Below the Surface

When I think about mental illness and mental disorders, people whose brains are wired differently than most, I imagine being in a crowd of people. Maybe we’re on a bus or in an audience, or waiting to cast our ballots on voting day. From the outside, you wouldn’t guess what demons a person is battling or how isolated they may feel while sharing space with many others.

It’s heartening when a celebrity speaks out. I’m thinking of Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers who went public with his experience with anxiety. He said, “Everyone is going through something that we can’t see.” Sometimes it’s as banal as thinking about a grocery list and sometimes it’s struggling against obessive thoughts. Reading memoirs about people dealing with the later issue or things equally as difficult can make sufferers feel less lonely and can create compassion in those fortunate others. Here’s a list of memoirs from our collection: