Friday, January 18, 2013

Book 25

Day 17:

Here I am, up late again. I had a nice day but by the evening my head was killing me. I have suffered from migraines since I was in high school and have to take medication for them as they make me very ill and low functioning. I felt one coming on tonight, and even though I am quite a bit ahead of my challenge right now, I decided that I wanted to continue the book that I had started on this morning. In case you didn't already know this about me, I'm quite stubborn..ah well.

Book 25: The Center Cannot Hold: A Journey Through Madness


Author: Elyn R. Saks
Genre: Psychology Autobiography
Pages: 352
Sequel: No
Purchased or borrowed: Borrowed from the library
Date Read: January 17, 2013

3.5 stars
As a general rule, I really enjoy psychological books, especially related to mental illness. I am personally interested in depression and anxiety, as they are the field that I hope to specialize in, and so I tend to read about those most often. This is a book written by Elyn about her struggles with paranoid schizophrenia with a depressive subtype. It is a real and honest portrayal, filled with her struggles with her disorder, rebelling against being medicated, fighting to get her law degree, a job, and a normal life. Her writing isn't something that motivated me to keep reading. It was the subject matter that kept me at this book as it took a lot longer for me to read than a normal book of this size would. However, I love reading a book by someone who has been able to successfully manage their mental illness. Mental illness can never truly be conquered, but it is reassuring to know that it is only a part of you, not everything, and that it does not have to define your life and who you hope to be.

And now it's off to bed, where tomorrow I have a blissful day ahead of me with nothing planned. I hope to sleep in, make a trip to the library, and read a lot :)

xo,
Erin

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