Jewel On Living With A Mental Health Condition During A Pandemic

[Jessica]

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jewel-mental-health_l_5ef51e32c5b612083c4af7c4

From the interviewer, reciting what we now see as canon:

You became homeless as a young adult after your boss fired you for refusing his sexual advances, all while simultaneously living with a mental illness.

I'm getting bored with the new story about the employer, so I had to go look up the OG story. I'm starting to forget it!

From Chasing Down the Dawn:






This version happens to nearly all of us at some point. We take the late night meeting or whatever because, hey, why not?  Then you learn this will go predictably.  Then you blame yourself for taking the risk. Then you gain the full wisdom that men are trash and don't get caught alone with them because they will make a move.

The exaggerations put on the updated version are less helpful. I think there's value in the original story because it's so relatable. The new version is very "well, duh, that's obvious harassment," to an onlooker, but the OG version can make every woman go, "yeah, I've thought I asked for it, too, girl. Right there with you."

Just, idk, had a hair up my ass about this.  Also, I left in the badass Nedra part because I've been thinking lately that our community has been too hard on her.  At the end of the day, we can't fully trust what any of these people say because celebrities don't just sell their art, they sell their image. And "overcoming adversity" offers a big PR boost.

God, I sound like f'n 501BQ lol

[Jessica]

Oh, BONUS!  In the above linked interview, she talks about all the mental illnesses she suffered while homeless.

In the book, in that very same chapter, she described that decision to move into a van with her mom as liberating and therapeutic.

Interview:

You became homeless as a young adult after your boss fired you for refusing his sexual advances, all while simultaneously living with a mental illness. What did a really bad day look like during that period?

It varied, but severe anxiety, panic attacks, really negative self-talk, isolation. I didn’t have friends, community or family. I didn’t trust people. I became agoraphobic.

Book: