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Shadows In The Sun: Healing From Depression And Finding The Light Within (2014)

by Gayathri Ramprasad(Favorite Author)

4.01 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

1616494751 (ISBN13: 9781616494759)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Hazelden

review 1: This was an interesting read, as Gayathri writes about the challenges of acclimating to America, from India, where her faith, family, and teachings are deeply rooted. It is learning opportunity for those not familiar with the Hindu faith and for those who are familiar, it’s a great homage. With a glossary at the end of the book, any reader will be able to understand the terminology used throughout the book.I was most interested in the Indian culture and how the arranged marriage impacted Gayathri. It was also quite shocking that in a country where women dress so beautifully and are educated, men still have an upper hand, as one man actually paid the college professor for Gayathri to fail-which was her first remembered descent into a deep depression. Using their Hindu ... morefaith and traditional medicines, Gayathri’s parents try different ways to help her escape the traps of her mind. However, she is unable to and hides her illness from everyone, feeling even more isolated. In the midst of it all, Gayathri is at the expected age of arranged marriage, and she does her best to hide the depression that has truly affected every part of her life.The most interesting part of the story is reading how Gayathri moves to America and the cultural differences she experiences and the ways she tries to integrate her faith and beliefs into an American lifestyle. Married to a supportive husband, Gayathri continues to feel isolated, becomes quite thin (not by choice or anorexia), and describes the post-partum depression she experiences, the treatments she receives and how she not only improves, but vows to help others, too.I would have liked the book to have focused more on the cultural assimilation to America, and to have had more pages to truly feel the author’s struggles. However, it was also understandable there were times she was writing from second hand knowledge, as she had memory gaps-so there were times the writing did seem to gloss over the demise she experienced. Nonetheless, it is a great book to help break the silence people experience and the stigma depression has. She breaks down many myths about depression: isn’t because one is weak minded (she is very educated), without family support (she has tremendous family support), isn’t because one is “wanting” attention (she would have done anything to remove depression from her life), and especially that depression isn’t a death sentence (she overcomes her mental illness, has a beautiful family, and is the founder of a wonderful organization). This book provides hope to many and is a great tool for helping others understand the impact of depression.
review 2: A little background on me, because I think sometimes people wonder why certain books resonate more with others. My masters degree in in clinical psychology, and much of my research in both undergrad and grad school centered around cross-cultural education for mental health service providers. So I have an academic (if not professional, since I never got licensed and have never practiced) interest in the topic at hand, but also a personal one. It doesn't come up much here, but I've been fairly open over the years about my own experiences with depression, being in therapy, being medicated, etc. (And if you haven't heard me talk about it: hi! ask my about my experience with mental health care!) So I usually jump at the chance to review books that touch on things like this, and Shadows in the Sun was certainly an excellent one to pick. The author shares her at time heartbreaking struggle with her own depression and anxiety, gone diagnosed for so long, with so many people in her life telling her to just shake it off, get over it, stop being so emotional, etc. It's hard to read sometimes because you know that she desperately needs better help than she's getting. Gayathri doesn't shy away from showing the real toll that depression takes on a person.This book is very well written and engaging. The descriptions are vivid, and you can imagine sitting around her family's table in India, being at her wedding, experiencing America for the first time, etc. She writes beautifully, and really pulls you into her story, her state of mind, her suffering as she tried to deal with her condition. Dealing with mental illness in the first place is difficult, but even moreso when you throw in different cultural norms and expectations into the mix, and the author handles making that balance clear very well. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting, true look at both mental illness and cultural differences. less

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