Hope For Troubled Minds: A Book Review

This book explores through family, siblings, loved ones and individuals themselves the difficult journey of serious mental illness (SMI). I suggest you may want to skip to different sections when you have read something that has maybe been hard to read such as a situation of suicide. Song lyrics and poetry are at the back of the book, and you may find those writings lift your spirits.

It should be noted that Ron Powers, a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist, states at the top of the book cover "I found this book worthy. More than worthy," and he offers a wonderful forward that anyone could relate to if one struggles with faith or not.

Anyone who has dealt directly with the mental health system understands the challenges and even the barrier of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) in seeking treatment for a loved one. Many experiencing a SMI have lack of insight or anosognosia.

The stories provided throughout the book are important accounts of what family members have had to endure to try to secure help. One such tragedy is with Mark Rippee, who went through many unbelievable struggles that the family documented and tried to help him with, but Mark never understood the need for treatment.

When an individual struggles with anosognosia, it becomes the wrench in HIPPA. Funding and the lack of patient beds in the last forty years is the dismal reason some people are in the judicial system, which is inadequate to handle the mentally ill.

Loved ones have created a network of support through National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and various other supports including blogs. Some patients have created their own blogs.

If you have or know someone with SMI, you will want to read this book as it empowers one to take action. For those in the legislative field, it would behoove one to tackle HIPPA and eliminate the barriers it poses.

Tony Roberts, as Chief Editor, and a former minister provides excellent editing and has made a contribution worthy of reading. Please read Hope for Troubled Minds.

Note: I felt compelled to read this book as my family and I have struggled with the challenges of Mental Illness. This book regardless of whether or not your family copes with SMI should be a read by those who formulate our laws to make positive change. Some of the stories are absolutely heartbreaking, but there is hope as the pen can wield a new mental health system.