Some of the books listed below are written in the voice of a young child with mental illness, some. Memoirs about mental illness are more or less a subgenre all on their own, and any author willing to put him or herself out there in the interest of education deserves commendation. May 17, 2018 mental health remains largely misunderstood in our society, and thats why i believe that reading memoirs of mental illness is a critical step toward understanding both our fellow human beings and. Book cover by basic books 10 gripping medical memoirs. Its a deeply powerful book that has both transformed and saved lives. A diary on how i acquired my eating disorder by natasha holme, an emer. Dec 08, 2014 memoirs give us the unique ability to enter the mind and experiences of someone suffering from a mental illness, addiction, or disorder. This book is getting a ton of buzz and for good reason. Aacaps consumer issues committee has developed a list of bibliotherapy resources for patients, families and clinicians. Those who are diagnosed with mood disorders and mental illnesses can often feel isolated. Historically speaking, society has always had a difficult time equating mental illnesses with the same sincerity physical. You may now place holds on physical materials to pick up at a. The quick read features the stories of 33 people who have dealt with mental illness in some form, with their commentary on why we dont talk about it enoughand why that needs to change. To cope when i go through a rough patch, i often read memoirs written by other women about their mental health journeys.
But thats not the case for everyone, and theres still a lot of work to do. Fourteen more incredible memoirs about mental illness and. Memoirs, fiction, ya these books show what its like when your brain seems to be working against you. May, 2016 like millions of other women, i struggle with mental illness. Gain knowledge about the issues associated with mental health by reading these 10 novels and memoirs about mental illness. Teens deal with addiction, separation, abuse, and depression, while finding themselves in powerless positions where their pain is minimized by the adults around them. However, in the last several years many more novels have come out that focus on a specific kind of. Memoirs of mental health and addiction can also fill in the gaps of knowledge that those on the outside need to relate to those struggling with mental illness and addiction. Memoirs of mental health and addiction can also fill in the gaps of knowledge that those on the outside need to relate to those struggling with. As someone who has struggled with bouts of depression and anxiety, ive found that books can go a long.
Dec 19, 2017 there are not many books out there about the mystifying illness that is bipolar disorder, and for that alone, gorilla and the bird is a welcome addition to the collection of mental health memoirs. If you are lucky enough to have never experienced mental illness firsthand, rest assured you know people who have, probably. In this powerful, poignant memoir thats partbiography, parthistorical look, sandra allen translates the messy, mistyped, and fully capitalized autobiography her schizophrenic uncle, bob, mails her one day and blends it alongside a look back at their familial history and the cultural shifts occurring during bobs adolescence in the sixties and seventies. When we set our sights on memoirs this year, it occurred to us that many standouts are already wellrepresented in school curricula. Youll find yourself shaking your head and laughing as you are immediately taken on a.
Among the besttold stories of mental illness are two memoirs by mark vonnegut son of kurt vonnegut, who suffered several breakdowns in his 20s, and another as he approached middle age. Books about true life stories of mental illness score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. There arent many memoirs from women of color about mental illness, and one of danquahs motivating factors in writing this book was to help overcome the stigma of depression in african american communities. I am, also, working on jump starting my recovery steps again by working through simple abundance by sarah ban breathnach. Jul 04, 2019 check out rachels latest list of 14 memoirsnonfiction books about mental illness and addiction. May 09, 2019 books have a singular ability to educate, entertain, and elicit empathy, making them the perfect medium through which to understand oftmisunderstood illness like depression, bipolar disorder, and ptsd. Mark vonneguts books on mental illness two excellent memoirs by kurt vonneguts son. Memoirs of a mental illness a journey to mental health. During mental health month, pick up one of these 15 memoirs. Reviews of booksmemoirs that we think are excellent psychoeducational and therapeutic additions to the child psychiatrists toolbox.
Lithium, love, and losing my mind published in the same week as gorilla and the bird, mcdermotts book is not. A number of courageous people with mental illness have published poignant autobiographical memoirs detailing their life experience. Jun 28, 2019 3 memoirs that explore the many facets of mental illness one in five americans have some experience with mental illness every year and these three new memoirs dig into that experience, whether. These personal accounts of mental health struggles and psychiatric disorder give us a more profound understanding of the human condition. Books, stories and memoirs aacaps consumer issues committee has developed a list of bibliotherapy resources for patients, families and clinicians. I recommend such books to people with mental illness regularly.
