February Third Thursday: Writing About Mental Health

Writing and mental health have long been associated in the popular imagination, with images of eccentric geniuses, alcoholics, and poets in the attic. Mental health is also often portrayed in literature, especially in memoirs and essays, not to mention numerous self-help books. But are those popular associations and depictions accurate? When it comes to writing about addiction, depression, anxiety, attention, and happiness (and everything in between), how can writers avoid stereotypes and get to the truth of the matter?