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Everything Is an Emergency: An OCD Story in Words Pictures
A New Yorker cartoonist illustrates his lifelong struggle with OCD in cartoon vignettes frank and funny
Jason Adam Katzenstein is just trying to live his life, but he keeps getting sidetracked by his over-active, anxious brain. Mundane events like shaking hands or sharing a drink snowball into absolute catastrophes. Jason has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a mental illness that compels him to perform rituals in order to protect himself from dangers that don’t really exist. He checks, washes, over-thinks, rinse, repeat.
He does his best to hide his embarrassing compulsions, and sometimes this even works. He grows up, worries about his first kiss, falls in love with making cartoons, moves to New York City — which is magical and gross, etc. All the while, half his energy goes into living his life, while the other half is devoted to the increasingly ridiculous rituals he’s decided to maintain to keep himself from fully short-circuiting,
Then, he fully short-circuits.
At his absolute lowest, Jason finally decides to do the things he’s always been told to do to get better: exposure therapy and medication. These are the things that have always freaked him out, and they continue to freak him out. Also, they help him recover.
Everything is an Emergency is a comic about all the self-destructive stories someone tells himself, over and over, until they start to seem true. In images surreal, witty, and confessional, Jason shows us that OCD can be funny, even when it feels like it’s ruining your life.
Jason Adam Katzenstein is just trying to live his life, but he keeps getting sidetracked by his over-active, anxious brain. Mundane events like shaking hands or sharing a drink snowball into absolute catastrophes. Jason has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a mental illness that compels him to perform rituals in order to protect himself from dangers that don’t really exist. He checks, washes, over-thinks, rinse, repeat.
He does his best to hide his embarrassing compulsions, and sometimes this even works. He grows up, worries about his first kiss, falls in love with making cartoons, moves to New York City — which is magical and gross, etc. All the while, half his energy goes into living his life, while the other half is devoted to the increasingly ridiculous rituals he’s decided to maintain to keep himself from fully short-circuiting,
Then, he fully short-circuits.
At his absolute lowest, Jason finally decides to do the things he’s always been told to do to get better: exposure therapy and medication. These are the things that have always freaked him out, and they continue to freak him out. Also, they help him recover.
Everything is an Emergency is a comic about all the self-destructive stories someone tells himself, over and over, until they start to seem true. In images surreal, witty, and confessional, Jason shows us that OCD can be funny, even when it feels like it’s ruining your life.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 2020
35 people are currently reading
3327 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
September 25, 2020
I have a confession. A confession that I am truly ashamed of, but I think I have made an improvement on over the last few years. I had made a habit of flippantly tossing OCD as a descriptor of things in my daily life.
“I just want to get pizza again . . . I must be OCD.”
“I prefer to wear polo shirts to work . . . that is so OCD!”
“I have to update my Goodreads status every day . . . isn’t that OCD of me?”
One day my wife called me out and told me that I should stop saying that. It is disrespectful to people with OCD and minimizes the struggle people with OCD have. She was so right and I am so thankful for the course correction – while every so often I find the words working their way to my mouth, I feel I have done a lot better in not saying it and working to change my mindset so that I am not even tempted to say it.
While I have my struggles with anxiety from time to time, I have been able to get a pretty good handle on it. After reading about Katzenstein’s battle with his brain, I consider myself lucky that any issues I have with mental stress are a cakewalk compared to his. Not that I have anything to compare it to as I have not read much about OCD, but I feel that this must be one of the best interpretations of OCD to help those who do not struggle with it understand what it is like.
I love how Katzenstein was able to integrate his love of drawing comics with telling his story. At times it is funny, at times serious. You can easily see how humor was a defense mechanism for him and while I was often laughing . . . I had to stop and think about the underlying pain. It is really a striking contrast that adds to the brilliance in telling the story this way.
This book does not take very long to read and is very worth it for the message it shares. If you have ever been curious about OCD or, like me, find yourself nonchalantly using the term “OCD” in your life, I think you should give this a try to help put the struggle into perspective.
“I just want to get pizza again . . . I must be OCD.”
“I prefer to wear polo shirts to work . . . that is so OCD!”
“I have to update my Goodreads status every day . . . isn’t that OCD of me?”
One day my wife called me out and told me that I should stop saying that. It is disrespectful to people with OCD and minimizes the struggle people with OCD have. She was so right and I am so thankful for the course correction – while every so often I find the words working their way to my mouth, I feel I have done a lot better in not saying it and working to change my mindset so that I am not even tempted to say it.
