Lisa examines how the language and portrayal of mental illness have shifted in popular culture, sometimes leading to the glorification of these struggles. She discusses how concept creep has blurred the lines between real mental health struggles and the casual misuse of clinical terms. If you asked 10-year-old Lisa this question, she'd describe herself as compassionate, ambitious, and creative. She’d say she loves to read, draw, write and so many more. Yet now, I don’t know if I’m any of those things. Some mornings, I only exist on autopilot, unable to trach for much. Some days, I stand at the top of the world, acting on everything I tell myself. Other days, I sit in quiet silence, paralyzed by this strange combination of fear and anticipation for the future. Yet through everything, there is this constant voice in a small corner of my mind, whispering, “Why can’t you?” If 10-year-old Lisa believes she is all those things if 10-year-old Lisa loves to read and write and draw, why can’t I try to be so now? My name is Lisa; I hope to be a compassionate and open-minded person, and I hope my talk can guide others to develop compassion and empathy for the people around us. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx