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Ben Behind His Voices: One Family's Journey From The Chaos Of Schizophrenia To Hope (2011)

by Randye Kaye(Favorite Author)

4.08 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1442210893 (ISBN13: 9781442210899)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

review 1: Another book read in my quest to learn more about mental health issues, particularly as they pertain to adolescents. This first person report from the mother of a young man who was finally diagnosed with schizophrenia after many years of struggle is outstanding. Rather than just telling her story, the author includes in every chapter lessons that she hopes others can take from her experience. As a result of her son's illness, she is involved with parent to parent education through NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), and her skill at doing this is reflected in the book. The author is honest about her struggles and how hard she found it to deal with her son before he was diagnosed and she understood how to help him. It broke my heart to read about how many years... more she spent going to different service providers before getting the appropriate diagnosis. Her son spent close to a year at a residential program and even they didn't come up with a useful diagnosis. At one point, when a professional interviewing her son asked if he saw things that weren't there and answered no, the author asked if ANYONE ever said yes to that question and the professional admitted that no, it's not really a useful question. As someone who works with adolescents in a special program where many are dealing with mental health issues, I'd love to think that the professionals who parents consult can do a better job of figuring out what's wrong and how to provide useful help to these young people.
review 2: What can you say about a book that chronicles the descent of a sweet child into mental illness? This is an excellent book, which everyone should read. Mental illness -- and especially schizophrenia -- is so stigmatized that people are afraid of those who are ill. It is sad to watch, with the author, as her sweet, bright son deteriorates before her eyes, and the years of seeking it took before someone correctly diagnosed his disease. And her reactions -- not wanting to be with him, but wanting to protect him; hating him while loving him; missing the beautiful child he once was -- are heartbreaking. I highly recommend this book. less

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