While I have my struggles with anxiety from time to time, I have been able to get a pretty good handle on it. After reading about Katzenstein’s battle with his brain, I consider myself lucky that any issues I have with mental stress are a cakewalk compared to his. Not that I have anything to compare it to as I have not read much about OCD, but I feel that this must be one of the best interpretations of OCD to help those who do not struggle with it understand what it is like.
I love how Katzenstein was able to integrate his love of drawing comics with telling his story. At times it is funny, at times serious. You can easily see how humor was a defense mechanism for him and while I was often laughing . . . I had to stop and think about the underlying pain. It is really a striking contrast that adds to the brilliance in telling the story this way.
This book does not take very long to read and is very worth it for the message it shares. If you have ever been curious about OCD or, like me, find yourself nonchalantly using the term “OCD” in your life, I think you should give this a try to help put the struggle into perspective.
December 18, 2021
This was a very relatable fast read. I would say though, if you have anxiety or OCD it might make you feel anxious. It felt overwhelming which means the author did a great job at showing what it actually feels like to deal with OCD, but for those with it it's like double time in your head. I absolutely appreciate mental health being talked about and these stories being shared. I was hoping for a bit more humor. I really felt the darkness especially with some of the illustrations. I think it would be a good read for people who want to get a glimpse of what it's like to live with OCD.
June 14, 2021
An illustrated memoir (not really a comics memoir) about the author's lifelong struggles with OCD. It reminded me of teaching a YAL class where I invited in the author of Kissing Doorknobs, who had become a successful tv producer in the Chicago area. I had thought OCD was just this kind of specific neurological condition that very few people got, but I learned from my class (and subsequent classes where we also read the book) that like anxiety or depression or most things, humans operate on an OCD continuum. It's not either/or, as in you have it or not. And plenty of people have it in one way or the other. Katzenstein has it in spades.
Many people doublecheck things, don't want to step on cracks, are nearly patalyzed by doing or not doing things. So this is a useful book for sufferers and those who love them or need to understand them (co-workers, students, and so on).
It kinda looks like Katzenstein is still struggling with it all, but he has found success in illustration/cartooning, so that has helped him and helped him to help others. I thought it was pretty straightforward and basic in terms of storytelling and art style, as brave as I acknowledge he is to share these tales with us. The point I suppose ultimately is to share the intricacies of the working of the human brain, and to figure out how to support each other when we are way different.
I also have family and friends who have/had some struggles with OCD so the book will help me to be open with them about it and not make them closet it when I am around them.
Many people doublecheck things, don't want to step on cracks, are nearly patalyzed by doing or not doing things. So this is a useful book for sufferers and those who love them or need to understand them (co-workers, students, and so on).
It kinda looks like Katzenstein is still struggling with it all, but he has found success in illustration/cartooning, so that has helped him and helped him to help others. I thought it was pretty straightforward and basic in terms of storytelling and art style, as brave as I acknowledge he is to share these tales with us. The point I suppose ultimately is to share the intricacies of the working of the human brain, and to figure out how to support each other when we are way different.
I also have family and friends who have/had some struggles with OCD so the book will help me to be open with them about it and not make them closet it when I am around them.
June 17, 2020
I finished this book in one sitting since it was a quick read but it is deceptively powerful. The graphic representation of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder was eye-opening, humorous, and a bit heartbreaking. Everything is an Emergency offers insight into some of the struggles faced by someone with OCD, and how learning to deal with different aspects is not a linear path. The author describes his experiences through various lows and highs in short commentary and matching illustrations. This is not a book covering all areas of the spectrum of OCD, however it does show a glimpse into the life of the author and how he struggled with mental illness. Plus I love some dark humor when talking about mental health, which can be found in the visual representations. Thank you so much to Harper Perennial for my gifted copy! Release Date 6/30/2020.
November 17, 2021
One of the best graphic novels dealing with mental health that I’ve read. It was funny, but serious and real, too. Really good!
June 25, 2020
It was actually a few years ago that I discovered my first graphic novel about mental health (Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me) and fell in love. The graphic novel format seems to be perfect for books about mental health and Katzenstein’s book reminded me so much of that one.
As a parent to someone who had to be put on meds because they were developing OCD-like tendencies, this book struck a cord. But I don’t think you have to have a personal connection to it to get something from this quick read. I loved the humor and honesty and insight into a side of mental health we don’t see portrayed very often. I appreciated how Katzenstein even addressed the very real fear many of us creatives struggling with our mental health wonder—will I lose my ability to create?
