A Danger to Herself and Others

By: Alyssa Sheinmel

Narrated by: Devon Sorvari

Hannah knows there's been a mistake. She doesn't need to be institutionalized. What happened to her roommate at that summer program was an accident. As soon as the doctor and judge figure out that she isn't a danger to herself or others, she can go home to start her senior year - those college applications aren't going to write themselves. But until then, she's determined to win over the staff and earn some privileges so that she doesn't lose her mind to boredom.

Then Lucy arrives. Lucy has her own baggage, and she's the perfect project to keep Hannah's focus off all she is missing at home. But Lucy may be the one person who can get Hannah to confront the secrets she's avoiding - and the dangerous games that landed her in confinement in the first place.

©2019 Alyssa Sheinmel (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Inaccurate representation

Hospitalized against her will, Hannah struggles to figure out why her doctor thinks she’s “a danger to herself and others.” Hannah’s roommate lies comatose in another hospital following an accident that led to both teens’ hospitalizations. Hannah needs to tell the judge keeping her is a mistake, but she’s not allowed phone privileges, even to call her parents. When the truth of that night comes to light, Hannah’s life will never be the same.

Alyssa Sheinmel crafted an intriguing story about psychosis and mental illness, which unfortunately doesn’t come close to resembling how psychosis actually works. Sheinmel’s research seems to have been primarily reading, but diagnoses look different on people than they do in books and articles. Having studied schizophrenia, I thought I understood the diagnosis. It wasn’t until I did an internship at a state hospital and witnessed the different ways patients manifested the illness did I truly get it. Auditory, visual and tactile hallucinations are products of a disorganized mind with misfiring synopses. Patients don’t create new people with fully fleshed out personalities who are constant companions. The voices and visions are usually people in their lives of historical figures. Sometimes patients think they are someone else. We had a few Jesuses and the Dali Lama among others. Sufferers hear voices in their head or ears. Many books and movies go with hallucinations as an actual “normal” person until the big reveal. Sheinmel did do a good job equating physical and mental illness. I wish she had interviewed practitioners and patients with psychotic diagnoses to get a better handle on the disorder. Reading as a sole means of research gives a one dimensional understanding of conditions.

DANGER TO HERSELF AND OTHERS is a slow read, more character study than plot. I did like Hannah’s acerbic wit and voice in her narration. Sheinmel’s word building was clever and enjoyable. The story ended with a whimper rather than a bang.

Because of the positive representation of mental health, I do recommend DANGER TO HERSELF AND OTHERS with the caveat of the unrealistic representation of psychosis.

ETA: the audiobook elevates story.

Beware: you'll get into Hannah's head

ironically, that's what this story is all about, Hannah's great. The way he brain misfires and the diagnosis she finally lands at. that's all I can say without giving things away that you aren't supposed to know until later on. don't get me wrong, you definitely know there's more to the story throughout. the author sits a fantastic job on getting into a mentally unstable brain, especially in a teenager, but the ending really upset me. To me, you could tell what triggered Hannah's issues. They never really addressed the type of negligence of her parents that are evident throughout the book. but, then again, I guess that wasn't the point of the story. I just felt very sad at the end.

eye opening

this is a excellent book to open your eye to mental illness. look forward to reading more of her books

I can relate in some ways

this is a great book. you get to see into the mind of a teenage girl who is struggling from differentiating what's real from imaginative. just listening to this book makes me wonder if having her imaginary friends is better the returning to reality.

OUTSTANDING story & Narration

The narrator did an awesome job and the story was great. I couldn't stop listening.

Best book

And every day was really good, I love the book so far, it's the best book I've read

Surprised by this book

I enjoyed this book. I was honestly a little annoyed by the main character and her point of view but soon understood why she spoke like she did. well written well thought out

Slowly got there

This book was great, but was SO VERY SLOW in the beginning. I was almost sad I didn’t continue reading it but I did. It picked up and was actually interesting. The woman speaking was a tad monotone and could really use a lesson in changing character voices a bit better. Anyhow, good book If you like psychology aspect of things.

Page 338 (EXTREME SPOILER ALERT)

I like to skip ahead and reading the last sentence on Page 338 (the story ends on Page 336) brought it all home.

Truth - loads of triggers for the claustrophobic so stressful due to the subject matter (granted, I'm a flight person in the fight or flight definition) and still waited for Hannah to do a Shawshank or MacGyver or Natty Gann and find a way out of her court-ordered captivity. She is very bright for a high school senior and no doubt instead of measuring the floor for the 1,000th time (8 steps by 7 steps) she could figure out a way to leave, and does - or did she. Escaping would make the story an adventure and more readable, but that's just me.

Then there are her wealthy parents - rude, arrogant and spoiled - and make it clear their daughter's illness is interfering with their jet-set lifestyle. I hated them (good writing is to blame - lol).

It's plain Hannah hates them for raising an only child in 5-star hotels, and perhaps the reason for her crisis that my guess could be resolved without the pills but with intense therapy, but I'm not a psychiatrist.

Then there's the last sentence on Page 338 - sneaky of the author to leave it for the few who would skip ahead...

Excellent portrayal of a girl discovering her mental illness

I work in mental health, though psychosis isn’t my area. Hannah’s thoughts and beliefs and feelings seemed very authentic to me, and in particular the author did a great job of making her pretty real - concerned with a lot of the things that concern teen girls. She’s right - neither of their lives will ever be the same.