Best of
Mental-Illness

2012

Dancing on Broken Glass


Ka Hancock - 2012
    They’re both plagued with faulty genes—he has bipolar disorder, and she has a ravaging family history of breast cancer. But when their paths cross on the night of Lucy’s twenty-first birthday, sparks fly, and there’s no denying their chemistry. Cautious every step of the way, they are determined to make their relationship work—and they put it all in writing.  Mickey promises to take his medication. Lucy promises not to blame him for what is beyond his control. He promises honesty. She promises patience. Like any marriage, they have good days and bad days—and some very bad days. In dealing with their unique challenges, they make the heartbreaking decision not to have children. But when Lucy shows up for a routine physical just shy of their eleventh anniversary, she gets an impossible surprise that changes everything. Everything. Suddenly, all their rules are thrown out the window, and the two of them must redefine what love really is.An unvarnished portrait of a marriage that is both ordinary and extraordinary, Dancing on Broken Glass takes readers on an unforgettable journey of the heart.

Did You Hear Me Crying? (The Heartbreaking True Story of a Child Abused) - Child Abuse True Stories


Cassie Moore - 2012
    Yet the World Health Organisation estimates that up to 40 million children are abused every year and according to Women's Aid, 1 in 3 women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime.In this shocking memoir, Cassie Moore gives a very open and honest description of how she suffered and survived a lifetime of abuse. She describes:- The sexual, physical and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her Stepfather and Mother, who then sold her into marriage at the age of 16 - The heartbreak she suffered when she naively left her 22 month old baby behind when she fled to London with the man she fell in love with, only to be abused by him for a further 23 years- The self-loathing, depression and despair she felt during those lonely years - The enormous sacrifices she had to make to save herself and start a new life

Suicide Watch


Kelley York - 2012
    His grades sucked. Making friends? Out of the question thanks to his nervous breakdowns and unpredictable moods. Still, Vince thought when Maggie Atkins took him in, he might’ve finally found a place to get his life—and his issues—in order.But then Maggie keels over from a heart attack. Vince is homeless, alone, and the inheritance money isn't going to last long. A year ago, Vince watched a girl leap to her death off a bridge, and now he's starting to think she had the right idea.Vince stumbles across a website forum geared toward people considering suicide. There, he meets others with the same debate regarding the pros and cons of death: Casper, battling cancer, would rather off herself than slowly waste away. And there’s quiet, withdrawn Adam, who suspects if he died, his mom wouldn't even notice.As they gravitate toward each other, Vince searches for a reason to live while coping without Maggie's guidance, coming to terms with Casper's imminent death, and falling in love with a boy who doesn't plan on sticking around.

Em and The Big Hoom


Jerry Pinto - 2012
    Between Em, the mother, driven frequently to hospital after her failed suicide attempts, and The Big Hoom, the father, trying to hold things together as best he could, they tried to be a family.

Lucy in the Sky


Anonymous - 2012
    She lived in an upper middle class neighborhood in Santa Monica with her mom, dad, and Berkeley-bound older brother. She was a good girl, living a good life...but one party changed everything. One party, where she took one taste—and liked it. Really liked it.Social drinking and drugging lead to more, faster, harder... She convinced herself that she was no different from anyone else who liked to party. But the evidence indicates otherwise: Soon she was she hanging out with an edgy crowd, blowing off school and everything she used to care about, all to find her next high.But what goes up must come down, and everything—from her first swig, to her last breath—is chronicled in the diary she left behind.

Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me


Ellen Forney - 2012
    Flagrantly manic and terrified that medications would cause her to lose creativity, she began a years-long struggle to find mental stability while retaining her passions and creativity.Searching to make sense of the popular concept of the crazy artist, she finds inspiration from the lives and work of other artists and writers who suffered from mood disorders, including Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, William Styron, and Sylvia Plath. She also researches the clinical aspects of bipolar disorder, including the strengths and limitations of various treatments and medications, and what studies tell us about the conundrum of attempting to “cure” an otherwise brilliant mind.Darkly funny and intensely personal, Forney’s memoir provides a visceral glimpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artist’s work, as she shares her own story through bold black-and-white images and evocative prose.

Perfect Chaos: A Daughter's Journey to Survive Bipolar, a Mother's Struggle to Save Her


Linea Johnson - 2012
    Then the younger daughter Linea started experiencing crippling bouts of suicidal depression. Multiple trips to the psych ward resulted in a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and it took many trial runs of drugs and ultimately electroshock therapy to bring Linea back. But her family never gave up on her. And Linea never stopped trying to find her way back to them.Perfect Chaos is the story of a mother's and daughter’s journey through mental illness towards hope. From initial worrying symptoms to long sleepless nights to cross country flights and the slow understanding and rebuilding of trust, Perfect Chaos tells Linea's and Cinda’s harrowing and inspiring story, of an illness that they conquer together every day.  It is the story of a daughter’s courage, a mother’s faith, and the love that carried them through the darkest times.

