Andy Behrman Quotes

Powerful Andy Behrman for Daily Growth

About Andy Behrman

Andy Behrman is an American author, mental health advocate, and speaker known for his candid and humorous accounts of living with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Born on August 17, 1968, in New York City, Behrman grew up in a Jewish family where he was the youngest of three children. His struggles with mental health began at an early age and were exacerbated during his teenage years, leading to multiple hospitalizations and a deep dive into self-medication. Behrman's experiences with mental illness have been instrumental in shaping his life and career. After years of struggling in silence, he decided to use his story as a means to raise awareness about mental health issues. His debut book, "Modifying Behavior: A Memoir of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder" (2005), detailed his harrowing journey with OCD and the various treatments he underwent, including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP). In 2010, Behrman released "Beyond OCD: Taking Charge of An Unpredictable Life," a follow-up memoir that delved deeper into his life post-treatment. The book offers insights into maintaining recovery, navigating relationships, and coping with the unpredictability of living with OCD. Apart from writing, Behrman is a dedicated mental health advocate. He speaks openly about his experiences, challenges stereotypes surrounding mental illness, and encourages individuals to seek help when needed. His work has been praised for its ability to break down barriers and foster understanding, empathy, and hope among readers. Today, Andy Behrman continues to write, speak, and advocate, inspiring countless people living with mental health challenges.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The crazy never rests."

The quote "The crazy never rests" implies that mental illness, specifically the more severe and chaotic forms often referred to as 'crazy,' is an ongoing battle. It suggests that those struggling with it don't have a moment of reprieve or peace from their internal struggles and symptoms. This understanding highlights the constant vigilance required for managing such conditions, emphasizing the importance of empathy, support, and resources for individuals coping with mental health challenges.

"I realized that I had the power to choose my thoughts and thus control my mind."

This quote by Andy Behrman signifies personal empowerment and mental discipline. It suggests that an individual has the ability to consciously choose their thoughts, thereby gaining control over their mind. This idea emphasizes the importance of mental health and self-awareness, indicating that by controlling one's thought patterns, a person can navigate through challenging situations more effectively and maintain emotional stability. Essentially, it is a reminder that we are not powerless in the face of our thoughts but have the capacity to manage them for improved wellbeing.

"It's okay to be different. It's okay to be yourself. The world needs more people who are being true to themselves."

This quote emphasizes the importance of individuality, authenticity, and self-acceptance. Andy Behrman encourages us to embrace our uniqueness and not conform to societal norms or expectations that may suppress our true selves. The message is that each person brings something unique to the world, and this diversity enriches society as a whole. By being true to ourselves, we contribute to a more vibrant, diverse, and inclusive world.

"Mental illness is a battlefield, but we can't win the war alone."

The quote emphasizes that dealing with mental illness is a challenging struggle, not unlike a battle. However, it underscores the importance of social support in this fight, suggesting that while individuals may not be able to conquer their mental health issues single-handedly, they are not expected or intended to do so alone. Instead, the implication is that seeking help and building a support network can significantly aid in the ongoing battle against mental illness.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." (This quote is actually by Albert Einstein, but Andy Behrman often quotes it in his writings.)

The quote emphasizes a common observation on human behavior where individuals persist in repeating actions despite them consistently failing to produce the desired outcome. It serves as a reminder that if we wish for different results, we must be willing to change our approach or strategies rather than blindly repeating the same actions over and over again. This is especially relevant in contexts such as personal development, problem-solving, or any situation requiring innovation and adaptability.

My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary material goods and bizarre generosity with family, friends and even strangers.

- Andy Behrman

Through, Abuse, Bizarre, Generosity

After graduation in June of 1984, I moved to Manhattan. My first stop was a psychiatrist, who in less than our first fifty-minute session again diagnosed me with depression.

- Andy Behrman

Again, Session, Moved, June

Like most manic depressives, some of my symptoms included racing thoughts that I simply had to act upon - flying from New York to Paris and taking the train to Berlin; flying to Argentina in the middle of the night; spending tens of thousands of dollars on unnecessary garments, dinners and gifts.

- Andy Behrman

Racing, Some, Tens, Argentina

In my most psychotic stages, I imagine myself chewing on sidewalks and bulging and swallowing sunlight and clouds.

