A Serious Thesis About (De)Stigmatizing Things: A Research into Destigmatizing Mental Illness through Narrative and Community Created by Jenny Lawson’s Blog and Memoir Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things

Abstract

With stigma of mental illness still present all over the world, this thesis aims to research how a memoir on mental illness can help in destigmatizing the dominant narrative on mental illness. It does so by looking at the memoir Furiously Happy and blog of Jenny Lawson. Stigma is caused by the dominant narrative on mental illness which says that mental illness should be overcome and brings shame and isolation to people who have mental illness. Lawson’s narrative broadcasts a message that one does not have to ashamed and is not alone in having mental illness. This message resonates with her readers who have experience with mental illness and so inspires people to come out. This has created a community, which, in its turn, encourages more people to come out. So, it is argued in this thesis that Lawson challenges stigma surrounding mental illness by broadcasting a message that having mental illness is okay and by creating a community which functions as a safe space for coming out.