So very powerful. How brave of Jason to share his story with the world, not leaving any of the dark parts out. His struggle with OCD growing up and into adulthood is one that will stay with me for a long time. I had a brief idea of what OCD could be before this book, but now I can honestly say my heart went out to Jason and goes out to every human who struggles with this mental disorder everyday without relief. This story could help some students at my school to give them hope so I will be purchasing it for them. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

In a way, <em>Everything is an Emergency</em> by Jason Adam Katzenstein isn't what I expected it to be. I guess when I requested it I was really just looking for something that would be relatable. As this is more a life story that happens to be about a man with OCD than anything else, I often found myself dissociating a bit from the work as a whole. In general, a fantastic autobiography, <em>Everything is an Emergency </em>didn't really stick with me in the end.

I think everyone experiences mental illness in their own way. Jason's way doesn't quite align with mine, but then I certainly don't have the level of OCD that he has. The important thing here, though, is that this is a very real and personal account of something that the author has lived with his entire life. Told in a series of adorable and, at times, hilarious comics, <em>Everything is an Emergency </em>immerses its readers in a world they may never have experienced otherwise.

This was a read I deeply appreciated. Autobiographies are incredibly important stories to those who author them. In the case of this book it is a constant uphill and downhill battle of finding out who you are and how to manage your life. Perhaps the most relatable piece of this entire book was the regular instances in which the author is pushing the rock up the hill and then following it back down.

The ups and downs of life are different for everyone and it was nice to get a look at this one.

<em>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</em>

This book takes a brutally honest look at someone who has a mental illness that started presenting itself when he was a child. It starts when the author and main character is little and starts to realize that he has some fears that his parents need to soothe for him. This progresses as he gets older into more common OCD behaviors such as being obsessively clean and germaphobic. As he gets older he explains how the illness ebbs and flows, how sometimes he is great and other times something small will send him into a spiral. I really enjoyed the specific details he shared about how these spirals play out and how after working with a doctor he starts to mange his illness. I would recommend this book to anyone who has experienced this illness or who has a friend who has. It is a inside look at mental illness that is lighthearted but still honest and thought provoking. We all could learn a lot from a book like this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins publisher, Harper Perennial for the ARC provided

When I finished reading, I understand more about what is OCD means for people who has that. How the author describe his childhood life along with the dark shadows that keep haunted him, never knew how desperate and miserable OCD people struggling with it since early life. The books gave voice and images about OCD.

I felt a little bit disturbed with the drawing but I guess that’s how the author wants to share his story through this book along with the drawing. It well represented, dark, raw, every stage of his life with OCD delivered well in every chapter. My favorite one is when he met his therapist. And also I felt this book is a little bit short. not an easy read for those who’s not familiar with this type of genre (graphic novel memoir).

A graphic novel account of a cartoonist and his OCD. While I empathize with OCD, I cannot say that I enjoyed the book. The reader shares his life's journey from a child to an adult with OCD. We follow Jason through his fears and anxieties as well as his low points and highs. waxing, waning then waxing again. The volume of mania made this a hard read for me. The perks for me are that the illustrations are comical and well done.

An insightful look into the life and mind of the book’s creator, as he struggles with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Jason’s heartbreaking struggles with himself, friends, family, and loved ones as he tries new treatments and medications and seeks to understand the thoughts and behaviors that effectively hold him hostage in his own mind and body. Thank you, Jason, for sharing your experience and for offering hope.

As a kindergarten teacher, I’m always looking for books to share with students to help them understand their own world a little better. I was hoping this would give that insight for my “worriers” but unfortunately, it fell short. I felt the examples of fear were too far removed from current children’s interests. I also appreciate an advanced vocabulary but the kids still have to be able to understand. I would be concerned that most kids could not solve for meaning in this book.

I don’t think I have ever felt more seen in a book than with this little illustrated memoir. This is the story of Jason Adam Katzenstein, famed cartoonist and writer, and his struggle with Obsession Compulsive Disorder (“OCD”).

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 telling.

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.

The art of the book is exceptionally amazing, with Jason’s cartoons throughout its pages, and filled with bits of his other art from different times in his life and in his experience with his OCD. It was fascinating for me, a non-artist, to see how his OCD affected something so personal and important to him as his art.

It’s a beautifully written and illustrated book that should be required reading for people who have loved ones with OCD. If you yourself have OCD and think you can handle reading his experience (it can be very triggering to read about other people’s obsessions and compulsions) I really recommend this for you as well. This is also just a really great book if you want to understand what it’s like to live as someone with OCD.

5/5 stars. Beautifully illustrated and extremely heartfelt. I loved this.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions (and experience with OCD) are all my own!

My Goodreads review is live at the below link. The review on my blog, Back Shelf Books, is scheduled to be posted on my blog, Back Shelf Books, on Saturday, March 14th.

Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for this book!
It is always nice to read a book where you can see yourself represented. I enjoyed this book because it gave a voice and images to OCD. I was happy to find a book about OCD by someone who knows what is like to live with it. I also enjoyed how it was in graphic novel form, it made it easier to see how OCD effects people. I think if you know someone who has OCD you should read this book to better understand them.

Also posted to Goodreads!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I like reading books about personal experiences with mental illnesses. This was a good graphic memoir of OCD. I enjoyed his sense of humor and his honesty.

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.

<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/everything-is-an-emergency.png" alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5607" />

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 slips back again and again, and loses and moves on.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

I've followed Jason Adam Katzenstein's work on Instagram and have really enjoyed his perspective and sense of humor. Everything is an Emergency provides a highly personal look into his struggles with obsessive compulsive disorder and efforts to manage it. At points Everything is an Emergency was difficult for me to read because I empathized with Katznstein's struggle to function while dealing with a serious mental illness. But I think Everything is an Emergency gives a clear picture of how OCD can manifest itself and I hope people will read it and stop using OCD as a synonym for being particular about things.

Unsettling, raw, and unflinching are all terms that could be used to describe this book. Cartoonist Jason Katzenstein has struggled with severe OCD from childhood. His graphic memoir explores his experiences with this disease, describing with painful honesty the impact the disease has had on him and those who care and love for him. It's a difficult read, agonizing really, but perhaps one the clearest depictions I've seen of the disorder.

A riveting, raw portrayal of what it is like to live, struggle and thrive despite obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The author is frank with his portrayal of what goes on inside his mind, beginning with his earliest anxious memories up until his adulthood. The portrayal of anxiety is perfectly depicted in his drawings, which are humorous and at times stark. I will purchase for my high school library. The only reason I did not give 5 stars was the (sometimes unexpected) curse words. For example, instead of saying he held his bladder all day because he was afraid of public toilets in elementary school, the author writes, "I would hold my piss all day." I don't mind a well-placed curse word, but this seemed unnecessary, even crude. Also there are multiple uses of the F word, and without them, this book could perhaps be a good choice for middle grade.

***Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
Mental illness is so prevalent in our society and it feels right that there should be more written about it. This author made himself relate-able in a way that seemed completely unique for him. I empathized with a lot he was going through and I think his illustrations only highlighted the feelings and struggles he faced.

This is a great book on inner workings of man that has OCD. He begins having irrational thoughts as a child. Those irrational thoughts have led to compulsions. This book shows how debilitating it can be and some things the author did to feel better.

An interesting look at the author's experience with OCD, starting with his childhood and how he attempted to cope, eventually finding refuge in drawing.