Quite Mad: An author’s exploration of mental illness
By MARISA MATA, Student Writer
In her recently published memoir, Quite Mad, Sarah Fawn Montgomery (2010) uses her power as a storyteller to start a conversation about mental illness, something very prevalent yet highly stigmatized in America.
Montgomery, an Assistant Professor at Bridgewater State University, said she has always been a writer, but didn’t start writing seriously until joining Fresno State’s MFA program. “I began the program believing writing was a hobby I could develop, but I left understanding it could be a highly professionalized career.”
Since earning her MFA, Montgomery has published a slew of both poetry and nonfiction, including three poetry chapbooks and Quite Mad.
“Quite Mad is the book that I wanted and needed as a patient.”
“When I was first diagnosed with mental illness — anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder — I felt isolated, confused, and angry by the misinformation and medical sexism I encountered as a patient. I was desperate for the stories of other patients, but also for information about my diagnoses and the various treatments I encountered, which is why I chose to blend my memoir with extensive research about the history of America’s mental illness treatment, much of which was fueled by sexism and profit. Many patients feel as though their pain is invalidated or ignored, and America’s cruel history is a reminder that mental illness patients, women in particular, have experienced silencing and erasure for centuries.”
Montgomery began writing Quite Mad several years after graduating from Fresno State. The book took years to research and write, but found a publisher after only a few pitches. There have been challenges for Montgomery along the way, some of which left her feeling as though she was “waiting underwater,” but the reaction she’s gotten from readers has made it all worthwhile.
“Mental illness can be an incredibly isolating experience, but releasing the book has brought so many of us with similar stories together. I particularly like being able to talk with students when I visit various universities, as much of the memoir is set during my own time as a student experiencing mental health challenges, and I wish I’d had a text like this to help me.”
In the months since the publication of Quite Mad, Montgomery has published several essays and poems, and she is working on two books. One is a book of poetry “about the mythos of witches that rewrites tales of historical, literary, and pop culture wicked women, examining how gender expectations construct what is perceived as evil.” The other is a book of nonfiction “about the constructs of motherhood and the ways domestic responsibility is often fraught with erasure.”
Montgomery believes in the importance of art and writing to bring attention to social issues.
“As writers, we craft the shameful and joyful stories of our past, the hard truths of our present, and the many hopes for our future.”
“Humans use storytelling to make sense of the world. We understand faith, history, politics, and science through the stories we construct. Whether it is a creative work or a textbook, stories allow us to understand ourselves and others…writing plays a vital role in the larger human narrative.”
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