I enjoyed reading this. Katzenstein really made this reader feel the anxiety and obsessiveness of the thoughts he had. Would recommend to those who enjoy nonfiction graphic novels, and I would also suggest this to people who know someone with OCD or they'd like to learn more about it.

EVERYTHING IS AN EMERGENCYJason Adam KatzensteinThis wasn't my favorite, it was rather redundant.. OCD. 2 starsHappy Reading!

An illustrated memoir (not really a comics memoir) about the author's lifelong struggles with OCD. It reminded me of teaching a YAL class where I invited in the author of Kissing Doorknobs, who had become a successful tv producer in the Chicago area. I had thought OCD was just this kind of specific neurological condition that very few people got, but I learned from my class (and subsequent classes where we also read the book) that like anxiety or depression or most things, humans operate on an O...

One of the best graphic novels dealing with mental health that I’ve read. It was funny, but serious and real, too. Really good!

It was actually a few years ago that I discovered my first graphic novel about mental health (Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me) and fell in love. The graphic novel format seems to be perfect for books about mental health and Katzenstein’s book reminded me so much of that one.As a parent to someone who had to be put on meds because they were developing OCD-like tendencies, this book struck a cord. But I don’t think you have to have a personal connection to it to get something from

A couple people in my life suffer from OCD, so this pretty familiar territory for me. Katzenstein does a good job of outlining his lifelong struggles with plenty of candor and humor, but breezes along a bit too quickly and stays so much in his own head that the other people in his life are mentioned almost in passing. (Ironically and hopefully intentionally, one of his illustrations in the book meant to to criticize movies has an artist monologuing about his tortured existence, while his model o...

I have a confession. A confession that I am truly ashamed of, but I think I have made an improvement on over the last few years. I had made a habit of flippantly tossing OCD as a descriptor of things in my daily life. “I just want to get pizza again . . . I must be OCD.”“I prefer to wear polo shirts to work . . . that is so OCD!”“I have to update my Goodreads status every day . . . isn’t that OCD of me?”One day my wife called me out and told me that I should stop saying that. It is disrespectful...

This was a very relatable fast read. I would say though, if you have anxiety or OCD it might make you feel anxious. It felt overwhelming which means the author did a great job at showing what it actually feels like to deal with OCD, but for those with it it's like double time in your head. I absolutely appreciate mental health being talked about and these stories being shared. I was hoping for a bit more humor. I really felt the darkness especially with some of the illustrations. I think it woul...

They say you should never meet your heroes. In this case, if you love the books that Jason has written, is it wrong to hear the story about his mental illness? Does it make his books any worse or better?If anything, it give you sympathy for what he has had to go through in his life.This is the story of Jason's OCD, told in graphic novel format, from start, to hopeful finish. He tells how hard it is to deal with, and what he ultimately did do. It is sad. It is hard and it is repetitive, as he sli...

I've seen where this book is described as being funny, but I found it to be heartwrenching. (Probably that is partly because I had a close family member who had OCD, before it ever had a name or a treatment.) I'm grateful to the author and the publisher for the ARC of the book in exchange for a review. Everything is an Emergency was a quick read but it gave me a moving glimpse of what someone with OCD experiences day in and day out. Jason, I am so happy your treatment has helped you, and I'm pro...

Brilliant!! “ But the problem is that I’ve added significance to my obsession. I’ve taught my brain that the emergency signal it sends with an obsessive thought represents a real danger, and the compulsion I perform my only recourse to stay safe.”“The safest option, then, is to be completely alone. Also, my biggest fear is being completely alone.”“- I’ll protect you from all my anxieties. - I…never asked you to do that?”“At this point it should be clear that I do not KNOW when I KNOW. Neither do...

This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2020/06/2...Everything is an Emergency is a heartfelt graphic novel by Jason Adam Katzenstein that details his life with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).Katzenstein’s first memories revolve around some common childhood fears, that his parents were able to manage with typical strategies, but these fears became deeper phobias that took more and more managing to control. At first Katzenstein’s phobias could be explained away,...

I don't think I have ever felt more seen in a book than with this little illustrated memoir. This book makes me want to talk about my OCD, something I only do with very close family, and that in and of itself is miraculous. Everyone's experience with OCD varies, but I saw myself in Jason's story and found his struggles, coping mechanisms, and experience with ERP very true to my own experience, even though our triggers differed.It's a beautifully written and illustrated book that should be requir...

Sometimes I read about another person's experience with OCD, and I completely relate. Other times, I read one and I'm like "do we even have the same mental illness?" This isn't to invalidate one or the other. It's more just a fascination that not only is mental illness a complex spectrum, but even a specific illness has a spectrum. I found myself incredibly jealous of Jason and how at least he had art as a release and a means of reflection. I'm not an artist, and while I can write well, I have n...

This book, and particularly the drawings, captures so well what it is like to live with OCD. It covers a lot of ground, from early signs of the disorder in childhood through managing the disorder in school, work, and relationships. It also captures beautifully the highs and lows (e.g., times you think you have everything under control vs. times when there seems to be a panic attack waiting around every corner). The book goes to some pretty dark and intimate places, but it is refreshingly honest

I thought this was a super great look into the mind of someone who has OCD. It definitely shows the progression from childhood fears to how it manifests in adults. I love how open and honest authors and people in general are being about their mental illnesses because it allows people to read things like this and go “huh that’s just like me, I’m not the only one”I’d say this is in the same vein as Hyperbole and A Half, so I’d you liked that one check out this one!