In his newest Vlogbrother's video, author John Green opens up about his experience living with a mental illness -- as well as one huge problem with the way we talk about it.

After discussing his own experience Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), the "Paper Towns" author says, "The central way we imagine sickness as a thing we must conquer and put behind us doesn't really apply to chronic illness. Like, when you go to the store to get a card for a sick friend you go to the 'get well soon' section, right? But for people living with chronic illness it often isn't a question of getting well soon."

He goes on to say that people seem to have difficulty viewing illnesses as anything other than something that A. was caused and B. can and must be defeated.

Green also talks about the things he's learned to do to make his illness "more tolerable," from small acts of self-care, to recognizing that social media often masks a lot of the realities of living with mental illnesses, to reminding himself that there is always hope.

"How you feel when you are at your sickest is not how you will always feel," he says.

Watch the full video here: