"Killing My Body to Save My Mind"

Effects of Depression

One of the major points that Slater gets across in “Killing My Body to Save My Mind” is that depression is not something to be taken lightly. Depression is an extremely serious affliction, and anything that can be done to relieve it should be done. 

“Killing My Body to Save My Mind” by Lauren Slater is an interesting piece, which gives insight into many issues. Within Ms. Slater’s essay there is information on mental health disorders, physical health, marriage, and parental relationships. Despite the numerous topics touched on by this composition, more than anything else it is a comparison of the importance of the body versus that of the mind. As someone who has struggled with bouts of severe depression throughout her life, Slater’s understanding of mental health issues is highly personal and undeniably credible. Through her own experience with one particular anti-depressant drug, the author was forced to make a decision between the importance of being physically healthy or mentally healthy. Her purpose in the writing of this piece is to reach out to anyone dealing with mental health issues, and help them to see that they should not feel guilty or wrong about doing anything they possibly can to achieve mental health. The pathos that Lauren Slater uses in this piece is incredible. When the author describes her crushing onsets of depression with vivid detail, the reader can practically feel the hopeless despair that she had felt. On the other hand, the joy that she’d experienced after taking Zyprexa is also brought to life. All six senses are engaged in detailing the experiences of being able to admire the world around her. The emotions that Slater evokes with her writing help the reader more than anything else to see why mental clarity is so crucial. Prior to reading this essay, I would not have been able to see why it would be worth it to take a drug that will eventually destroy your body in order to maintain a stable state of mind. As a result of “Killing My Body to Save My Mind”, my opinion has completely changed. I can see now that for anyone, but especially someone who suffers from mental disorders, psychological health is of the utmost importance. The pathos and personal experiences that Slater incorporates into this piece deepen its meaning and achieve its purpose in a major way.