Unhinged

A Memoir of Enduring, Surviving and Overcoming Family Mental Illness

By: Anna Berry

Narrated by: Anna Berry

Despite all her best efforts to break the cycle of catastrophic, destructive patterns of mental illness, Anna Berry found herself at the end of her rope - unemployed, penniless, homeless, and in the throes of a psychotic episode that threatened to destroy her life. Alone and unwell, she manages to find her grip on life, seeks the help she needs, and embarks on a life and career that illustrate that mental illness does not have to be ruinous.

Unhinged: A Memoir of Enduring, Surviving, and Overcoming Family Mental Illness is a powerful memoir that chronicles Berry's life as both a casualty and survivor of family mental illness. From her point of rock-bottom to her own recovery, as well as her efforts to help her still-afflicted mother and brother find hope and healing, we see how she struggles to recognize her own illness while coping with the fallout from her family’s other victims. In telling her story, Berry uncovers the difficulties inherent in not only growing up with mental illness among family members, but also the frustrations of not being able to recognize or handle the trajectory of her own illness.

Yet, after successfully finding methods of treating her symptoms, Berry goes on to become a successful journalist and author, who now helps educate the public about mental health through her writing, while also serving as her mother’s court-appointed legal guardian. This story shows the devastating impact of mental illness on whole families, but offers listeners a message of hope and healing. Berry's story is sure to resonate with the many people who deal with the mental illness of family members, and their own struggles to cope with their own diagnoses.

©2014 Rowman & Littlefield (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Shallow presentation

Would you try another book from Anna Berry and/or Anna Berry?

Depends on what it is.

How could the performance have been better?

I realize that Anna Berry deserves to read her own story, but her performance came across as whiny. It was hard to feel much sympathy.

Any additional comments?

The book seemed very superficial and focused basically on how the mental illness in her family impacted her. A better understanding of her mother's story would have helped.

Great book!

I liked how personable the writing was. The story kept me interested. It really makes me feel for people having to care for others with mental illness.

Don't bother wasting your time.

It was just ok... had a Very hard time with the narrator, it sounded like she was yelling through the whole book. Also the book was very scattered and repetitive. I wouldnt reccomend.

Written from Personal Experience....

This is the only time I have bought a book because of the title, I was pleasantly surprised. The book is engaging and is written from the heart. It details the issues of mental illness and the ongoing struggle for sanity and a normal life. "Unhinged" is not a downer or weepy in it's story telling style, but gives an insight into the eternal struggle for people with mental illness trying to go about their day to day lives.

Rented for class listened do to interest

I got this book for my social work class. As I began listening I got hooked. Anna’s book it extremely insightful and well written. I would recommend it due to the nature of the issues. She talks about some systems that are no longer relevant due to to issues she described but still a good read.

What did I just listen to?

I knew when she started talking about how proud she was that she has never taken medication and that she doesn’t hear voices, that I was going to regret the credit I used to buy this book. I’ve never read a mental illness memoir where someone talks about why they’re better than the other crazy people.

Self-aggrandizing and judgmental of others.

I find this self-aggrandizing and judgmental of others. I don’t see it as being helpful to others. I don’t know why anyone would would write such a book speaking of her family, whom she ‘loves’, in such a negative way other than to make herself look better.

I would not recommend this book to anyone.

I chose the book based on synopsis, reviews, sample and my experience of and interest in mental health - which has been nothing as she describes.

Not the book for the newly diagnosed or family

This book was interesting but I would not recommend it to anyone currently dealing with mental illness or with the illness of a loved one. The author has some valid criticism of the mental health system and pharmacology but fails to offer any constructive responsible suggestions. The author seems unclear on concepts of personal responsibly and that all traits in a persons personality cannot be directly attributed to their illness. Also just because someone may be over medicated does not mean that their quality of the life would not be improved by appropriate med management. This book is both judge mental and dangerously dismissive of some very important issues. Approach with caution this book does no offer hope or acceptance

Honest

The author/narrator tells an honest account of her experiences, which is appreciated. But she sounds like she’s yelling the entire book. She also says exceptionally disparaging things about other people with mental illness or addiction issues as if she is better than them because she is in recovery.