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zaporiah's review against another edition
1.0
Anthologies are not for me. I don’t know why I keep trying. This book will be good for some but it wasn’t for me.
jecinwv's review
4.0
(Don't) Call Us Crazy is an anthology of essays about mental health. Each essay is short and about a different topic or illness. On top of this the essays are intersectional and touch on other disabilities, race, gender, sexuality, and identity. I felt this collection personally touched me because they tried really hard to include essays on more rare conditions as well, some of which I have. This is aimed at teens and is certainly good for adults too. Content Warnings for mentions to suicide, self harm, and sexual assault among other things.
drjagrier's review
5.0
This collection of essays is a great read for people interested in glimpsing many sides to mental illness and disability. The 33 essays provide a range of tone and voice, as well as place on each person's life journey. This broad perspective is highly valuable, and rare to see. It will be of particular use to young adults, but is appropriate for anyone looking to building their understanding and compassion for those with mental disability. As a reader with many of the disorders presented in this book, it was both refreshing and validating to see deeply truthful portrayals. No anthology is perfect, and I found two of these stories to be complete misses; but I'm not dinging the rating for those because only 2 out of 33 is pretty amazing. Of note, I have the Kindle version, and some of the graphics and art were very hard to read. But neither are they necessary to get the boost from this collection. Only other gripe is that the biographies show that many of these writers are quite successful in the traditional sense - would love to see more essays from people who are not, and who still uplift and validate the value of all humans disabled and otherwise.
kice7788's review against another edition
3.0
Having and dealing with people that suffer from mental illness I was super excited to see a book come out possibly showcasing daily struggles and how to live with these issues. It was a good book but I feel like they could have expanded on some issues. I was not impressed with the variety of stories and issues spoken about. I still feel like it was a great book and needs to be out there for every age!
katscribefever's review
5.0
This collection of essays, artwork, lists, and more have been compiled to serve a singular purpose: to present information that will help the reader learn how to address the stigmatized subject of mental health. Each of the thirty-three contributors share anecdotes, lessons, and dreams taken from their own lives, allowing Jensen to create this starting point for anyone who wishes to study up on an often-taboo topic. I found this to be very valuable, particularly because it openly admits to being no more than a launching point, and includes a wealth of resources for the reader to seek out to learn more about specific niche issues within the umbrella of mental health.
bookstobarbells's review
4.0
This is more of a 3.5 for me. It took me a LONG time to finish this book. It wasn't because anything was poorly written or it didn't appeal to me, it was just hard to get through some of the stories and because some are vastly different experiences than I've had, it's hard to place myself or understand it at times. However, I love the concept and the collection because it is super inclusive and it helps show to young readers how their mental illness, while draining and seemingly debilitating at times, can be a super power and is something that you can make it past.
aderonkea's review
5.0
FULL DISCLOSURE I'll be honest, I didn't read the full book. I got halfway through. Now I didn't finish it because it was bad. It was overdue at the library, I was out of renewals and I knew I didn't have time to finish it.
However, what I did read, I loved. This book delves into different mental illnesses, how different people experience them, the culture around them and so much more. It feels like a resource book that everyone interested in mental health and psychology should have. These essays are so real and many of them should be read by everyone so people have a better understanding of different aspects of mental health. It's a really good book by authors that many people already love so check it out!
However, what I did read, I loved. This book delves into different mental illnesses, how different people experience them, the culture around them and so much more. It feels like a resource book that everyone interested in mental health and psychology should have. These essays are so real and many of them should be read by everyone so people have a better understanding of different aspects of mental health. It's a really good book by authors that many people already love so check it out!
pattydsf's review
3.0
“I define “depression,” but depression does not define me because you cannot define a person. Not with a single word, not with an entire book. Human beings defy definition. Yet the stigma surrounding mental illness makes some believe we can use it to define others, and it often deceives us into believing we must use it to define ourselves.”
This is a book aiming at a particular audience – young adults – and when I was that age there weren’t books aimed at me. All this is to say that this book is a well written book not for me. The information it contains is mostly things I know and after awhile I felt like the authors were talking down to me. I want to know more about mental health, but I think this was a poor choice for me.
This book is well written and should be available for every young adult who needs it or wants to know more about health issues. I hope that it ends up in the right hands.
This is a book aiming at a particular audience – young adults – and when I was that age there weren’t books aimed at me. All this is to say that this book is a well written book not for me. The information it contains is mostly things I know and after awhile I felt like the authors were talking down to me. I want to know more about mental health, but I think this was a poor choice for me.
This book is well written and should be available for every young adult who needs it or wants to know more about health issues. I hope that it ends up in the right hands.
alessandralee's review
5.0
This is an amazing book and it should be in every public library. The essays present a wide spectrum of mental illness experience, covering many different illnesses, the different relationships a person might have with their illness, and more. I made liberal use of my highlighter while reading, as I often found the authors eloquently expressing things that I have struggled to put into words. If there had been a book like this when I was a teen, I would have benefitted greatly (and I am still benefitting greatly from this book as an adult). I cannot say enough positive things about this wonderful book.
The following essays resonated particularly strongly with me:
"Defying Definition" by Shaun David Hutchinson
"Defining the Thing is the Trick" by Ashley Holstrom
"What I Know and What I Don't Know" by Dior Vargas
"What's, Well, "Crazy?"" by Sarah Hannah Gomez
"The Lightbulb, the Broom, and the Work They Didn't Tell You About" by Kelly Jensen
The following essays resonated particularly strongly with me:
"Defying Definition" by Shaun David Hutchinson
"Defining the Thing is the Trick" by Ashley Holstrom
"What I Know and What I Don't Know" by Dior Vargas
"What's, Well, "Crazy?"" by Sarah Hannah Gomez
"The Lightbulb, the Broom, and the Work They Didn't Tell You About" by Kelly Jensen
ashleyholstrom's review
5.0
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.