"You're Crazy" - Volume One

Book excerpt: You're Crazy Volume One compiles twenty-five first-hand accounts of people from the punk scene who live with mental illness, addiction and trauma. This volume also includes two stories of punk rockers who are allies to those of us who struggle and their experience. This book exists to help empower the writers who are sharing their personal experiences so that they can be better understood. It also exists to help show that we are not alone in this world and that life can get better. It's a necessity in our community. We all deserve to be heard. You're Crazy aims to help decrease the stigma that the authors, and those like them, face while dealing with mental illness, addiction and trauma. By sharing their stories they are putting themselves on the line as they take ownership of their lives and experiences while demonstrating the reality of their lives. These stories educate and inspire, increasing understanding and empathy while reducing stigma.