I Am Intelligent: From Heartbreak to Healing--A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Autism


Peyton Goddard - 2012
    Robbed of speech and bodily control, and despite her loving parents' best efforts to help her, Peyton Goddard suffered neglect and ongoing abuse by many who dismissed her as autistic and severely mentally retarded. Peyton's violent outbursts and bizarre, self-destructive behavior left her parents terrified at the prospect of having to institutionalize their daughter. No one could have imagined that she possessed a brilliant mind in her uncooperative body until her first opportunity to communicate electronically at age 22 when she typed "I AM INTLGENT," a breakthrough reminiscent of "The Miracle Worker." After two decades, mother and daughter are finally able to communicate, and Peyton goes on to graduate valedictorian from college. Her story challenges assumptions that any child, regardless of competence, can be less of a human being. Today Peyton is following through on her vow to be an advocate on behalf of other devalued people. Her inspirational life helps readers transcend stereotypes and join her in the radical notion that, as she says, "All people are vastly valuable. Treasure all because great is each."

Black Girls Don't Cry: Unveiling Our Pain and Unleashing Hope


Angelica Leigh - 2012
    It provides scriptural solutions to life altering problems such as low self-esteem, abuse, and depression. Black Girls Don’t Cry frees us from the bondage of regrets, encourages us to drop the baggage from our past, and moves us forward towards a renewed strength in Christ.

Cracked


K.M. Walton - 2012
    He has no friends, gets beaten up at school, and his parents are always criticizing him. Tired of feeling miserable, Victor takes a bottle of his mother's sleeping pills—only to wake up in the hospital.Bull is angry, and takes all of his rage out on Victor. That makes him feel better, at least a little. But it doesn't stop Bull's grandfather from getting drunk and hitting him. So Bull tries to defend himself with a loaded gun.When Victor and Bull end up as roommates in the same psych ward, there's no way to escape each other or their problems. Which means things are going to get worse—much worse—before they get better….

You're Not Crazy - It's Your Mother: Understanding and Healing for Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers


Danu Morrigan - 2012
    And you still end up emotionally bruised, confused, and hurt.If this resonates with you, it is possible that your mother has narcissistic personality disorder. You're Not Crazy--It's Your Mother explains what NPD is, and what it means for you and your self. This book will help you undertake a journey of recognition and recovery: of moving on, healing, and claiming your own self as the wonderful, vibrant woman you really are.

Silenced


RaeBeth McGee-Buda - 2012
    When her mother reveals this is untrue, she goes through an emotional spiral with depression. It's hard for her to believe her mother had lied to her all this time. A move to a new home and town causes Amber to be consumed by her "darkness" and reverts to cutting to free herself from her pain.When Casey, her new friend enters her life, she introduces Amber to parties, drugs, and Amber's new boyfriend Landon. The secret of cutting begins to take affect on Amber as she tries to hide it from her friends and family. In the mist of everything, Amber has the desire to find out who her biological father is.Follow Amber through her trials of depression and cutting, along with the discovery of love.

The Locked Ward: Memoirs of a Psychiatric Orderly


Dennis O'Donnell - 2012
    "I don't know if I'm the man you want," he told the charge nurse. "I'm not a fighter." "I don't need fighters," the nurse replied. "I need people who can listen." The Locked Ward is an extraordinary memoir that sets out to reveal the true story of life in a psychiatric ward—the fear, the violence, and despair, and also the care and the compassion. Recounting the stories of the patients he worked with and those of the friends he made on the ward, O'Donnell provides a detailed account of day-to-day life behind the doors of the most feared and stigmatized environment in healthcare. In doing so, he examines the major mental disorders, their symptoms, and manifestations, and how certain triggers such as religion, sex, wealth, health, and drugs bear influence; the methods of treatment, by medication, therapy, and conversation; the love and support of patients' friends and family members; success stories and failures, and attitudes to psychiatric illness, both by the authorities, by those around him—and his own. Over seven years O'Donnell witnessed the day-to-day lives of people suffering from the most hairraising illnesses. What emerges is a document of humanity and humor, a remarkable memoir that sheds light on a world that still remains largely unknown.

Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud: Relapse and the Symptoms of Sobriety


Scott Stevens - 2012
    Why would any sober Alcoholic return to the misery? Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud: Relapse and the Symptoms of Sobriety, shows why it's not just once... without pithy slogans or trademarked solutions... from a journalist who has been there. Here's a book explaining how and why relapse happens, how to hold it at bay and why every non-alcoholic should care, without reading like a clinical journal.This ★★★★★ read is for drinkers, ex-drinkers and anyone who knows an alcoholic celebrates and encourages sobriety while giving an ominous warning of the not-so-secret thief in the healthcare system. What are the Symptoms of Sobriety and how do Alcoholics and non-Alcoholics guard against them?What four overlooked stressors trip up recovery?Can you hit bottom sober? Informative and very personal, the narrative dashes along peaks of anger, joy, desperation, relief and hope interspersed with solid data on the disease and guidance for avoiding relapse traps.   Alcoholics and non-alcoholics sometimes believe sobriety is the silver lining to the cloud of alcoholism... but it's not enough to just stop drinking.(I)"I've been sober 23 years... this is the best recovery book I've read." -- One of more than a dozen five-star reviews on Amazon.

