The labels… by Clare-Star Knighton

I’m peeling off the labels,
The adjustment disorders, the bipolar disorder,
I’m peeling off the labels, the borderline – the avoidant – the emotionally unstable personality disorders.
I’m peeling off the labels, to find ME, MEEEE that’s hidden.under.all.these. labels!
The antipsychotics the antidepressants the mood stabilisers.
I’m peeling off the labels,
The difficult, the non compliant the non engaging
I’m peeling off the labels to find ME, the tiny girl that was hurt and afraid, the young teenager who lost so much, the young adult who hurt so bad.
I’m peeling off the labels, and dropping them under my feet, along they go with the despair the self hatred, the sectioned the restrained the cornered, the hurt.
I’m peeling off the labels, and the only ones I’ll keep are the ones that were hidden underneath ……ME

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Mad in America hosts blogs by a diverse group of writers. These posts are designed to serve as a public forum for a discussion—broadly speaking—of psychiatry and its treatments. The opinions expressed are the writers’ own.

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