities. This has a lot more diversity as a few other anthologies, but it's not perfect by any means.
(Also apparently the editor has said some gross things about ace people, as someone who is on the spectrum, this is hurtful, so now I'll always be thinking about that when I see the book on my shelf, so thanks a lot, jensen.)
June 5, 2022
It's hard to find fault in authentic stories. Varied and from different walks of life. Honest to an almost painful point. If there is one thing we all have in common it is imperfection. We need to do better at embracing that in others and ourselves.
November 3, 2018
This was mostly fine, but the only essay that really worked for me was Meredith Russo's, and some were actively uncomfortable for me to read, given that I actually am borderline. (Super cool for an anthology about mental health and diversity in experience of mental illness to have two essays about people who were misdiagnosed with BPD and made miserable because of it, and no essays by actual borderline people. We exist, we have things to say, fuck off.)
Want to Read
January 30, 2018I saw this on twitter today, came here to add it and I already had??? Past Grey knows what she needs.
I can’t wait for this! I’m gonna force it on all of my family members because Lord knows they fucking need it.
I can’t wait for this! I’m gonna force it on all of my family members because Lord knows they fucking need it.
October 27, 2018
Dont call me crazy
Chapter four was my favorite because it reflected most with my life and my problems but overall the entire book was really good.
I think my favorite of the collection would have to be The Devil Inside by Christine Heppermann. It was chilling and brokenly beautiful.
Defying Definition- Shaun David Hutchinson: “Once someone has defined you by your mental illness enough times you begin to define youself as it”
Defining the thing is the trick- Ashley Holstrom: “Mental Illness doesnt always make sense”
What i know and what I dont know- Dior Vargus: “I would be put in my place and punished”
“Not every diagnosis will elicit the same response”
Whats well crazy?- Sarah Hannah Gómez:
“The diagnosis was a relief” Truth
Being heard and hating sound- Stephanie Kuehn: “there are things about yourself you cant change no matter how much you might want to”
Okay so i was going to do a favorite quote from every story but there are 33 stories and im lazy. But this was really cute and I really enjoyed... is that the right word, enjoyed? Reading through others pain and seeing that my illness along with so many others are not crazy.
Another thing i really liked was the different formats within, it made the book of misery more fun.
Chapter four was my favorite because it reflected most with my life and my problems but overall the entire book was really good.
I think my favorite of the collection would have to be The Devil Inside by Christine Heppermann. It was chilling and brokenly beautiful.
Defying Definition- Shaun David Hutchinson: “Once someone has defined you by your mental illness enough times you begin to define youself as it”
Defining the thing is the trick- Ashley Holstrom: “Mental Illness doesnt always make sense”
What i know and what I dont know- Dior Vargus: “I would be put in my place and punished”
“Not every diagnosis will elicit the same response”
Whats well crazy?- Sarah Hannah Gómez:
“The diagnosis was a relief” Truth
Being heard and hating sound- Stephanie Kuehn: “there are things about yourself you cant change no matter how much you might want to”
Okay so i was going to do a favorite quote from every story but there are 33 stories and im lazy. But this was really cute and I really enjoyed... is that the right word, enjoyed? Reading through others pain and seeing that my illness along with so many others are not crazy.
Another thing i really liked was the different formats within, it made the book of misery more fun.
July 12, 2019
Powerful and important to read. I got some sensibility over some essays compare to other but I’m glad this book exist and remind me that i’m not alone fighting ♡
June 13, 2018
There is a lot that we could say about this anthology due for release in October (I wish that the release date were closer to the beginning of a traditional school year).
The anthology works well when read section by section. It took me a few days to read through the work as I sticky-noted contributions from the authors, actors, artists, and athletes. I did not want to be surprised by the contributors as mental illness is a personal issue and I was afraid of a "Oh, wow. . ._____________ is dealing with _______________" kind of response. What I found instead was an opportunity to read into brave shares by familiar figures. Your young adult readers will recognize more of these figures than I have being more connected to the culture and I think that this is a gift of the anthology.
My other concern for reading through the anthology was a sense that I would want to read the contributions for the purpose of pulling them out for close-reading exercises or for the purpose of laddering a contributor's experience and share with a work or a character from a work we might be sharing in the classroom. Instead, I found myself carefully reading each contribution for the intent of the author's having shared it. And while there ARE connections to readings we might share in the classroom, the anthology presents, for the lack of a better term, stand-alone reads that explore HOW the author shares his, her, or their story. But, more than this, because of these contributions, we readers no longer have to stand alone.
My ARC of (DON'T) CALL ME CRAZY is full of notes and connections. Yours will be too. We'll have more to say about this anthology as its release date approaches. I sense we will all be talking around this book this fall.
The anthology works well when read section by section. It took me a few days to read through the work as I sticky-noted contributions from the authors, actors, artists, and athletes. I did not want to be surprised by the contributors as mental illness is a personal issue and I was afraid of a "Oh, wow. . ._____________ is dealing with _______________" kind of response. What I found instead was an opportunity to read into brave shares by familiar figures. Your young adult readers will recognize more of these figures than I have being more connected to the culture and I think that this is a gift of the anthology.
