New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone asked the Bing Crosby Theater audience to raise their hand if they’ve had a depressive episode.

Most people did.

“We have to get to a point where we’re willing and able to just talk about this stuff,” Stone said about mental health issues.

Stone took to the downtown Spokane theater stage Thursday night, sitting cross-legged with no shoes, to talk about mental health and the unfortunate stigma that comes with it. The talk was part of The Spokesman-Review’s Northwest Passages book club series.

Stone said part of the reason she wrote her latest book, “Chaos Theory,” was to destigmatize “brain health.” The novel chronicles a pair of high school seniors who struggle with mental health problems.

“This was the most personal book I’ve ever written,” Stone said.

When she was in her early teens, Stone said she had clinical anxiety to the point it would manifest into hives if someone touched her skin.

In late 2020, with seven or eight published books on her resume, Stone said she became deeply suicidal. Stone said she doesn’t have diagnosed bipolar depression but does have rapid cycling depression and anxiety, meaning she can be deeply depressed and highly anxious at the same time.

“I was killin’ it professionally,” she said.

She eventually climbed out of her dangerous mental state and finished writing “Chaos Theory,” which she said was extremely healing.

Stone also provided advice to the crowd, which included some students.

To be successful, she said, “Get OK with rejection.”

She said her 10-year career as an author has come with lots of rejection, even now, with 14 books written.

“It does not get easier, friends,” Stone said. “This is the beauty of success, though, if you want to live a dream.”

She said achieving something great won’t come easy.

“Do not allow social media to fool you about what it takes to be a person who is successful over a stretch of time,” Stone said.

She also said part of working hard involves working on yourself.

“Chase those dreams, catch those dreams, but recognize you’re going to have to work your ass off to keep those dreams. ”

Northwest Passages / The Spokesman-Review