Find You in the Dark


A. Meredith Walters - 2012
    Normal friends, normal parents, normal grades.. normal life. Until him. Clayton Reed was running from his past and an army of personal demons that threatened to take him down. He never thought he had a chance at happiness. Until her. Maggie thought their love could overcome anything. Clay thought she was all he needed to fix his messy life. That together, they could face the world. But the darkness is always waiting. Sometimes the greatest obstacle to true love is within yourself.

On the Inside Looking Out


Lakaii - 2012
    but is it right? Should everyone trust their own perception? After all it is how YOU see things...By 2012, 29-year-old Kennedi Westbrook has beaten all odds. Statistically, she was destined to be a failure. However, she proved statistics wrong by becoming a sought-after psychiatrist and owner of Healthy Minds, a counseling and psychiatric practice in downtown. Atlanta. To many, she is perceived as the personification of a perfect woman, ONLY because no one knows of her greatest affliction…her mental illness.Mitchell, Kennedi’s husband, is wealthy, business savvy, well-groomed, and confident. However, he also has major issues of his own. Although he could never pay for a better family and lifestyle, perception has clouded his judgment and forced him to see if he still has it. Far removed from the dating game, Mitchell makes an amateur decision to flirt with danger, risking his most valued possession…. his family.Young, beautiful, and sexy Sydney was unemployed, insecure, and nearly homeless before she met the father of her unborn twins. Now the only struggles that she has, is learning to adjust to her new surroundings and figuring out how to rekindle the extinguished flame between them. Unwilling to accept the reality of the adverse relationship that they share, Sydney’s desire to have a “real” family leads her on a treacherous hunt. Before she is forced to adjust to a new role as a single mother, her mission has become to remove all barriers standing between her and her babies’ father… including everything and everyone.The three each have close friends who all have different perspectives, secrets and influences of their own, which make all situations more difficult. On the Inside Looking Out is a whirlwind of blackouts, nightmares, abuse, jealousy, broken spirits, secrets, and lies that won’t stop until perceptions and perspectives are tested.

Dandelion Growing Wild: A triumphant journey over astounding odds to become an American marathon champion


Kim Jones - 2012
    It’s a look into a large, loving, dysfunctional and oddly religious family thrust into horrific tragedy. The memoir captures the essence of innocence and the disturbing truth of poverty, mental illness, disappointment and death… a powerful, humorous and uplifting story of a little girl who rose from those challenges to compete in the toughest competitions in the world, becoming a world-class athlete and a marathon champion. Kim Jones’ autobiography will inspire the millions of Americans who put on their running shoes every day. However, you don’t have to be a runner to cheer for her. Dandelion Growing Wild chronicles her dual careers as one of the top American marathoners in history and – most important of all – as a mother, trying to chart a smoother course for her daughters. “Stunning! This is no ordinary running story... it's a record of tremendous family struggle and personal triumph. A beautiful story of resilience and perseverance... a journey through a world class career as a marathoner. A hell of a book!” – Bill Rodgers. 4-time winner of the Boston and New York City Marathons “Dandelion Growing Wild by elite marathoner Kim Jones is fascinating, inspiring, uplifting and tragic. A truly remarkable story as fast paced as one of her marathons!” – George Hirsch. Former Worldwide Publisher, Runner's World; Chairman of the New York Road Runners “Beautifully written, Kim's story has given a new definition to the word perseverance... in both life and sport. Inspirational with every turn of the page.” – Joan Benoit Samuelson. 1984 Gold Medal, Olympic Marathon “Kim Jones emerged from an impoverished, challenging childhood to become the best marathoner in America. Her story is nothing short of incredible, and it ought to give runners of all abilities a boost in pursuing their own dreams.” – Don Kardong. Author; 1976 Olympic Marathoner

Drowning Instinct


Ilsa J. Bick - 2012
    (This is not one of those stories.)Jenna Lord’s first sixteen years were not exactly a fairytale. Her father is a controlling psycho and her mother is a drunk. She used to count on her older brother—until he shipped off to Afghanistan. And then, of course, there was the time she almost died in a fire. There are stories where the monster gets the girl, and we all shed tears for his innocent victim. (This is not one of those stories either.)Mitch Anderson is many things: A dedicated teacher and coach. A caring husband. A man with a certain... magnetism. And there are stories where it’s hard to be sure who’s a prince and who’s a monster, who is a victim and who should live happily ever after. (These are the most interesting stories of all.)Drowning Instinct is a novel of pain, deception, desperation, and love against the odds—and the rules.