I’m so thankful that I was gifted an advanced copy of this one and I highly recommend picking it up when it comes out next Tuesday.
As a parent to someone who had to be put on meds because they were developing OCD-like tendencies, this book struck a cord. But I don’t think you have to have a personal connection to it to get something from this quick read. I loved the humor and honesty and insight into a side of mental health we don’t see portrayed very often. I appreciated how Katzenstein even addressed the very real fear many of us creatives struggling with our mental health wonder—will I lose my ability to create?
I’m so thankful that I was gifted an advanced copy of this one and I highly recommend picking it up when it comes out next Tuesday.
September 9, 2020
A couple people in my life suffer from OCD, so this pretty familiar territory for me. Katzenstein does a good job of outlining his lifelong struggles with plenty of candor and humor, but breezes along a bit too quickly and stays so much in his own head that the other people in his life are mentioned almost in passing. (Ironically and hopefully intentionally, one of his illustrations in the book meant to to criticize movies has an artist monologuing about his tortured existence, while his model off to the side smiles, stares off into space and declares, "I have no inner life of my own.")
July 11, 2020
I enjoyed reading this. Katzenstein really made this reader feel the anxiety and obsessiveness of the thoughts he had.
Would recommend to those who enjoy nonfiction graphic novels, and I would also suggest this to people who know someone with OCD or they'd like to learn more about it.
Would recommend to those who enjoy nonfiction graphic novels, and I would also suggest this to people who know someone with OCD or they'd like to learn more about it.
June 24, 2024
I've seen where this book is described as being funny, but I found it to be heartwrenching. (Probably that is partly because I had a close family member who had OCD, before it ever had a name or a treatment.) I'm grateful to the author and the publisher for the ARC of the book in exchange for a review. Everything is an Emergency was a quick read but it gave me a moving glimpse of what someone with OCD experiences day in and day out. Jason, I am so happy your treatment has helped you, and I'm proud of you for doing what was needed! I also love your illustrations, too, by the way.
February 29, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I like reading books about personal experiences with mental illnesses. This was a good graphic memoir of OCD. I enjoyed his sense of humor and his honesty.
I like reading books about personal experiences with mental illnesses. This was a good graphic memoir of OCD. I enjoyed his sense of humor and his honesty.
November 8, 2022
3.75
Tiếng Việt là "Bạn vẫn ổn, đừng lo lắng"
Hổng biết mấy bạn có OCD đọc tên cuốn này có bực và lo lắng thêm không?
Câu chuyện bằng tranh và chữ về quá trình sống chung, bị nhấn chìm rồi tìm lại hi vọng với bệnh rối loạn ám ảnh cưỡng chế (OCD)
Câu chuyện thực tế với đủ loại ám ảnh, đủ loại hành vi cưỡng chế, đủ loại trị liệu khác nhau sẽ giúp người đọc (đặc biệt là các bạn có ocd) có thêm nhiều lựa chọn và niềm tin trên hành tình lấy lại cuộc sống bình thường.
Phần dịch đôi chỗ đọc hơi khó chịu một tẹo :(
Tiếng Việt là "Bạn vẫn ổn, đừng lo lắng"
Hổng biết mấy bạn có OCD đọc tên cuốn này có bực và lo lắng thêm không?
Câu chuyện bằng tranh và chữ về quá trình sống chung, bị nhấn chìm rồi tìm lại hi vọng với bệnh rối loạn ám ảnh cưỡng chế (OCD)
Câu chuyện thực tế với đủ loại ám ảnh, đủ loại hành vi cưỡng chế, đủ loại trị liệu khác nhau sẽ giúp người đọc (đặc biệt là các bạn có ocd) có thêm nhiều lựa chọn và niềm tin trên hành tình lấy lại cuộc sống bình thường.
Phần dịch đôi chỗ đọc hơi khó chịu một tẹo :(
November 8, 2023
Everything is an Emergency is a heartfelt graphic novel by Jason Adam Katzenstein that details his life with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Katzenstein’s first memories revolve around some common childhood fears, that his parents were able to manage with typical strategies, but these fears became deeper phobias that took more and more managing to control. At first, Katzenstein’s phobias could be explained away, but they soon started taking control of his life and his childhood and teenage years were challenging because of his extreme anxiety. He developed OCD tendencies to cope but then became a slave to them. Eventually, he moved to NYC to work as an artist, but his phobias held him back professionally, romantically and affected his relationships with his family members.
Katzenstein defined himself as a tortured artist, so he resisted taking medicine thinking he wouldn’t be him anymore, and that it could affect his creativity. However, he needed to push through and break the destructive cycles he was in, so he explored exposure therapy and medication. And by doing so he actually opened himself up to new avenues of creativity, as he wasn’t locked into panic attacks and crippling anxiety.
Katzenstein’s artwork in black and white was evocative and surreal at times. Some of his swirling expressive pictures reminded me of The New Yorker editorial cartoons, so it was apropos to find out he has had some of his artwork showcased there. He finds humor in his agony, but it also will give you optimism to see that he has worked through many of his issues and has come out stronger because of it. Thank you to NetGalley for bringing to my attention a graphic novel that addresses mental health issues in a respectful and hopeful way and shows that therapy can be a lifesaver.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2020/06/2...
Katzenstein’s first memories revolve around some common childhood fears, that his parents were able to manage with typical strategies, but these fears became deeper phobias that took more and more managing to control. At first, Katzenstein’s phobias could be explained away, but they soon started taking control of his life and his childhood and teenage years were challenging because of his extreme anxiety. He developed OCD tendencies to cope but then became a slave to them. Eventually, he moved to NYC to work as an artist, but his phobias held him back professionally, romantically and affected his relationships with his family members.
Katzenstein defined himself as a tortured artist, so he resisted taking medicine thinking he wouldn’t be him anymore, and that it could affect his creativity. However, he needed to push through and break the destructive cycles he was in, so he explored exposure therapy and medication. And by doing so he actually opened himself up to new avenues of creativity, as he wasn’t locked into panic attacks and crippling anxiety.
Katzenstein’s artwork in black and white was evocative and surreal at times. Some of his swirling expressive pictures reminded me of The New Yorker editorial cartoons, so it was apropos to find out he has had some of his artwork showcased there. He finds humor in his agony, but it also will give you optimism to see that he has worked through many of his issues and has come out stronger because of it. Thank you to NetGalley for bringing to my attention a graphic novel that addresses mental health issues in a respectful and hopeful way and shows that therapy can be a lifesaver.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2020/06/2...
February 29, 2020
They say you should never meet your heroes. In this case, if you love the books that Jason has written, is it wrong to hear the story about his mental illness? Does it make his books any worse or better?
If anything, it give you sympathy for what he has had to go through in his life.
This is the story of Jason's OCD, told in graphic novel format, from start, to hopeful finish. He tells how hard it is to deal with, and what he ultimately did do. It is sad. It is hard and it is repetitive, as he slips back again and again, and loses and moves on.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
If anything, it give you sympathy for what he has had to go through in his life.
This is the story of Jason's OCD, told in graphic novel format, from start, to hopeful finish. He tells how hard it is to deal with, and what he ultimately did do. It is sad. It is hard and it is repetitive, as he slips back again and again, and loses and moves on.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
December 15, 2020
This isn't a graphic memoir, as much as it is an illustrated one. The author illustrates his struggles with OCD and anxiety. The black and white sketchy style of the illustrations were OK, and I do like the author's published cartoons. I appreciate that this will be an important book for people with the condition, it just wasn't for me.
December 25, 2021
EVERYTHING IS AN EMERGENCY
Jason Adam Katzenstein
This wasn't my favorite, it was rather redundant.. OCD.
2 stars
Happy Reading!
Jason Adam Katzenstein
This wasn't my favorite, it was rather redundant.. OCD.
2 stars
Happy Reading!
January 17, 2022
Brilliant!!
“ But the problem is that I’ve added significance to my obsession. I’ve taught my brain that the emergency signal it sends with an obsessive thought represents a real danger, and the compulsion I perform my only recourse to stay safe.”
“The safest option, then, is to be completely alone. Also, my biggest fear is being completely alone.”
“- I’ll protect you from all my anxieties.
- I…never asked you to do that?”
“At this point it should be clear that I do not KNOW when I KNOW.
Neither do you. You may know when you’re confident enough about a decision you’ve made that you aren’t going to waste time ruminating on alternate universes where you made a different choice. If so, you have my sincerest congratulations and also fuck you.”