- Andy Behrman

Myself, Imagine, Swallowing, Stages

In total, I was diagnosed with depression by eight psychotherapists and psychiatrists over a period of thirteen years. Diagnosed wrong. Absolutely wrong. My accurate diagnosis was manic depression, or what we call bipolar disorder today.

- Andy Behrman

Over, Period, Accurate, Thirteen

The guilt I felt for having a mental illness was horrible. I prayed for a broken bone that would heal in six weeks. But that never happened. I was cursed with an illness that nobody could see and nobody knew much about.

- Andy Behrman

Broken, Guilt, Having, Heal

My eating habits are the only behaviour of mine that are still manic. I can't walk by a restaurant, a bakery, an ice-cream store or a candy store without making a purchase; the amount of calories I take in today are at least five times as many as I took before starting on all of this medication.

- Andy Behrman

Habits, Candy, Before, Ice-Cream

I am a rapid-cycling manic-depressive, bi-polar one disorder, which means I can have thirty or forty episodes a year, and I used to have thirty to forty episodes a year.

- Andy Behrman

Year, Which, Means, Episodes

I felt like I was the only person on the planet with this 'thing called depression', and I remember being frightened. I was knocked out and dopey, and I cried all of the time.

- Andy Behrman

I Remember, Like, Planet, Frightened

I couldn't sleep for nights on end, as my brain felt like there were thoughts colliding within it; I obsessed over small details, from saving pennies and polishing each one of them to washing my clothing over and over in the washing machine.

- Andy Behrman

Sleep, Small, Each One, Pennies

There are lots of people with mental health disabilities, and that's just the way their life is; it's not like you see it in the movies.

- Andy Behrman

Health, Mental, Like, Disabilities

I think, when it comes to psychiatry, that a lot of people are overmedicated. I think when it comes to ECT a lot of people go through too much. I think there's a lot of guesswork in psychiatry.

- Andy Behrman

Think, Through, I Think, Psychiatry

Friends and family were convinced I was functioning just fine because I was efficient, productive and successful - who wouldn't be working twenty hour days? I had everybody fooled with my illness.

- Andy Behrman

Everybody, Efficient, Had, Twenty

My ever-present mania meant I was never phased by staying up twenty hours a day or by the different time zones. I was Superman.

- Andy Behrman

Hours, Meant, Staying, Twenty

I think almost all manic depressives exhibit some kind of criminal behaviour, even if it's something as minimal as shoplifting, but then they often go on to bigger and better things - in my case, it was fraud.

- Andy Behrman

Some, I Think, Almost, Criminal

As no one knew much about my mental illness, a lot of people had the attitude that I had the capability to 'kick it' and get better instantly. This was the most frustrating attitude for me.

- Andy Behrman

Mental, Knew, About, Illness

People accuse me of glamorizing mental illness. Looking back sometimes, that's true. But I don't feel guilty.

- Andy Behrman

Looking Back, Back, Accuse, Illness

The little depression I experienced during my manic-depression was not like depression as anyone else had ever described it. It was very violent and angry, and I was full of rage. I wasn't lying in bed.

- Andy Behrman

Bed, Violent, Very, Experienced

Money is a huge issue for manic depressives. Sometimes the problem is not nearly on the same scale as it has been for me, but nonetheless, it's difficult to deal with. Many get themselves into debt that can take years to clear up, write bad cheques, shoplift and borrow huge amounts from family and friends.

- Andy Behrman

Bad, Deal, Been, Borrow

I counterfeited Mark Kostabi's artworks. During the eighties, Mark didn't paint his own paintings. Instead, he had other artists painting them, and he just added his signature. So what I did was to use some of the same painters, and signed his name myself.

- Andy Behrman

Some, Other, Added, Mark

Manic depression is a type of depression, technically, and it's the opposite of uni-polar. Manic depression is also called bi-polar disorder. Some people don't like to call it that because they think it makes it sound too nice, when the reality is if you have manic-depression you have manic-depression.

- Andy Behrman

Sound, Some, Type, Manic

My manic depression was ravaging my life, but because nobody could see it, many people thought it was a figment of my imagination.

- Andy Behrman

My Life, Thought, Could, Manic

Most nights, I'm good for only four or five hours of sleep. That leaves the other 20. I have to fill them some way.

- Andy Behrman

Some, Other, Hours, Nights

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