Kay Redfield Jamison bravely published her memoir over a decade ago. She lays out her journey through manic-depressive disorder which is better known today at bipolar disorder.
One of the many reasons why it was brave for Kay to publish her memoir is due to the fact that she was a professor in medicine and psychiatry. While many of us struggle against the stigma of mental health and it's labels, Kay held a respected and well esteemed position in the field of the helping and coming open about her battle may have shaken that position.
However, Kay's story is so wonderfully necessary to be heard. In spite of her highs and lows, she was still extremely successful. Her story is one too often heard of the desire to not take medication versus the benefit it often has.
Kay describes her ups and downs through the progression of her life and shares openly and honestly about the pros and cons of her illness as well as the treatments for it. She talks about her time in inpatient hospitalization as well as her suicide attempt. She does also share some information about bipolar disorder and the research she has heard and conducted.
The biggest compliant I have about this memoir is that I do think Kay hesitated to share more deeply about her depression and despair. Sometimes she becomes more clinical in describing her emotions, symptoms, and experiences. However, this could be because I listened to the audiobook which she reads, and she is very modulated throughout reading her own book. This almost makes it seem as though she is reading about someone else's experiences. There may be a different tone if you read the book on your own. Have you read it? Tell me what you think.
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