Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 228
•
Trim: 6¼ x 9⅜
978-1-4422-2063-8 • Hardback • July 2013 • $57.00 • (£44.00)
978-1-4422-2064-5 • eBook • July 2013 • $54.00 • (£42.00)
Sarah Rae is a writer and editor. She is the author of Charity, a novel about five families during Hurricane Katrina. Her fiction and nonfiction has appeared in literary journals internationally since 2006. A member of the Freelancers Union, she writes and copyedits web content. She is also the editor-in-chief of a literary journal. She blogs about schizophrenia at www.fogofparanoia.com
Solidly written, The Fog of Paranoia is one more book to add to those memoirs that help family members cope with a loved one’s mental illness. . . . Rae does a nice job blending the 'teaching moments' with the personal story of her brother’s illness. Rae has become a well-educated advocate for mental illness awareness, and this book is a good source for learning about schizophrenia and its effects on family members.
— New York Journal of Books
This book is an excellent, highly readable, overview of the entire family's experiences when the author's brother develops an insidious form of schizophrenia. Her detailed descriptions of his symptoms, and her family's reactions, both before and after his being diagnosed, should be quite helpful to those who find themselves facing similar circumstances.
— Fred Frese, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Northeast Ohio Medical University
As practical and helpful as it is personal and hopeful. I wish this book was handed to me when my brother was first diagnosed and before I saw my first patient with schizophrenia. It will be of tremendous help to countless mental health professionals, patients and their families.
— Xavier Amador, author of I am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help! How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment (2012)
While geared toward those—including the author herself—whose lives have been disrupted and altered by a loved one’s schizophrenia, this book has wide appeal thanks to its readability and personable voice. Combing through her past with candor, Rae attempts to piece together clues to her brother’s declining mental state while placing her personal narrative into a broader societal context. Rae is curious but never overbearing. She aims to debunk the stereotypes surrounding schizophrenia, but also celebrate her brother as he once was and sometimes still is. Meanwhile, she critiques the American healthcare system and the shortcomings of psychologists. The book is often touching, and one comes to know Rae well through her memories and analyses. This, combined with its reassuring tone and useful reference material, places this book among the necessary reads for those trying to come to terms with an often-misunderstood condition.
— Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
Sarah Rae’s story is one of a sister who stood by her brother’s side when his world was falling apart. It is a story of love, friendship, perseverance and strength. A fascinating journey through pain, desolation, delusions, hope and optimism, The Fog of Paranoia is a tremendously moving and captivating read. ... The Fog of Paranoia is an honest and realistic account of the illness that depicts what it is like to experience a serious mental illness first hand and simultaneously makes it very relatable and understandable. She reflects on the severity of the illness without despair and shares hopes for a better future and her brother’s recovery with a sense of realism and understanding of the illness. Throughout her story, Sara balances between a captivating narrative and scientific research, making it an informative and enjoyable read.
— NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness