Beyond Madness: The Pain and Possibilities of Serious Mental Illness

This book can fit into several categories, including that of a memoir and a guide to mental illnesses and their history, and intimate guide to living with and around these conditions. Author and PhD Rachel A. Pruchno leads the narrative with a personal testimony with her daughter’s experience with bipolar disorder and navigating all that. She paints an empathetic portrait of bipolar and other mental health conditions including schizophrenia and depression. This covers things like giving loved ones and families advice for how they can help someone with these conditions, explains a bit about the landscape on finding help and receive treatment, and works with stigma and stereotypes. Of the latter, this book advocates for people living better lives, regardless of what is going on inside. It advocates for care, less stigma, and empowering people and their loved ones. In all this, the book also shares examples of communities rising up to empower people.