Trauma-Focused CBT for Children and Adolescents: Treatment Applications


Judith A. Cohen - 2012
    It demonstrates how assessment strategies and treatment components can be tailored to optimally serve clients' needs while maintaining overall fidelity to the TF-CBT model. Coverage includes ways to overcome barriers to implementation in residential settings, foster placements, and low-resource countries. Contributors also describe how to use play to creatively engage kids of different ages, and present TF-CBT applications for adolescents with complex trauma, children with developmental challenges, military families struggling with the stresses of deployment, and Latino and Native American children.See also Cohen et al.'s authoritative TF-CBT manual, Treating Trauma and Traumatic Grief in Children and Adolescents, Second Edition.

Poetry and Short Stories by a Bipolar Girl


Melissa Burke - 2012
    This book was written by a young woman with bipolar disorder, who wrote poems and short stories both in her manic and depressed states.It's meant to shed some light on bipolar disorder and depression for those who don't suffer from those things, know someone who does or just want to understand what goes through the mind of someone with mental illness.It's also meant to show those who go through the same things that they aren't alone.And while doing all of that, it's also just a fun book to read.

Hidden Lives: Coming Out on Mental Illness


Lenore Rowntree - 2012
    These evocative essays, by writers who either suffer from or have close family members diagnosed with mental illness or a developmental disorder, aim to break down the stigma that surrounds one of the most devastating of human tribulations. The writers recount their experiences with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, clinical depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dissociative identity disorder. What does it feel like to be psychotic? What sorts of thoughts go through your mind while you are killing yourself? How does a mother go on after her schizophrenic son throws himself into an unfinished construction site? The anthology drills to the core of compassion and disappointment—transcending hope and sometimes finding beauty in insanity.With a foreword by physician and bestselling author Gabor Maté, MD, Hidden Lives gives readers a place to turn and communicates not despair but courage.

Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed


Janelle Caponigro - 2012
    For these reasons, a diagnosis of bipolar is a major turning point in a person’s life. Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosedhelps readers process their diagnosis, decide who to tell, and discover the treatments and lifestyle changes that can help manage their symptoms. This book offers hope and support for the newly diagnosed without overwhelming them with extraneous information. The book covers workplace issues, how to become aware of bipolar triggers, how to find support, working with the treatment team, and dealing with the fear and stigma surrounding the diagnosis. Anyone who has been diagnosed with bipolar will appreciate having this easy-to-use reference at hand to help them understand more about the condition.This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.This book is a part of New Harbinger Publications' Guides for the Newly Diagnosed series. The series was created to help people who have recently been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Our goal is to offer user-friendly resources that provide answers to common questions readers may have after receiving a diagnosis, as well as evidence-based strategies to help them cope with and manage their condition, so that they can get back to living a more balanced life.Visit www.newharbinger.com for more books in this series.

An Uncommon Friendship: a memoir of love, mental illness, and friendship


Monique Colver - 2012
    His wife, Monique, has her own demons, but she is determined to keep him safe. When his infatuation with other women brings the marriage to a screeching halt, she continues to take care of him, and their friendship remains strong, despite the isolation, rapid mood swings, hallucinations, and the occasional psychotic episode. Through a combination of diary entries, emails, and narrative, we see the progression of his illness, and the recovery that appears so close, yet is so far away. More than a tale of mental illness and the havoc it wreaks on those who have it and those who love them, it's a story of friendship, and what we're willing to do for those we love.

A Plague of Dissent


Nic Taylor - 2012
    It paints a picture of the UK, where media companies hack into personnel communications at will, in search of their next headline. Of politicians lining their pockets with falsified expense claims and crooked practices operate within the police force. Where government contracts can be bought and sold by those that have the Prime Ministers ear; that too, also on sale for the right price and banks and businesses making millions at the expense of the man in the street.A story of greed and corruption; where riots and civil unrest are turning the country upside down and a small group of men are attempting to use this anarchy that is spreading across the country to further their own aims.Into this is dragged a young man Adam, his girl friend Isobel and his brother Dan, a professional rugby player and England’s open side wing forward. These three are pursued by the faceless men who believe they are party to information that could comprise their mission and have two choices, to run or, to turn and fight for their lives.

Heart-Shaped Bruise


Tanya Byrne - 2012
    The police. The newspapers. The girls from school who shake their heads on the six o’clock news and say they always knew there was something not quite right about me. And everyone believes it. Including you. But you don't know. You don't know who I used to be. Who I could have been.Awaiting trial at Archway Young Offenders Institution, Emily Koll is going to tell her side of the story for the first time. Heart-Shaped Bruise is a compulsive and moving novel about infamy, identity and how far a person might go to seek revenge.

Doc, I Failed? I Failed, Doc


Xo - 2012
    William Hall, a psychiatrist at Barrow's End Prison, for psychoanalysis sessions.Hall, who introduces himself to 4355 simply as 'Doc', attempts an approach effective in examining silent cases like 4355: the two converse using paper and pen.As the sessions progress, Hall forms an unlikely bond with the prisoner, allowing him to unravel a depth of the killer's mind he was not prepared for.When Hall disappears, leaving only a vague note, and 4355's cell is found empty, the institution is left with much to do and many questions to ask.

I Am Her...


Sarah Ann Walker - 2012
    She is every name everyone has ever called her. She is nameless. She has a good job, a beautiful home and a wonderful husband. She is everything she was supposed to be. She has structure and stability, but she is lost.She is trying. Her whole life is spent trying; yet her whole life has been nothing but an apology. She is so tired of trying and failing.In just one week, she learns her entire life is a series of brutalities. She learns intense, consuming passion for the first time with a beautiful stranger. She learns love within this passion, and she learns heartbreak while without.Slowly her breakdown overcomes her. She tries to rise above her circumstances, but when she has nothing left to fight with; she tries to ease the pain forever.Desperately, she fights her way through the agony of life, and she returns with a gentle hope. She wants to live, and she wants to love, for the first time in her life. Now, she has a name. Now, she can be 'her'... Any HER that she wants to be.

The Adoptive & Foster Parent Guide: How to Heal Your Child's Trauma and Loss


Carol Lozier - 2012
    The book is an easy read, and explains ideas through stories, scripts, and practical strategies. "The Adoptive & Foster Parent Guide" teaches families as well as professionals, in a step by step approach, how to heal a child’s past trauma and loss. "The Adoptive & Foster Parent Guide" touches on many topics, including: attachment styles (attachment disorder), dysfunctional family patterns unique to adoption and fostering, birth families, how to create healthy attachment, maintaining calm, and managing a team of professionals.The print version of the book is listed at www.forever-families.com

Cat and The Dreamer


Annalisa Crawford - 2012
    Julia’s only escape from her guilt, and her mother’s over-protection, is her imagination. When Adam arrives in the office, Julia’s world takes a startling turn as she realises reality can be much more fun than fantasy. Finally she has someone who can help her make the most of her life. But can she allow herself to be truly happy?

Child Support


Amour - 2012
    Meet Angel Jacobs, a chick who will get what's hers at all costs, even if it might cost someone else's life. The State of Illinois is trying to label her as a serial killer, but will her previous diagnosis of mental illness save Angel from living the remainder of her life in a six by six jail cell? In Angel's eyes, whether she wins or loses the case, she's still going to come out on top. Become entangled in the web Angel weaves, where it's not always easy to know what's real and what's a product of her twisted mind. It's unlike any other urban tale. Don't be surprised if, just like some of Angel's victims, you get caught up!

Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal: A Guide for Prescribers, Therapists, Patients and Their Families


Peter R. Breggin - 2012
    Breggin's book to every health professional who deals with anyone taking psychiatric drugs. He gives highly useful information and reasons for stopping or avoiding them. It's an excellent one-stop source of information about psychiatric drug effects and withdrawal. Prescribers, therapists, patients, and families will benefit from this guidebook." Charles L. Whitfield, MD Bestselling author of "Healing the Child Within" and many other books"Peter Breggin has more experience in safely withdrawing psychiatric patients from medication than any other psychiatrist. In this book he shares his lifetime of experience. All of our patients deserve the benefit of our obtaining that knowledge." Bertram Karon, PhD Professor of Psychology, Michigan State University Author, The Psychotherapy of Schizophrenia Former President of the Division of Psychoanalysis of the American Psychological Association"This is such an important book. Describing the problem of withdrawal from psychiatric drugs in detail, and providing clear advice regarding how to deal with this problem as Peter has done so well in this book, is long overdue. For decades, the belief system that is mainstream psychiatry has denied the existence of withdrawal problems from the substances they prescribe so widely. In reality, withdrawal problems with psychiatric drugs is a common occurrence. Because of psychiatry's reckless denial of this real and common problem, millions of people worldwide have not had the support and care they desperately need when attempting to come off psychiatric drugs, often been erroneously advised that these problems are confirmation of the existence of their supposed original so-called 'psychiatric illness.' Dr. Breggin's book is therefore both timely and necessary." Terry Lynch, MD Physician and Psychotherapist Author of "Beyond Prozac: Healing Mental Suffering Without Drugs and Selfhood: A Key to the Recovering of Emotional Well Being," "Mental Health and the Prevention of Mental Health Problems""Dr. Peter Breggin has written an invaluable reference for mental health professionals and lay-persons alike who are seeking a way out of dependency on psychiatric drugs. He describes the many dangers of psychiatric medication in straightforward research-based and contextually nuanced terms. Most helpfully, he articulates a method of empathic, person-centered psychotherapy as an alternative to the prevailing emotionally and system disengaged drug-centered approach. In this book, Dr. Breggin systematically outlines how to safely withdraw a patient from psychiatric medication with rich case examples drawn with the detail and sensitivity to individual and situational differences that reveal not only his extensive clinical experience, but his clear, knowledgeable, and compassionate vision of a more humane form of treatment. In this volume, Dr. Peter Breggin has again demonstrated that he is a model of what psychiatry can and should be. This is an indispensable text for both mental health trainees and experienced practitioners seeking a practical alternative to the dominant drug-centric paradigm." Gerald Porter, PhD Vice President for Academic Affairs School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute"This much needed book and guide to psychiatric medication withdrawal is clearly written and easy to understand. As people become more empowered and able to inform themselves about the effects of pharmaceuticals, practitioners will be called upon to wean their patients off of damaging medications. This book will provide that guidance. Thank you Dr. Breggin for having the courage to oppose conventional psychiatric thinking and the caring to

Rethinking Madness: Towards a Paradigm Shift in Our Understanding and Treatment of Psychosis


Paris Williams - 2012
    We've learned that full recovery is not only possible, but may actually be the most common outcome given the right conditions. Furthermore, Dr. Paris Williams' own groundbreaking research, as mentioned in the New York Times, has shown that recovery often entails a profound positive transformation. In Rethinking Madness, Dr. Williams takes the reader step by step on a highly engaging journey of discovery, exploring how the mainstream understanding of schizophrenia has become so profoundly misguided, while crafting a much more accurate and hopeful vision. As this vision unfolds, we discover a deeper sense of appreciation for the profound wisdom and resilience that lies within our beings while also coming to the unsettling realization of just how thin the boundary is between so called madness and so called sanity.

Yearning for Nothings and Nobodies


Rachael Biggs - 2012
    When an eleven-year-old girl finds her drug-addicted and mentally ill mother after a seven year separation, she hopes the yearning can finally cease. Instead, a cycle of painfully familiar longing envelops her, until she is freed by losing what she never had. Darkly humorous tales of dropping acid with the town pedophile, playing pool with gun-toting pimps and spending time in Japanese prison cells with strippers and refugees, are sewn together with poignant emotion in this edgy but relatable coming of age story.

Not Alone: Reflections on Faith and Depression---A 40-Day Devotional


Monica A. Coleman - 2012
    This 40-day devotional offers a tool that guides the reader back to faith through personal exploration and experiences of strength, hope, love and spirit.

The Insanity Machine: Living With Paranoid Schizophrenia


Kenna McKinnon - 2012
    This book takes a clinical and observational look at the challenges presented by the condition. Kenna discusses the definition of paranoid schizophrenia, treatments, living with the disorder, and many other topics surrounding schizophrenia. The Insanity Machine is a nonfiction story about our journey with schizophrenia, which is also well researched and suitable for therapists or family practitioners as a reference book. The book includes the latest treatments and research, as well as personal vignettes and suggestions which a client or caregiver will find extremely helpful. The book focuses on hope and positive outcomes.

Depression: A Public Feeling


Ann Cvetkovich - 2012
    She focuses particularly on those in academia, where the pressure to succeed and the desire to find space for creative thinking and alternative worlds bump up against the harsh conditions of a ruthlessly competitive job market, the shrinking power of the humanities, and the corporatization of the university. In her candid memoir, Cvetkovich describes what it was like to move through the days as she finished her dissertation, started a job, and then completed a book for tenure. Turning to critical essay, she seeks to create new forms of writing and knowledge that don’t necessarily follow the usual methods of cultural critique but instead come from affective experience, ordinary life, and alternative archives. Across its different sections, including the memoir, the book crafts – and it’s no accident that crafting is one of its topics -- a cultural analysis that can adequately represent depression not as medical pathology but as a historical category, a felt experience, and a point of entry onto discussions not only about theory and contemporary culture but about how to live.Ann Cvetkovich is Ellen C. Garwood Centennial Professor of English and Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at the University of Texas, Austin. She is the author of An Archive of Feelings: Trauma, Sexuality, and Lesbian Public Cultures, also published by Duke University Press, and Mixed Feelings: Feminism, Mass Culture, and Victorian Sensationalism; a coeditor of Political Emotions; and a former editor of GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies."Like all my favorite bands, Ann Cvetkovich disregards trends in favor of fearlessness. While tackling the tough issues of today, she still gives us a book that feels totally timeless. Depression: A Public Feeling fills a gap that has morphed into a crater. The book is as invaluable as it is enjoyable. I found myself sighing throughout, thinking 'Phew, someone finally said that!'"—Kathleen Hanna, of the bands Le Tigre, Bikini Kill, and the Julie Ruin"A provocative addition to Ann Cvetkovich's eloquent writings on the archives of public feelings, this book takes depression out of the space of the private into the complex politics of our time. Weaving together memoir, cultural and medical history, and literary and theoretical discussion, Cvetkovich experiments with and reflects on unconventional ways of writing about embodiment, cognition, and affect. Along the way, she offers myriad prescriptions, small and large, on how to cope with the daily effects of depression and how to heal the world."—Marianne Hirsch, author of The Generation of Postmemory: Writing and Visual Culture after the Holocaust

When Quietness Came: A Neuroscientist's Personal Journey With Schizophrenia


Erin L. Hawkes - 2012
    Her struggles to get well and to pursue her PhD are described in this book. Her story is geared to people from a variety of backgrounds. As a neuroscientist, Erin reaches out to the medical community who need to hear this side of the patient. As a schizophrenic, she reaches out to others struggling with this disorder, hoping to draw alongside and offer empathy and hope. Finally, she wants the general public, family and friends of people with schizophrenia to be better able to understand and sympathize with those afflicted.

Change of Season


A.C. Dillon - 2012
    Her choice is a desperate bid for survival, both for herself and her family. In her self-imposed exile, Autumn must remain invisible – “a Chbosky wallflower” – or more blood will cling to her hands.Refusing to speak of the ghosts haunting her, Autumn soon finds that there are more reasons to fear the night than she ever dared imagine. A voice cries out in anguish through the walls. Mysterious messages appear near her feet – messages from a dead girl that Autumn sees darting into darkened corridors. And yet, the reclusive Film student she literally runs into might just be the gravest danger of all.As past horrors bleed into the present, Autumn uncovers truths long buried behind the door of room 308. Secrets that someone will kill to keep silent – someone who stalks Autumn’s every move, patiently waiting to strike…This is an ACE for ISBN10:1477536965 Change Of Season

Vein Fire


Lucia Adams - 2012
    Five years later, he is released from a psychiatric facility and his circle of friends overlap with those of Hannah, the girl he maimed. He finds himself drawn to her, sadistically at first, but after Jared, an acquaintance from the hospital, covets her for his own disturbing uses, Matt struggles to protect her. Hannah's an outcast, not only because of the scars Matt gave her, but because of the ones she's given herself, too. Matt's heroin addiction and the way he exploits her body harm her in places sharp objects can't touch. Fearful that a dark secret will be disclosed, and with his addiction to heroin worsening, Matt chooses to abandon Hannah, allowing her to fall prey to Jared. Jared is a sociopath obsessed with a fantasy that Hannah can fly...a theory he plans on forcing her to test, even if the cost is her life. Vein Fire gives a startling portrait of Hannah, a young woman with Borderline Personality Disorder. This dark, voyeuristic story exposes the dysfunction she surrounds herself with as a method of self-harm. Its beautifully written passages will haunt the reader, compelling them to learn the fate of the girl who couldn't say no. Vein Fire is a stunning debut novel by Lucia Adams which editors have proclaimed, 'redefine the transgressive fiction genre'. "One of the great things about ‘Vein Fire’ is its bravery and directness. It’s a dramatic and enlightening story of drugs, abuse, and the grey-areas of society; it shines a brave light on facets of humanity that the media tends to either glamorise, satirise or completely ignore. It is also a compulsive and pacey read. Ultimately, this is a manuscript that demonstrates a significant level of craft and originality." -- Harper Collins UK

The Young Despondents


Jason M. Burns - 2012
    While on their adventurous journey, the three lost souls discover that there are things worth fighting for and plant the seeds for living out the rest of their lives.

the molecules that surround us


Jill Treadwell - 2012
    After her unemployment benefit amount is determined she has no choice but to pack up her apartment and move in with her mother and her mother’s new husband. As her medications dwindle away she begins to head down a dark path of depression and mania that leads to self-medication with drugs and alcohol. The description of the symptoms of mental illness is rendered with alarming accuracy as she hits bottom with a life changing DUI. After her arrest her depression carries her into an inhumane place of despair and hopelessness. After a thwarted attempt at suicide we follow her tragic and comedic struggles to find health insurance with her pre-existing bipolar disorder meeting a motley crew of her friends and supporters along the way. Her "journey" starts with the vivid and wild friends she has when she is not mentally well. As she begins to repair her mind we meet her therapist, counselors and friends in recovery. Jill's mother plays an important roll by keeping things light with her humor and naivety. Her father’s gruff, uneducated deportment leads to some laughs as well, with his strong spirit and fumbling dedication to his daughter. Fortunately the COBRA subsidy is granted to those who have lost their jobs in this nightmare economy. Jill is back in business, seeing her doctors and resuming her medications. Therapy and counseling are helping her see there is a way out of her challenging circumstances if she can just hold on and trust the help that is being provided to her by friends and professionals. Court appointed trips to AA and group therapy are another outlet for humor and parody. Things are starting to take form for Jill as her head begins to clear and she starts to understand the sobering reality of her multiple court dates and related obligations.On the road back to mental health an old boyfriend resurfaces with issues of his own. Russ is also an alcoholic who has been diagnosed as bipolar. Jill feels she can help him with his struggles as she has just emerged from the worst four months of her life. Jill and Russ attended film school together and he never could get her out of his mind after they separated. He made a film about her and it is this film that brings the two together. This bizarre coupling of two psychologically challenged individuals leads to an endearing romance built on creativity and an understanding that surpasses the conventional boundaries of romantic love. We join them through their whirlwind courtship and last minute wedding that is both comic and touching. All Jill ever wanted was a life to call her own and the couples' love brings them to a place of super absorbent paper towels and environmentally friendly cleaning products.Breaking through the challenges of finding health insurance and subsequent recovery from alcoholism, The Molecules That Surround Us chronicles a journey resulting in love, sanity and a “real life.”