Mental health, along with the illnesses that can plague us, make up some of the most taboo, stigmatized topics of discussion within our society today. Whether the memoir is told from the point of view of a survivor, a parent or a child of someone fighting the stigma and battle of mental illness or addiction, the reader will appreciate how reality is often more insane than fiction, and the metaphorical pen has healing powers. Fourteen insightful memoirs about mental illness and addiction. One in five americans have some experience with mental illness every. The following 10 mental health books all tackle heavy subjects with warmth and unbridled honesty. Because of being laid up i am doing a massive reading goal and have already finished 5 books since the beginning of january. Since her teenage years, linda has suffered mental health problems and has. There are a few niche book categories that will never fail to get my attention.
Below are some of my favorite books which offer a refreshing perspective on mental health conditions, breaking through the cultural, social, and. Oct 02, 2017 24 celebrities who wrote inspirational autobiographies about their mental health october 2, 2017 books autobiography and biography books bryony gordon carrie fisher our mental health isnt always the easiest subject to talk about, but when it comes to seeking help, addressing issues and reducing stigma, its really important. For many years the theme of the troubled teen has dominated literatureespecially in young adult fiction or memoirs. Memoirs about mental illness can be invaluable resources, giving insight and. Memoirs of my nervous illness is the lucid account of daniel schreber, a paranoid schizophrenic, and his experience of and struggle with connection. Like millions of other women, i struggle with mental illness. Books shelved as mental ilness mental health memoirs. These books can be rich educational tools and therapeutic resources. Mar 20, 2017 with mental illness can come gifts, challenges, and tremendous highs and lows, that those without mental illness may never experience. Jan 24, 2018 according to the most recent data from the national institute of mental health, one is six adults in the united states live with a mental illness. Im sitting here staring at this book, remembering how utterly. A memoir of pain and the piano amy berkowitz, tender points anatole broyard, intoxicated by my illness and other writings on life and death mary felsteiner, out of joint.
Mark vonneguts books on mental illness psychology today. Nine great books about living with mental illness the. A journey to mental health recovery from a social workers perspective who is diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder and ptsd and recovering from an eating disorder. Nov 26, 2018 mental illness can sometimes make it challenging to find the concentration required to read, but these nine books are worth the effort.
It is not surprising that many wildly successful people have mental illnesses, since mental illness does not affect iq and often helps individuals to become better equipped at jumping hurdles than those without. Listed in no particular order, and never meant to discount the brave contributions of other writers, the following 20 reads make a great place to start learning. For many, the stigma around mental illness is decreasing. Changed by her experience, she became a mental health advocate exploring the ways mental health is inextricably intertwined in everything we do and are. A funny book about horrible things by jenny lawson. To truly be immersed in someones story is invaluable and. As great books do, they teach us new ways of seeing ourselves and the world. Jun 27, 2017 memoirs about mental illness are especially intriguing to me because the people writing them have either gone through the experience themselves or had a family member suffering through it and to read about it on a personal level rather than a professional looking in on it is always pulls me down the rabbit hole. A private and public story of arthritis sinead gleeson, constellations lucy grealy. A memoir of madness, the pain of severe depression is quite unimaginable to those who. Fourteen more insightful memoirsnonfiction books about mental illness and addiction i first shared fourteen insightful memoirs about mental illness and addiction more than a year ago.
Imagine being a leading expert on how the brain works and then undergoing your own descent into extreme mental illness. Oct 19, 2018 the following list of fourteen insightful memoirs inspired and guided me, opening my mind and my heart to sympathize with the intensity of being on the inside of mental illness and addiction, helping me to find compassion. May 08, 2019 memoirs of mental health and addiction can also fill in the gaps of knowledge that those on the outside need to relate to those struggling with mental illness and addiction. This list of the 50 best mental health and addiction memoirs encompasses a wide scope of diagnoses, functionality, and experiences as diverse as the spectrum of mental illness. From memoirs to researchbacked guides, these 11 books cover all things mental health. Pdf memoirs of my nervous illness download full pdf book. Pdf memoirs of my nervous illness download full pdf. Very nice how the author describes her patients stories throughout the book in. The account demonstrates what happens when an individual with mental illness makes a connection, in this case, it seems a relatively permanent connection, to the fabric of consciousness. Jun 24, 2019 for more memoirs about mental illness, check out our list of 50 mustread memoirs about mental illness.
Nine great books about living with mental illness the sane blog. Yet there is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health. The 11 best books on mental health by jamie friedlander. And if you have any favorite memoirs about mental illness written by a person of color, wed love for you to share it in the comments. Danquahs memoir speaks to issues of race, immigration, motherhood, and mental health. Books about true life stories of mental illness score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Washutas memoir is an innovative collision of american indian identity with mental illness and sexual trauma.
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