I Have a Mental Disorder – And No, I’m Not Sorry

March 18, 2017 / Christine Deneweth

(Note: This comic is transcribed below.)

Do you ever feel like you have to apologize for a mental illness or disorder?

There’s the idea that you should “just stop” having anxiety. Or “get over” feeling depressed. Or feel ashamed of schizophrenia.

What the hell? Anyone who expects this of you clearly doesn’t understand the reality of mental health.

So here’s a comic that answers to them – without apology.

With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism

Click for the Transcript

Panel 1

Text: I Have a Mental Disorder and I’m Not Sorry

Panel 2

(Image of fuel gauge)

Text: I’m not sorry I have panic attacks. It feels like my body is shutting down, and I just need someone who understands not to tell me to stop.

Regards,
Anxiety

Panel 3

(Image of the inside of a door)

Text: I’m not sorry I check things. If you had an itch, you would scratch it, too.

Best,
OCD

Panel 4

(Image of a person talking with smoke coming out of their mouth and going into someone’s ear)

Text: I’m not sorry I can’t hang out with you today. Sometimes other voices are louder than my own voice to the point that doing simple things are hard.

From,
Schizophrenia

Panel 5

(Image of a low battery icon)

Text: I’m not sorry for not being at the same level of happy as you. Every day is a struggle just to stay motivated and to stay alive, let alone trying to be happy.

Love,
Depression

Panel 6

(Image an ambulance)

Text: I’m not sorry I have sensory overload. Sometimes things are just way too much.

From,
ASD

Panel 7

(Image of a person with a question mark over their face looking in a mirror)

Text: I’m not sorry I forget things sometimes. You would, too, if it felt l like you left your body.

Regards,
Depersonalization Disorder

Panel 8

(Image of a soda can exploding)

Text: I’m not sorry my moods change. I know it’s happening. Things around me are happening so fast that sometimes my emotions come out first.

Best,
Bipolar

Panel 9

Text: The only thing I’m sorry for is the fact that you think I have to be sorry.

Love,
Mental Disorders

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Christine Deneweth is a Contributing Comic Artist for Everyday Feminism. A queer cartoonist and artist, Christine lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan. She is a cartoonist for Eastern Michigan University’s newspaper, The Eastern Echo. She writes children’s books about mental disability and has a comic strip that has been published for five years. Comics can be found on her Facebook page, and art can be found on her Instagram @crassaster. Check out her comics here.