“One lone, little voice says, “Keep going on faith alone. Maybe there’s an ending you can’t yet see.” After a week of the exposure . . . Thanks, lone, little voice. Now I’ve set a precedent. Something that’s always been an emergency can stop being one. I can change the way I feel. I. Can. Change. The. Way. I. Feel.”
“All of the self-imposed restrictions on what I could touch, how I could behave, where I could go, what I could do . . . they hurt me all the time, sure. They also ordered my universe.”
“ I love New York.
I briefly consider that a little kid may walk by my front door, see the bird in the box and pick him up. This will lead to either an Of Mice and Men situation, or result in the kid getting sick. Either way it will be my fault.”
“ But the problem is that I’ve added significance to my obsession. I’ve taught my brain that the emergency signal it sends with an obsessive thought represents a real danger, and the compulsion I perform my only recourse to stay safe.”
“The safest option, then, is to be completely alone. Also, my biggest fear is being completely alone.”
“- I’ll protect you from all my anxieties.
- I…never asked you to do that?”
“At this point it should be clear that I do not KNOW when I KNOW.
Neither do you. You may know when you’re confident enough about a decision you’ve made that you aren’t going to waste time ruminating on alternate universes where you made a different choice. If so, you have my sincerest congratulations and also fuck you.”
“One lone, little voice says, “Keep going on faith alone. Maybe there’s an ending you can’t yet see.” After a week of the exposure . . . Thanks, lone, little voice. Now I’ve set a precedent. Something that’s always been an emergency can stop being one. I can change the way I feel. I. Can. Change. The. Way. I. Feel.”
“All of the self-imposed restrictions on what I could touch, how I could behave, where I could go, what I could do . . . they hurt me all the time, sure. They also ordered my universe.”
“ I love New York.
I briefly consider that a little kid may walk by my front door, see the bird in the box and pick him up. This will lead to either an Of Mice and Men situation, or result in the kid getting sick. Either way it will be my fault.”
July 5, 2020
A nice comic collection from a cartoonist who illustrates his own journey with severe OCD and anxiety. It's not a full graphic memoir - Katzenstein is a cartoonist who has published in the New Yorker so it's kind of that style, a comic panel per page with some accompanying text - his experience is communicated very well through his drawings.
July 15, 2020
This memoir in comics shares the author's story about dealing with OCD. He begins with details about his childhood fears and struggles, and continues chronologically through to the present day, in which he is able to live a far more peaceful and functional life because of medications and exposure therapy. I found aspects of his story very relatable from my experience, even though I have a different primary sub-type than he does and definitely didn't connect with his stories about doing drugs in college.
I have read lots of books and memoirs about OCD, but since this one visualizes the experience through art, it is very unique. I enjoyed the interesting perspective and the dramatic, impressionistic art depictions of intrusive thoughts, anxiety types, and internal feelings. I really enjoyed this, and even though I wouldn't have appreciated it very much when I most needed it, given the occasional innuendo, vulgar language, and many, many uses of the f-word, I enjoyed reading it as an adult. This is a great book for fellow OCD sufferers to read and connect with, and I would also recommend it to people who are interested in understanding mental health issues, like graphic memoirs, or have a family member or friend with OCD.
I have read lots of books and memoirs about OCD, but since this one visualizes the experience through art, it is very unique. I enjoyed the interesting perspective and the dramatic, impressionistic art depictions of intrusive thoughts, anxiety types, and internal feelings. I really enjoyed this, and even though I wouldn't have appreciated it very much when I most needed it, given the occasional innuendo, vulgar language, and many, many uses of the f-word, I enjoyed reading it as an adult. This is a great book for fellow OCD sufferers to read and connect with, and I would also recommend it to people who are interested in understanding mental health issues, like graphic memoirs, or have a family member or friend with OCD.
March 13, 2020
I don't think I have ever felt more seen in a book than with this little illustrated memoir. This book makes me want to talk about my OCD, something I only do with very close family, and that in and of itself is miraculous.
Everyone's experience with OCD varies, but I saw myself in Jason's story and found his struggles, coping mechanisms, and experience with ERP very true to my own experience, even though our triggers differed.
It's a beautifully written and illustrated book that should be required reading for people who have loved ones with OCD. If you yourself have OCD and think you can handle reading his experience (it can be very triggering to read about other people's obsessions and compulsions) I really recommend this for you as well. This is also just a really great book if you want to understand what it's like to live as someone with OCD.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions (and experience with OCD) are all my own!
Everyone's experience with OCD varies, but I saw myself in Jason's story and found his struggles, coping mechanisms, and experience with ERP very true to my own experience, even though our triggers differed.
It's a beautifully written and illustrated book that should be required reading for people who have loved ones with OCD. If you yourself have OCD and think you can handle reading his experience (it can be very triggering to read about other people's obsessions and compulsions) I really recommend this for you as well. This is also just a really great book if you want to understand what it's like to live as someone with OCD.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions (and experience with OCD) are all my own!
February 10, 2020
Sometimes I read about another person's experience with OCD, and I completely relate. Other times, I read one and I'm like "do we even have the same mental illness?" This isn't to invalidate one or the other. It's more just a fascination that not only is mental illness a complex spectrum, but even a specific illness has a spectrum. I found myself incredibly jealous of Jason and how at least he had art as a release and a means of reflection. I'm not an artist, and while I can write well, I have no drive to be a writer. This lack of creative inspiration makes me really introspective because I often wonder if I'd feel better mentally if I had an outlet for stress that I truly enjoyed pursuing. Instead, creation feels like a chore. That's really depressing. Anyway, I liked this, but I felt it jumped around a bit too much and I wish he'd included more about how his family helped/hindered his healing. He mentions them frequently, but doesn't offer any insights or conclusions.
July 3, 2020
This book, and particularly the drawings, captures so well what it is like to live with OCD. It covers a lot of ground, from early signs of the disorder in childhood through managing the disorder in school, work, and relationships. It also captures beautifully the highs and lows (e.g., times you think you have everything under control vs. times when there seems to be a panic attack waiting around every corner). The book goes to some pretty dark and intimate places, but it is refreshingly honest and forthright, and it's infused with so much heart and humor that it's impossible not to love it.
January 6, 2024
My ONE issue was "benzodiazepine" being miswritten as "benzoamphetamine." I wish an editor caught it! Otherwise, fantastic.
January 19, 2022
Preface: this is the second “OCD book” I’ve read- the first being turtles all the way down in college. That book was okay. The one thing that still sticks with me was the end when she talks about it getting better and sometimes worse.
Anyway, this book was incredible. It made me ugly cry which I do not often do and it also made me laugh at loud which I very very rarely do at books. Honestly if it was a sane/ normal/ cool thing to have a required reading list for people to date you I would have one and it would just be this one book.
Do you have OCD? Do you love someone with OCD? Read this book!
Anyway, this book was incredible. It made me ugly cry which I do not often do and it also made me laugh at loud which I very very rarely do at books. Honestly if it was a sane/ normal/ cool thing to have a required reading list for people to date you I would have one and it would just be this one book.
Do you have OCD? Do you love someone with OCD? Read this book!
September 26, 2020
I thought this was a super great look into the mind of someone who has OCD. It definitely shows the progression from childhood fears to how it manifests in adults. I love how open and honest authors and people in general are being about their mental illnesses because it allows people to read things like this and go “huh that’s just like me, I’m not the only one”
I’d say this is in the same vein as Hyperbole and A Half, so I’d you liked that one check out this one!
I’d say this is in the same vein as Hyperbole and A Half, so I’d you liked that one check out this one!
February 21, 2023
It just made so much sense and I wanted to cheer Jason on and support him.
Also I enjoyed the New Yorkers and overall style.
Thank you Jason for creating, will look for more.
Also I enjoyed the New Yorkers and overall style.
Thank you Jason for creating, will look for more.
February 6, 2022
Content notes for childhood struggle, horror images and mention of Orson Scott Card.
Kratzenstein's very succinct web bio is "Jason Adam Katzenstein is a cartoonist and comedy writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times and MAD Magazine. He is the author and illustrator of the graphic memoir Everything Is an Emergency."
What kinds of keywords came to mind? Nightmare, growing up, kind people, therapy and relationships.
The synopsis of the book is " Jason Adam Katzenstein is just trying to live his life, but he keeps getting sidetracked by his over-active, anxious brain. Mundane events like shaking hands or sharing a drink snowball into absolute catastrophes. Jason has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a mental illness that compels him to perform rituals in order to protect himself from dangers that don’t really exist. He checks, washes, over-thinks, rinse, repeat.
He does his best to hide his embarrassing compulsions, and sometimes this even works. He grows up, worries about his first kiss, falls in love with making cartoons, moves to New York City — which is magical and gross, etc. All the while, half his energy goes into living his life, while the other half is devoted to the increasingly ridiculous rituals he’s decided to maintain to keep himself from fully short-circuiting,
Then, he fully short-circuits.
