not Crazy just Human
(2025)
Tags
Graphic DesignStudent WorkMedia RepresentationTypographyMental HealthAdvocacyEditorial GraphicsSocialNot Crazy, Just Human is a visual communication project focused on challenging harmful media stereotypes surrounding mental illness.
This project addresses how conditions such as borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are often portrayed as extreme, frightening, or “crazy,” and contrasts those depictions with more human, realistic representations.
Rather than sensationalizing symptoms, these visuals reframe mental illness as something that often looks ordinary, unnoticed, and most importantly, human.
The intended outcome of this project was to encourage viewers to question what they have been taught to expect and to think critically about how media portrayals contribute to stigma that affects real people.
Each visual uses a stereotype vs. reality structure to directly confront common misconceptions.
The repeated phrase “Not Crazy, Just Human” serves as both a visual anchor and a message, reinforcing the idea that mental illness does not erase personhood.
The visual system was designed to feel accessible and direct, using bold color fields, torn-paper textures, and clear typographic hierarchy.