(M)el(an)chol(ia): A Memoir

This book is a creative memoir, an artistic narrative of my life, as I emerged into adulthood from my existentially confusing teenage years. The focus remains on mental illness throughout, specifically rapid-cycling Bipolar I Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. Each chapter depicts one person, place, or thing of epic proportion, including the contributions of those close to me, to keep the stories true to form. I have aired out my very own dirty laundry for the public. The ultimate goal is enlightenment, as I highlight the chaos of my life, and use some of my poetry to provide readers with a map of my thought process. Though, it is meant to help people, this book is not filled with tips; it is filled with failures, and a portrayal of how I handled myself afterwards. I hope to shed some more light on the social stigma surrounding mental illness that both families of survivors and the medical system commonly accept; this book may not provide instructions on how to handle mental illness, but, in some instances, it portrays just how not to.