My other concern for reading through the anthology was a sense that I would want to read the contributions for the purpose of pulling them out for close-reading exercises or for the purpose of laddering a contributor's experience and share with a work or a character from a work we might be sharing in the classroom. Instead, I found myself carefully reading each contribution for the intent of the author's having shared it. And while there ARE connections to readings we might share in the classroom, the anthology presents, for the lack of a better term, stand-alone reads that explore HOW the author shares his, her, or their story. But, more than this, because of these contributions, we readers no longer have to stand alone.
My ARC of (DON'T) CALL ME CRAZY is full of notes and connections. Yours will be too. We'll have more to say about this anthology as its release date approaches. I sense we will all be talking around this book this fall.
September 2, 2021
5 stars
Since this is a non-fiction I am going to give this book a 2-sentence review
Loved it so much, I love short stories! This book was so inspiring!
Since this is a non-fiction I am going to give this book a 2-sentence review
Loved it so much, I love short stories! This book was so inspiring!
July 10, 2018
This is a powerful, well-rounded, engaging introduction to conversations about mental health for young readers, with contributions from from great writers, illustrators, actors, and athletes. The only way to break down barriers and reduce stigma around mental health is to start having honest conversations like those included in (Don't) Call Me Crazy. I love the variety of formats and diversity of voices included, and the organization into sections makes it easy to read. I wish I had read this collection in high school!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
NOTE: Kelly Jensen and some contributors to this collection are my colleagues at Book Riot.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
NOTE: Kelly Jensen and some contributors to this collection are my colleagues at Book Riot.
May 29, 2018
Just finished the ARC, and I can't wait until this is out in the world. I will definitley be adding it to my high school library collection. Such an open and honest depiction of so many different types and aspects of mental illness that often manifest in the teen years. The book is marketed for young adults, but everyone can benefit from reading it.
March 7, 2019
Chapter 5 had the best stories here, in my opinion, although I definitely felt that of this entire anthology, Meredith Russo's "Coda" was the best, hands-down.
The book, while featuring a lot of stories, often felt... superficial, at best. Even though it was repeatedly mentioned "Let's talk about how this affects us," this anthology kinda just leaves it at that. Instead of discussing more in detail the ways this can affect us who are struggling with our mental health (and not just mentally and physically), the anthology seems to shrug off the greater context of things: How does this affect us politically, economically, etc.? "Call Me Crazy" by s.e. smith seems to be the one who discusses this in the greatest detail out of all these stories. OUT OF 33 STORIES.
So while good, I felt that for having 33 stories, this still needed way more depth and fell short for me, personally. And while it's great that many famous celebrities (authors, actors, singers, et al.) appear here, I wish there was greater diversity that truly included people from different walks of life, including way more people who have not attained a kind of celebrity status. Celebrities already have a platform to speak up from and already have the ability to speak up about this issue from the comfortability of their homes, upper-middle to upper-class statuses, etc. How about the many people who are struggling day to day, counting bills and trying to make ends meet while taking care of their mental health? How about the ordinary people like me who just want to tell their stories and are actively trying to change things within their own relatively-smaller communities? People who don't have a platform--or if they do, the platform only reaches out to their immediate, small community? Including a few (like 4 people) who lack celebrity status, especially with such an important issue as this one, will not truly explore the depth of this issue. I feel that including more socioeconomic diversity in here, as well as discussing the depth of this issue, would have truly shown the steps we still need to take and how we must initiate further dialogue + resolutions for our mental health.
I'm giving this 2-2.5 stars overall. While I definitely support these writers and thank all of them for speaking up (because I know how hard it is to speak up, believe me I really know), I still think there's a long way to go and that this anthology only covered the importance of this topic surfacely. Our stories are important. Greater depth and insight is important, too.
The book, while featuring a lot of stories, often felt... superficial, at best. Even though it was repeatedly mentioned "Let's talk about how this affects us," this anthology kinda just leaves it at that. Instead of discussing more in detail the ways this can affect us who are struggling with our mental health (and not just mentally and physically), the anthology seems to shrug off the greater context of things: How does this affect us politically, economically, etc.? "Call Me Crazy" by s.e. smith seems to be the one who discusses this in the greatest detail out of all these stories. OUT OF 33 STORIES.
So while good, I felt that for having 33 stories, this still needed way more depth and fell short for me, personally. And while it's great that many famous celebrities (authors, actors, singers, et al.) appear here, I wish there was greater diversity that truly included people from different walks of life, including way more people who have not attained a kind of celebrity status. Celebrities already have a platform to speak up from and already have the ability to speak up about this issue from the comfortability of their homes, upper-middle to upper-class statuses, etc. How about the many people who are struggling day to day, counting bills and trying to make ends meet while taking care of their mental health? How about the ordinary people like me who just want to tell their stories and are actively trying to change things within their own relatively-smaller communities? People who don't have a platform--or if they do, the platform only reaches out to their immediate, small community? Including a few (like 4 people) who lack celebrity status, especially with such an important issue as this one, will not truly explore the depth of this issue. I feel that including more socioeconomic diversity in here, as well as discussing the depth of this issue, would have truly shown the steps we still need to take and how we must initiate further dialogue + resolutions for our mental health.
I'm giving this 2-2.5 stars overall. While I definitely support these writers and thank all of them for speaking up (because I know how hard it is to speak up, believe me I really know), I still think there's a long way to go and that this anthology only covered the importance of this topic surfacely. Our stories are important. Greater depth and insight is important, too.
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