My Brother Ron: A Personal and Social History of the Deinstitutionalization of the Mentally Ill


Clayton E. Cramer - 2012
    The consequences were very destructive: homelessness; a degradation of urban life; increases in violent crime rates; increasing death rates for the mentally ill. My Brother Ron tells the story of deinstitutionalization from two points of view: what happened to the author's older brother, part of the first generation of those who became mentally ill after deinstitutionalization, and a detailed history of how and why America went down this path. My Brother Ron examines the multiple strands that came together to create the perfect storm that was deinstitutionalization: a well-meaning concern about the poor conditions of many state mental hospitals; a giddy optimism by the psychiatric profession in the ability of new drugs to cure the mentally ill; a rigid ideological approach to due process that ignored that the beneficiaries would end up starving to death or dying of exposure.

This Fragile Life: A Mother's Story of a Bipolar Son


Charlotte Pierce-Baker - 2012
    At age twenty-five, he was pursuing a postgraduate degree and seemingly in control of his life. She never imagined her high-achieving son would wind up handcuffed, dirty, and in jail.             The moving story of an African American family facing the challenge of bipolar disorder, This Fragile Life provides insight into mental disorders as well as family dynamics. Pierce-Baker traces the evolution of her son’s illness and, in looking back, realizes she mistook warning signs for typical child and teen behavior. Hospitalizations, calls in the night, alcohol and drug relapses, pleas for money, and continuous disputes, her son’s journey was long, arduous, and almost fatal. This Fragile Life weaves a fascinating story of mental illness, race, family, the drive of African Americans to succeed, and a mother’s love for her son.

The Nut Hut


Kathleen Taylor - 2012
    She hoped to make friends, and to "make a difference" in her very first job. What she found during that week was a world of heartbreak and hope in a universe that no longer exists.

An Age of Madness


David Maine - 2012
    Regina Moss has built herself a successful career as a psychiatrist in Boston: she enjoys a lucrative private practice, hefty consultation fees, and a reputation that inspires colleagues and patients alike. Why then, is Regina haunted by her past? Why does her own daughter barely speak to her? What’s the story with her gruff, softhearted husband Walter—and why can’t Regina stop thinking about the lanky new tech on the ward? An Age of Madness peels back the layers of Regina’s psyche in a voice that is brash, bitter, and blackly humorous, laying bare her vulnerabilities while drawing the reader unnervingly close to this memorable heroine. From the author of The Preservationist, which was hailed as “hilarious and illuminating” by The Los Angeles Times Book Review and “pithy and smart” by the New York Post, comes the latest turnabout in a career filled with unexpected surprises. An Age of Madness brings a sharp edge of psychological realism to a story filled with startling revelations and heartrending twists.

January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her


Michael Schofield - 2012
    In January's case, she is hallucinating 95 percent of the time that she is awake. Potent psychiatric drugs that would level most adults barely faze her. January, "Jani" to her family, has literally hundreds of imaginary friends. They go by names like 400-the-Cat, 100 Degrees, and 24 Hours and live on an island called "Calalini," which she describes as existing "on the border of my world and your world." Some of these friends are good, and some of them, such as 400, are very bad. They tell her to jump off buildings, attack her brother, and scream at strangers.In the middle of these never-ending delusions, hallucinations, and paroxysms of rage are Jani's parents, who have gone to the ends of the earth to keep both of their children alive and unharmed. They live in separate one-bedroom apartments in order to keep her little brother, Bohdi, safe from his big sister—and wage a daily war against a social system that has all but completely failed them. January First is the story of the daily struggles and challenges they face as they do everything they can to help their daughter while trying to keep their family together. It is the inspiring tale of their resolute determination and faith.

Surviving Mental Illness: My Story


Linda Naomi Katz - 2012
    It provides information about mental illness in general-and mood disorders in particular-valuable tips about treatment and medication, and resources and organizations dedicated to helping those suffering from these disorders. Surviving Mental Illness helps break through the fear and stigma of mental illness and focuses on how to find health and happiness. The author shares her personal journey: the heartbreak and challenges of bipolar disorder, and the joy of making her way back to mental health. Through her own story, she shows that help is out there, and with a little faith, recovery is possible. My faith in G-d has led me to recover in ways you cannot imagine. Life is having faith to overcome any obstacles, and that is what my recovery from mental illness is all about.