A Mother's Courageous Story
| Theresa Larsen is to be commended for her courage in writing a book in which she has opened her heart and personal life to the world. Her son Matthew's mental illness is explored, as well as the possible reasons for its development. Entries from Matthew's own journal are interspersed throughout his mother's narrative and are nightmarish and truly chilling and frightening to read. Not only those who are part of a family dealing with mental illness should read this book. Everyone should read it. The book would open many people eyes to the trauma of this type of illness. There is far too great a stigma attached to mental illness in our society. Those afflicted with mental illness not only have to struggle with the devastation in their own lives and the lives of their loved ones but also have to deal with prejudice and misconceptions of others. Even those who are suffering mental illness themselves have self-stigma and feel they are failures and that they are responsible for bringing heartbreak to their families when it's their illness that's responsible. The book goes into the difficulties in finding the correct course of treatment and the high cost of treatment. Much reform is needed to address the health needs of the mentally ill. Parents need better options when their child first exhibits signs of mental problems. My prayers to this family that their days ahead will be happy and healthy ones. This book was given to me by the author in return for an honest review. |