At his absolute lowest, Jason finally decides to do the things he’s always been told to do to get better: exposure therapy and medication. These are the things that have always freaked him out, and they continue to freak him out. Also, they help him recover.
Everything is an Emergency is a comic about all the self-destructive stories someone tells himself, over and over, until they start to seem true. In images surreal, witty, and confessional, Jason shows us that OCD can be funny, even when it feels like it’s ruining your life."
Flipping through the book I was pleasantly surprised by the rough paper texture. The illustrations and comics portions were simple but complimented the text very well.
While I certainly have not read anything by him in a long time (because he's homophobic etc), like Katzenstein, the only OCD representation that really sticks out in my brain was in the Ender Saga. Not great, so I do really appreciate the time, skill and vulnerability that Katzenstein put into this book. Especially when it came to the struggle of feeling like you need to suffer in order to be creative and that seeking help as a creative person would actually tamp down one's creativity. This is a common obstacle that does keep a lot of people in the creative community from getting help. So it was nice to see someone speaking out from the other side and talking about how their creativity continued even after they started taking medication to help them with their mental health.
Comparing it to the other graphic memoirs I've read in recent memory I was actually impressed by how generally nice and supportive Katzenstein's family was. It was a nice change, although not knowing he had OCD or how to cope with it still puts him through hell.
Obviously graphic memoirs are generally pretty one note when it comes to diversity of any kind. Can't really fault that. That said, for all his struggles, there does seem to be some privilege that likely contributed to Katzenstein's seeming success. It would have been nice to have been a bit clearer about class and a bit more reflective on other intersections to discourage unhelpful comparisons. This isn't to downplay what Katzenstein struggled with, I just know how hard it can be to see others who seem to have similar struggles that still manage to succeed while downplaying their extra supports and privileges.
To conclude, this book hit me somewhere between three or four stars out of five. Probably going to round up for now, we shall see how it goes. What makes something good or VERY GOOD?
Kratzenstein's very succinct web bio is "Jason Adam Katzenstein is a cartoonist and comedy writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times and MAD Magazine. He is the author and illustrator of the graphic memoir Everything Is an Emergency."
What kinds of keywords came to mind? Nightmare, growing up, kind people, therapy and relationships.
The synopsis of the book is " Jason Adam Katzenstein is just trying to live his life, but he keeps getting sidetracked by his over-active, anxious brain. Mundane events like shaking hands or sharing a drink snowball into absolute catastrophes. Jason has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a mental illness that compels him to perform rituals in order to protect himself from dangers that don’t really exist. He checks, washes, over-thinks, rinse, repeat.
He does his best to hide his embarrassing compulsions, and sometimes this even works. He grows up, worries about his first kiss, falls in love with making cartoons, moves to New York City — which is magical and gross, etc. All the while, half his energy goes into living his life, while the other half is devoted to the increasingly ridiculous rituals he’s decided to maintain to keep himself from fully short-circuiting,
Then, he fully short-circuits.
At his absolute lowest, Jason finally decides to do the things he’s always been told to do to get better: exposure therapy and medication. These are the things that have always freaked him out, and they continue to freak him out. Also, they help him recover.
Everything is an Emergency is a comic about all the self-destructive stories someone tells himself, over and over, until they start to seem true. In images surreal, witty, and confessional, Jason shows us that OCD can be funny, even when it feels like it’s ruining your life."
Flipping through the book I was pleasantly surprised by the rough paper texture. The illustrations and comics portions were simple but complimented the text very well.
While I certainly have not read anything by him in a long time (because he's homophobic etc), like Katzenstein, the only OCD representation that really sticks out in my brain was in the Ender Saga. Not great, so I do really appreciate the time, skill and vulnerability that Katzenstein put into this book. Especially when it came to the struggle of feeling like you need to suffer in order to be creative and that seeking help as a creative person would actually tamp down one's creativity. This is a common obstacle that does keep a lot of people in the creative community from getting help. So it was nice to see someone speaking out from the other side and talking about how their creativity continued even after they started taking medication to help them with their mental health.
Comparing it to the other graphic memoirs I've read in recent memory I was actually impressed by how generally nice and supportive Katzenstein's family was. It was a nice change, although not knowing he had OCD or how to cope with it still puts him through hell.
