Too Far from Center
Abstract
This thesis centers on the desire to find the middle-ground despite an intense attraction to extremes. In this collection of essays, the narrator describes growing up in Europe as an embassy brat before moving to suburban Maryland at the age of sixteen. She struggles with her mental health and is ultimately diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The search for balance leads her to the dark corners of the Internet where girls with eating disorders congregate, as well as to the Washington, D.C. Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The narrator tries to understand herself better by analyzing her relationships with her parents, conducting research on how bipolar disorder affects creativity, and evaluating her own risky behavior. Ultimately, she finds a partner whose past and biology is similarly complicated, and she commits to preserving this new relationship.
Description
This thesis has been embargoed for 10 years. It will not be available until May 2030 at the earliest.
Keywords
Bipolar disorder, Mental health, Mental illness, Relationships, Eating disorders, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints