Today, I'd like to welcome Sherilyn Powers, author of “I'm Not Crazy... I'm Allergic” to The Thursday Interview. Before we get started, a quick intro!
Sherilyn Powers has been a writer all her life. She has written and published poetry, completed several fiction novels and published blogs and articles. Sherilyn has been a facilitator and presenter for company VPs and CEOs, office staff and field workers on a variety of health topics and safety presentations. She has been interested in health and body work for many years, starting with family members' with ADHD and mental illness, up to and including her own health challenges with Celiac disease and allergies. Helping others to learn has always been a part of life for Sherilyn. She has now decided to make her love of helping other learn a full-time commitment and has continued her speaking internationally in the UK, Denver and Seattle doing workshops on her new book.
OK - HERE WE GO !!
No.1 Would you break the law to save a loved one? .. why?
I'm not good with black and white questions, but I think I would, depending on what I had to do. Laws are not absolutes, not immutable. They change and evolve as society changes and evolves. I'm not sure something that can change at the will of a group of people is worth an innocent life - assuming my loved one is innocent - as of course they would be!
No.2 What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
Lots of people are alive, putting one foot in front of the other, no dreams, no passion. Existing. Living is waking up in the morning and spending the day enjoying where the journey takes you, experiencing, being aware, being excited. And in my case, writing!
No.3 What motivates you to write? I honestly wish I knew.
At one time it was words pouring out and I couldn't stop them. It was dreams, fantasies, pain, longing - teen angst most likely. When I wrote this book it was from a desire to help, a need to get the information out there so others didn't have to suffer years of pain when there might be a simple answer for them. What motivates me now? It's fun and I'm meeting some incredible people!
No.4 Why do humans want children?
A lot of them don't actually want children, children are the result of poor planning! The ones that do want them either haven't had any yet so they have no clue what they are getting into, or have a need for something to love and be loved by unconditionally. My advice... get a fur-baby. They don't talk back in their teen years! Don't get me wrong though, I love my kids and their kids too. Oh, and my fur-babies.
No.5 What was the biggest challenge in creating your book "I'm Not Crazy... I'm Allergic" ?
The biggest challenge was being a fiction writer and having to not only write non-fiction, but do the thing I hated the most in University. Research! That and reading medical journals and studies. And the worst part, I couldn't just make it up as I went along! To all my readers: those endnotes that I used actually go to some pretty interesting sites. No, really! Very stimulating! If you can get past the medical jargon. Thankfully, I studied a little Latin... and biology and chemistry.
No.6 What is the most important thing you have learned in life so far?
Dessert can make a great breakfast! Oh and - not everyone will like you or what you do. But that's ok. It doesn't make you any less wonderful. They are probably the same people that don't like chocolate. Or puppies.
No.7 How did you come up with the title "I'm Not Crazy... I'm Allergic" ?
That actually wasn't me at all! Julie and I were trying to find out what was causing her completely bizarre episodes of depression she had been told all her life were from mental illness. For someone with a psychology background it was impossible for Julie to accept that it could actually be something so "simple" that had nothing to do with what she studied in school. She refused to believe what she ate or was exposed to could make her have the same suicidal thoughts and feelings of worthlessness. When she finally got her first one to one correlation, something that she could see, feel and finally believe, she was the one who excitedly uttered the now infamous words "I'm not crazy... I'm allergic!"
No.8 How do you handle personal criticism?
I'm an expert at it. I get it all the time. Mostly from myself but also from my family, my dogs, my boss, her boss ... just kidding! (I still need my job) But how I handle It really depends on how it's delivered. Constructive criticism I'm good with! Most of the time. At work we think of it as character building. Improving ourselves. Criticism of my work or things I do, I can be quite objective about if approached respectfully. Anything else, I disregard. It's usually from the same chocolate and puppy haters.
No.9 Why should people read your book?
Because the proceeds go to a worthy cause? Matching Mercedes for Julie and I? All kidding aside, I think it is very important that the word gets out. Depression isn't an isolated "disease". Lots of things can affect it and it can affect a lot of things. As humans we are complex individuals, we don't fit in boxes, especially not medical boxes, and labels don't work either. Unfortunately some doctors forget that. They write people off that don't fit in the categories they know, and those people are left struggling without support other than another bottle of pills that may or may not help. And sometimes all the medicine in the world can't do as much as simple things like eating right, having a heart to heart with a good friend and a being wrapped up in a warm, loving hug. My book can't give a hug, but it can be like a supportive friend and give a different way of looking at things, a guide to why your symptoms or reactions may not be the same as other people. Hopefully it can also help shed some light on two issues with very real and very difficult physical and mental challenges, challenges that can be completely intertwined.
No.10 Why is there something rather than nothing?
To give us something to write about, talk about and dream about. What would we do if there was nothing?
Thank you Sherilyn :)
For taking the time to answer my questions
& the best of luck with your new book!
Check out “I'm Not Crazy... I'm Allergic” on
This book is a journey of discovery and search for medical studies to help explain how every day things could be related to reactions like panic attacks, depression, uncontrollable crying, brain fog, body aches and pains and many more, when the popularly accepted allergic/sensitive reactions only include symptoms such as itchy eyes, a runny nose, and hives.
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