Obviously graphic memoirs are generally pretty one note when it comes to diversity of any kind. Can't really fault that. That said, for all his struggles, there does seem to be some privilege that likely contributed to Katzenstein's seeming success. It would have been nice to have been a bit clearer about class and a bit more reflective on other intersections to discourage unhelpful comparisons. This isn't to downplay what Katzenstein struggled with, I just know how hard it can be to see others who seem to have similar struggles that still manage to succeed while downplaying their extra supports and privileges.
To conclude, this book hit me somewhere between three or four stars out of five. Probably going to round up for now, we shall see how it goes. What makes something good or VERY GOOD?
July 2, 2020
Read more shit with pictures! This thing is real as fuck and does one of the best jobs of depicting mental illness i’ve seen, and the pictures play an integral role in its efficacy.
April 25, 2020
| Reader Fox Blog |
In a way, Everything is an Emergency by Jason Adam Katzenstein isn't what I expected it to be. I guess when I requested it I was really just looking for something that would be relatable. As this is more a life story that happens to be about a man with OCD than anything else, I often found myself dissociating a bit from the work as a whole. In general, a fantastic autobiography, Everything is an Emergency didn't really stick with me in the end.
I think everyone experiences mental illness in their own way. Jason's way doesn't quite align with mine, but then I certainly don't have the level of OCD that he has. The important thing here, though, is that this is a very real and personal account of something that the author has lived with his entire life. Told in a series of adorable and, at times, hilarious comics, Everything is an Emergency immerses its readers in a world they may never have experienced otherwise.
This was a read I deeply appreciated. Autobiographies are incredibly important stories to those who author them. In the case of this book it is a constant uphill and downhill battle of finding out who you are and how to manage your life. Perhaps the most relatable piece of this entire book was the regular instances in which the author is pushing the rock up the hill and then following it back down.
The ups and downs of life are different for everyone and it was nice to get a look at this one.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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In a way, Everything is an Emergency by Jason Adam Katzenstein isn't what I expected it to be. I guess when I requested it I was really just looking for something that would be relatable. As this is more a life story that happens to be about a man with OCD than anything else, I often found myself dissociating a bit from the work as a whole. In general, a fantastic autobiography, Everything is an Emergency didn't really stick with me in the end.
I think everyone experiences mental illness in their own way. Jason's way doesn't quite align with mine, but then I certainly don't have the level of OCD that he has. The important thing here, though, is that this is a very real and personal account of something that the author has lived with his entire life. Told in a series of adorable and, at times, hilarious comics, Everything is an Emergency immerses its readers in a world they may never have experienced otherwise.
This was a read I deeply appreciated. Autobiographies are incredibly important stories to those who author them. In the case of this book it is a constant uphill and downhill battle of finding out who you are and how to manage your life. Perhaps the most relatable piece of this entire book was the regular instances in which the author is pushing the rock up the hill and then following it back down.
The ups and downs of life are different for everyone and it was nice to get a look at this one.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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March 31, 2020
This book takes a brutally honest look at someone who has a mental illness that started presenting itself when he was a child. It starts when the author and main character is little and starts to realize that he has some fears that his parents need to soothe for him. This progresses as he gets older into more common OCD behaviors such as being obsessively clean and germaphobic. As he gets older he explains how the illness ebbs and flows, how sometimes he is great and other times something small will send him into a spiral. I really enjoyed the specific details he shared about how these spirals play out and how after working with a doctor he starts to mange his illness. I would recommend this book to anyone who has experienced this illness or who has a friend who has. It is a inside look at mental illness that is lighthearted but still honest and thought provoking. We all could learn a lot from a book like this.
April 23, 2020
I received a copy of Everything is an Emergency for review, courtesy of Harper Perennial.
This was a quick, one hour read for me. Funny, heartbreaking, and a little too familiar for me as a creative with anxiety. I felt for young Jason dealing with feelings that were too big, and spiraling thoughts. I don't know that this book would be helpful for anyone currently dealing with untreated OCD or anxiety. It is helpful, when you are on the otherside, to know you are not alone. There are some genuinely funny pieces in this book as well.
This was a quick, one hour read for me. Funny, heartbreaking, and a little too familiar for me as a creative with anxiety. I felt for young Jason dealing with feelings that were too big, and spiraling thoughts. I don't know that this book would be helpful for anyone currently dealing with untreated OCD or anxiety. It is helpful, when you are on the otherside, to know you are not alone. There are some genuinely funny pieces in this book as well.
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