Carrie Fisher – Claim It

Actress and author Carrie Fisher opens up about her struggles with mental illness, and says that when you claim your problems, they become your strengths.

Transcript:

I stayed awake for five days. That’s how they torture people and I became psychotic. It’s humiliating. You’ve lost control. You’re not out of your mind, you can’t get out. You know it’s not right, but, ugh.

“A lot of who I am and how I think is from that. It makes me a particular person. I’m proud of myself that I’ve been able to get through this stuff and I’ve been able to … I can’t overcome it, but I can use it instead of it use — it’s, I have problems, problems don’t have me. If I can claim it, it’s mine. It’s not a weakness then.

“My liabilities are my assets. If you declare something, it has less power over you. Far less. Say your weak things in a strong voice.

“I’m not afraid of anything and that would not be so if I hadn’t had to deal with all that.

What man has done man can do. That’s a lot harder. I started afraid, but I’m not afraid now.”