We shouldn't be defined by mental illness

In Mental Health Awareness Week, teen author John Corey Whaley opens up about his own anxiety disorder and tells us why the star of his new book is charming and funny as well as being an agoraphobe who never leaves the house

• Many pioneers from history have had a mental illness but we remember them for the wonderful things they did. Join us on Twitter using #notdefinedbyit to share stories

I want to start this off my saying, adamantly, that I am not an expert on mental illness. Not by anyone’s standards. I’m actually only an expert on two things: the fictional books I write and the ever-existential-crises-ridden brain that writes them. But I say that not to give myself room to write what I please, but to further speak to my reasoning for writing Highly Illogical Behaviour: to discuss and explore the very individual, personal nature of mental illness and hopefully create a sense of empathy in my readers who misunderstand it most.

Related: Why we need to be honest about OCD and teen mental health

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