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I'm Not 'Crazy' for Talking About My Feelings

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“Why didn’t it work out between the two of you?”

“Because…she was crazy.”

I have lost count of the times I have heard guys describes girls as “crazy.” I have seen joking memes that say things like, “All girls are psychotic. You just need to find the one you can put up with.”

To me, it’s not funny, and the word “crazy” should never be used as a joke or as a derogatory term against someone. I wouldn’t be surprised if guys I’ve dated have called me “crazy” behind my back.

With my last ex-boyfriend, I’m sure when talking about me to his friends, the word “crazy” was thrown around. After all, he would call me crazy to my face. If I was having a panic attack or crying, then he would tell me to, “Stop acting crazy.” Because you know, saying this would make me feel so much better.

Why is the word “crazy” thrown around so freely? Why is showing your emotions considered “crazy”? It’s because it’s become a norm in our society to act like we don’t have emotions. We’re encouraged to act like we don’t care.

Don’t let people see you cry. Don’t act like you care about someone or have feelings for someone. Have casual sex but don’t be upset when they don’t call you. Wait a certain amount of time to respond to a text message. Don’t ever say, “I miss you,” or “I’m excited to see you.” Talk about movies, the weather, your favorite food or what you did last weekend. Don’t ever talk about emotions or what you’re thinking you know because that’s considered, “crazy.”

I once had a guy tell me it made him uncomfortable because I say what I’m thinking and how I’m feeling.

“People just don’t do that,” he told me.

If not being a robot makes me “crazy” and if choosing not to hide who I really am is “crazy,” then, yes, I’ll be “crazy.” I’m proud of it. Please, don’t let anyone make you feel like there is something wrong with being who you are or feeling the way you feel because it’s not. Having a tough exterior and acting like you have no feelings and calling people “crazy” because they’re “emotional” or “sensitive,” doesn’t make you strong or tough. It, in fact, makes you the opposite.

I think, the people who are the strongest are the ones who are not afraid to be themselves in a world that tells you to be someone else. The strongest people are the ones who ask for help when they need it. The bravest people are the ones who say, “I love you,” or “I care about you.” They’re the ones who are passionate. They talk about things that matter, and yes, they even let people see them cry.

People may not like you. You may make them uncomfortable. They may call you “crazy,” but maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

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Image via Thinkstock

Originally published: January 6, 2017
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