Additional information
by Janine Crowley Haynes (Author)
My Kind of Crazy was chosen as Honorable Mention in the Writer's Digest 17th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards in the Inspirational category.I am an expert on being crazy. My kind of crazy is known as bipolar disorder. Although my case is more severe than most, I am not alone. I am one in four (approximately 61.5 million) adult Americans who suffer from a mental illness in a given year. This is a staggering statistic, and yet the stigma attached to mental illness persists. Those diagnosed with a mental illness suffer in silence due to the shame associated with it. There are many books that approach the subject from a clinical and/or psychoanalytical perspective. My book, however, focuses on the human experience of living with a mental illness. Being bipolar brings with it the very highs and lows of emotion, and my story is written in the same way. The journey on which I take the reader is not a depressing one. There is much humor to be found and many lessons to be learned after one is diagnosed as crazy. I bring the reader with me on the emotional rollercoaster that is my life. With my story, I hope to dismantle the shame and isolation that one with a similar illness might experience. In fact, I believe one must embrace his or her inner-craziness in order to heal, evolve, and move forward to help change the societal perception of mental illness. Not unlike diabetes, mental illness should be understood on a biochemical level, not be viewed as a character flaw. When the brain gets sick, it exhibits symptoms that need to be addressed and managed just like any other illness.
Author Biography
I have a story to tell. We all do. Mine is a bit on the crazy side. You see, I am bipolar. I've come out of the crazy closet in order to help others suffering in silence. There is hope and help out there. After a suicide attempt, I am privileged to have a second chance on life and share my personal triumph over bipolar disorder. My mental illness no longer defines me--I define it. Since my suicide attempt, I have not had an episode in over seven years. I now volunteer some time in the same psychiatric hospital where I was a patient many times over. I am also a guest speaker for mental health organizations such as the DBSA (Depression Bipolar Support Alliance). I've helped raise awareness and money for NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) and for Silver Hill Hospital's Scholarship Fund. In addition, psychology professors are incorporating my book into their lesson plans. I share my personal account of living with mental illness in order to move the student from studying mental illness in the clinical sense to understanding it on a more compassionate level. Please feel free to drop me a line at straightjacketllc@hotmail.com.
