My Schizophrenic Life: The Road to Recovery from Mental Illness
By Sandra Yuen Mackay
This was very satisfying to read the narrative of the author’s journey with Schizoaffective Disorder. Her illness came on during high school, which was disrupted by hospitalizations. Her Vancouver-based family has been highly supportive as she progressed on to college and employment, plus marriage.
Like me, she also graduated in the fine arts field, and also like me, she is multi-talented. She would find work in creative fields, write articles, conduct speeches, drum for “Beautiful Lizards”, paint canvases, and more. She states that creativity often accompanies mental illness.
I can relate to having the Bipolar illness in common, but not the schizoaffective disorder itself. She says how pleased she is with the many improvements in the mental health system in BC. She also mentions stigma, which thankfully, she’s received very little of.
The cover features her dazzling abstract “Modern Hieroglyph” .
I varied things up a little by reading the chapters out of order, like in the sequence some novels are written in!
Review submitted by Philip Wright, Artist and Pathways Member
October 2024
Pathway’s Library
There are over 100 books and articles in the Pathways office library for you to explore. Come by during office hours or contact us to see what other arrangements we can make to get the book to you. Are you interested in organizing our library resources or starting a Book Club? Contact us at programs@pathwayssmi.org
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