You Are Not Your Brain

For anyone who struggles with mental illness, this poem is written for you.

It’s late at night again.
I haven’t slept a wink in days.
My mind is teetering on the verge 
of the apocalyptic urge
to return to a state of chaos. 
That is what its molecules 
tell me they’re made of.

So I must calm the nervous tension. 
Perhaps, a substance for intervention. 
To be used as a prevention. 
When my brain defers correction. 

But it’s not the high that I fear,
that euphoria of feeling impaired.
It’s the valley that I plunge to
that leaves me zombie-d
like cheese to fondue.
That is no fun to ever return to.

I’ve been tagged 
and I’ve been hallowed. 
That mad one! 
They shout, they bellow.
I’m not loved!
My heart has cried...

But a voice cuts through my brain, 
it says it’s fighting for my pain. 
And says I need no longer be ashamed,
His love always, always remains.

“You are not your brain.
 You are much more 
 than the neurons 
 that misfire within 
what that gray 
 matter contains.
So be at peace.”

You Are Not Your Brain: A Reflection for the Mood-Weary

It’s late… Again. Sleep is nowhere to be found, and your thoughts just keep going on and on. The highs you experience feel electric—powerful. But they soon wear off. What comes after is the crash, the heaviness, the silence. Oh, what a silence it is—numbing, draining; giving space to your mind to whisper lies: You’re broken. You’re worthless. You’re not loved.

If you live with bipolar disorder—or any mental health struggle—you know this cycle intimately. It’s not just “ups and downs.” It’s like your own mind turns against you. In the midst of all these challenges, the hardest part is believing that you are still you, separate from the chaos in your brain.

But here's the truth:

You are not your brain.
You are not the misfiring neurons.
You are not the diagnosis.
You are not the shame.
You are much more—so much more than what your chemistry tells you. You are created in the Image of God, known intimately, and loved without condition. Even when your thoughts spiral, or when your mood crashes, or when you can’t feel anything at all, God is right there.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

This is raw truth.
So let His loving Voice filter through your mind —a divine whisper longing to soothe you. 

You are beloved.


Resources to Help:

  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): www.nami.org — Offers education, support groups, and helplines.
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.): Call or text 988 anytime, 24/7. Free and confidential help for mental health crises.