Virginia Woolf was not mentally ill, but rather used the persona of mental illness to evade life's obligations and responsibilities.

“She wasn't suffering from any kind of mental disease or disorder. Instead, Szasz wrote, Woolf was engaging in a pattern of behavior that conveniently enough managed to solve many of the problems in her life.”

Virginia Woolf's alleged mental illness was a strategic pattern of behavior used to navigate her personal life and marital issues.

“Szasz's argument was that everybody misunderstood what Virginia Woolf was actually doing. She wasn't suffering from any kind of mental disease or disorder. Instead, Szasz wrote, Woolf was engaging in a pattern of behavior that conveniently enough managed to solve many of the problems in her life.”