panicdisorder.about.com gave me a really nice review. Thanks Cathleen!

"With raw honesty, Samantha Schutz tells of her personal struggles with panic disorder in I Don't Want to Be Crazy. Framing her journey within her years at college, Schutz writes of her experiences in verse. Easily accessible, the poetry engages the reader instantly and captures the intensity of life with panic disorder. While I Don't Want to Be Crazy often is emotionally painful, the underlying message is one of hope."

Pros
Writing style draws the reader in, from the start
Author's honesty about struggles and triumphs keeps the reader connected
The poetry is emotionally engaging, and the reader feels the author's ups and downs with her.

Cons
There really are no cons -- but readers seeking a "cure" may be disappointed

Description
A memoir written in verse, the book captures and relates emotion in ways that prose would not.
The author accurately depicts the intensity of panic, often inducing emotion in the reader.
For the young panic sufferer, Schutz's memoir provides insight and information.
Ultimately, the book is about asking for help. Schutz shows how she does it and why it's OK.

Guide Review
Samantha Schutz did not experience her first panic attack in college, but it was there that her attacks intensified enough to make her take notice. And then they intensified enough to change her way of living and her way of thinking about herself and the world.

I Don't Want to Be Crazy is Schutz's poetic account of her emotional journey from college freshman year to her first jobs after graduation. From the beginning, Schutz wrestles with many of the same hopes and fears every young person faces. Early in her freshman year, however, Schutz begins to experience intense panic attacks and has no idea what is happening until she winds up at her school's counseling center.

To a reader with an anxiety disorder, the most valuable aspect of I Don't Want to Be Crazy is the author's honesty. Schutz is truthful about every last fear she has, even when, in the past, she was sure she would be considered a "freak" should anyone know what was happening inside her. Schutz is truthful about therapy and medication; for her, there was no overnight cure, just as there isn't for many of us. Finally, Schutz is truthful about why she keeps fighting, about why she believes she is worth it.

I Don't Want to Be Crazy adeptly captures the pain and frustration of panic disorder in a way that captivates the reader from start to finish. At the same time, Schutz lets us know that there is hope: