The Sophian

Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: Features

Acclaimed writer Lizzie Simon was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder long before information on mental illness was readily available to the public. Six years after her diagnosis, Simon embarked on a cross-country road trip, interviewing people with her condition in order to put her own experiences into perspective.

"Mentally, it was important for me to know there were people doing well," she said. "I wanted people to know that diagnosis isn't a dead end; it's just a detour."

These experiences inspired Simon's memoir, entitled, appropriately enough, Detour: My Bi-Polar Road Trip in 4D.

It was after the publication of her memoir, Simon said, that the opportunities for advocacy began.

Since then, she has worked with numerous organizations, including the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law in Washington, D.C.; the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign, notably spearheaded by Tipper Gore; and Active Minds, the organization which brought Simon to Smith yesterday to discuss mental wellness.

These opportunities have given Simon the opportunity to reflect upon mental health awareness and acceptance today.

"There's definitely more information and fluency [regarding mental health] among young people," she said. "But just because it's easier [to discuss these issues] doesn't mean it's easy," she explained.

"There are certain issues to feeling alone and ashamed. There are identity issues. The same questions are still being asked from years before."

Simon spoke to Smith students about the hotly debated issues of mental health and awareness. Some feel that despite a willingness to address other equally provocative issues with full-frontal honesty, people continue to shy away from topics of mental illness.

Smith's Active Minds chapter Co-Chair Meg Kearney '10 agreed. "People don't share their experiences," she said. "[They] don't realize how many people deal with mental health problems."

College life stipulates tremendous stress, according to Simon. "Students at elite schools like Smith have a stigma against anything imperfect," she said. Unsurprisingly, this also includes mental health.

"I think Smithies are very skilled at 'faking good,' so that they look very together when actually they're falling to pieces inside," said Wellness Education Director Emily Nagoski. "There's a stigma here, as everywhere, around mental health issues that we're continuing to fight."

Continued...

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