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A review by christinam
I'm Telling the Truth, but I'm Lying: Essays by Bassey Ikpi
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I listened to this one a few months ago and it was an experience like no other. Bassey’s talent as a writer and narrator is undeniable. Listening to her describe her life challenges through the lens of mental illness was heartbreaking. She is raw, honest, and unflinching as she details broken relationships, harmful coping strategies, receiving a diagnosis and the rotating door of medication adjustments and dosage changes while seeking symptom management.
Black women telling their stories with mental illness is what we need more of. "The Strong Black Woman" narrative is harmful because others think we're invincible, so we feel like we must be. As such, the tell-tale signs of various mental illnesses are missed or explained away causing us to be misunderstood. When we need help sometimes we are unable to ask for it and sometimes unwilling to accept it when it is offered. Empathically understanding the pervasive nature of mental illness and its profound effects on one’s inner experience and relationship to the world, is paramount in removing stigma and creating a more compassionate and inclusive society.
I can’t recommend this book enough. Whether it’s the audiobook, the physical copy or a combination of the two. Before I had even finished listening to this one, I knew I had to add this one to my personal collection.
Black women telling their stories with mental illness is what we need more of. "The Strong Black Woman" narrative is harmful because others think we're invincible, so we feel like we must be. As such, the tell-tale signs of various mental illnesses are missed or explained away causing us to be misunderstood. When we need help sometimes we are unable to ask for it and sometimes unwilling to accept it when it is offered. Empathically understanding the pervasive nature of mental illness and its profound effects on one’s inner experience and relationship to the world, is paramount in removing stigma and creating a more compassionate and inclusive society.
I can’t recommend this book enough. Whether it’s the audiobook, the physical copy or a combination of the two. Before I had even finished listening to this one, I knew I had to add this one to my personal collection.