How I’ve Learned to Cope with the Voices in My Head

April 15, 2017 / Christine Deneweth

(Note: This comic has been transcribed below.)

At first, she tried to fight it. So how did she learn to cope with her mental disorder instead?

Here’s one story of experiencing schizoaffective bipolar disorder, struggling with the symptoms, and learning to cope.

It can be hard to feel alone in dealing with mental illness. But learning to understand what you’re dealing with can help you find the healing you deserve.

With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism

Click for the Transcript

Panel 1

Text: Comorbid: Making Friends with the Voices in My Head – Christine Deneweth

Panel 2

(Young Crass playing with a car with a small dragon behind her)

Text: It started as a puff of smoke, whispering words in my ear only I could hear.

Panel 3

(Dragon with its mouth open)

Text: It spoke in tongues and had multiple voices.

Panel 4

(Crass with dragon on her shoulder, looking at girl)

Text: I was surprised to learn that no one else seemed to have one.

Panel 5

(Crass walking through school with a two-headed dragon on her back)

Text: As I grew, it grew, too.

Panel 6

(Dragon head #2, blowing smoke)

Text: Not only did it speak in several voices, it leaked smoke that made things hazy. It was getting hard to do anything with this smoke constantly in my eyes.

Panel 7

(Crass looking sad, holding a toy car, and dragons behind her)

Text: I didn’t enjoy things like I used to. The smog kept getting thicker.

Panel 8

(Dragon with a third head)

Text: Once I was a teen, it grew another head. Now, it would prod me until I would rage and tear my room apart or sit motionless for hours.

Panel 9

(Crass standing with dragons behind her)

Text: My emotions were erratic or nonexistent, and the voices continued to get louder.

Panel 10

(Crass screaming at dragons)

Text: I tried my best to fight it. But, soon, I learned that this was a beast that couldn’t be defeated.

Panel 11

(Crass typing on a computer)

Text: But this wasn’t the end for me. I did something different. I decided to learn what it was and why it was doing this.

Panel 12

(Crass talking to a therapist)

Text: After a couple years of help, it had a name: Schizoaffective Bipolar Disorder.

Panel 13

(Crass touching dragon head #3)

Text: Instead of fighting it, I learned how to live with it and cope.

Panel 14

(Dragon sleeping)

Text: Feed it good things and make sure it gets enough rest.

Panel 15

(Dragon head #3 smiling at Crass)

Text: Breathe and think before I react with emotions.

Panel 16

(Crass drawing and dragon head #2 looking happy)

Text: Make sure I get time to myself to mentally decompress and have fun.

Panel 17

(Dragon head #1 sleeping)

Text: All of these things help quiet the voices.

Panel 18

(Crass riding the dragons)

Text: Learn to understand it until it has a name.

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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.