(Don't) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health ed. by Kelly Jensen (review)

A myriad of writers, actors, and activists contribute to this anthology of over thirty essays that explore mental health on individual, societal, and political levels. Divided into five sections, the book opens with YA author Shaun David Hutchinson's reflection on his struggles with depression and encouragement for readers to understand their mental health issues but not make them their sole identity. The collection goes on to explore the subject broadly, moving beyond the familiar anxiety and depression issues to illnesses such as borderline personality disorder and trichotillomania. It also hits on the meeting of culture and "crazy," with several pieces focusing on the untreated and underdiagnosed illnesses among people of color and one male actor's struggle with body dysmorphia. A nice dose of humor comes with Libba Bray's one-act play featuring her, her anxiety, and her OCD, while illustrator Gemma Correll's cartoons poke fun at herself and her social anxiety. The most moving, however, is Meredith Russo's "Coda," her recounting of her time in a psychiatric ward as a trans woman. Different ways to wellness are also explored, with Heidi Heilig discussing her decision to stay off her meds as someone with bipolar disorder, while others find stability in exercise and meditation. The relatively short length of the entries, the personal tone, and the diversity of experiences give much to offer to readers who are coping with mental health themselves or those who have a friend or family member dealing with it. A list of resources and brief author bios are appended. KQG