Don’t Call Me Crazy

When we see someone doing something unusual, we casually utter these words – “Are you crazy?” or “He/she is crazy”. I also had this habit of judging people and tagging them to be ‘crazy’, but now that’s changed. Who changed it? A girl from my college.
Hannah Mitchell had some sort of mental illness. But nevertheless she was studying economics from a reputed college, just like me and my friends. Most of the days she used to act normal, but then there were days when she seemed lost, confused and scared. We used to call her, ‘Crazy Hannah’.
It’s been 7 years that I have completed my graduation. I had completely forgotten ‘Crazy Hannah’ until yesterday when I received an email from her. That’s odd! What does she has to say?
Hi dear batch mates,
I hope you guys remember me. It’s me Hannah Mitchell and I want to share something about myself with you guys. I have lived most of my life with panic disorder and depression. I started having panic attacks when I was 10 years old. I am a daughter, a sister, a wife, a friend and a proud mother of a 4-year-old beautiful girl. I am many things but I am not crazy.
Crazy is an insulting word. You can call me courageous or call me scared, but please don’t call me crazy, because I am not. I go to a grocery store, I take the bus, I smile at people while walking on the street. I am one of your classmates. I am just like you. The only difference is that unlike you, I suffer from a mental illness that challenges me every day.
My illness acts like those annoying relatives who just won’t get the hint that you want them to leave you alone. Every single day my illness tells me that I am worthless and I should give up. It tells me to stop believing. “Don’t do that, don’t do this. You can’t succeed.” I fight these thoughts every day.
There are many people like me in this world. We live among you guys and we are silenced continually for being – ‘crazy’.
I am not crazy. I am a human being.