An Unquiet Mind : A Memoir of Moods and Madness

Rating:
Summary: An excellent memoir, full of hope
Review: I have to disagree with another reviewer as to whether this book offers false hope to others with manic depression. I do not think it was Dr. Jamison's intent to give the impression that all-manic-depressives can have her level of achievements and glamorous life. Yes Dr. Jamison has been very fortunate in her life. Yes she happened to choose a career that put her in constant contact with psychiatrists and others in the medical field who can help her. What Dr. Jamison attempted to do (and what she achieved, I believe) is offer real hope to those of us who suffer from depression or manic-depression. We do not need to shut down, forget about our desires and hopes for the future, and aim low because of our illness. We must continue aiming high and rejoice when we succeed, even if to others it seems like our "successes" are little, every-day occurrences or just plain "no big deal" to others. We know better - those little success have come at a terrific price and they are so much the sweeter because we have achieved them in spite of it all. I am grateful that Dr. Jamison had the courage to write this book - she certainly didn't have to. It made me realize that there are many, bright, talented people out there who struggle every day with more problems than I have ever had. It gives me real hope and makes me want to pursue what I want in this life - if she can have successes in her life with her illness than so can I, regardless of the size or significance of my successes.

For those of you who enjoyed Dr. Jamison's book, I would also recommend "Undercurrents: A Life Beneath the Surface", written by Dr. Manning, available through Amazon.com. It, too, is just a wonderful, vivid account of a woman's descent into depression - the best part though is Dr. Manning has a wonderful sense of humor - you can't help but laugh along with her.

Rating:
Summary: Informative, Courageous . . . and Useful
Review: I am bipolar (manic-depressive) and while my highs never got as high as Jamison's or my lows as low, my story is enough like hers that I ordered several copies of the book for relatives and close friends to understand what I've been through. It was my way of helping them to understand that I will probably be on some form of medication all my life and that my depressions aren't just laziness or moodiness and my elations not mere "exuberance" or lack of impulse control. I'm very grateful that "An Unquiet Mind" came along when it did and that someone with the right clinical background had the courage to write it. I suspect the book will help a lot of people who confront M-D in themselves or in loved ones.

Starting with these words, this edit dates from February 2004. Originally this review was anyonymous, but emboldened by the everyday courage of so many people who simply filed reviews as themselves, apparently not even thinking it a concern that their illness might stigmatize them, I am now "outing" myself.

Context: I am quite obese, not the pleasantest person in the world to get along with (even years prior to "manifesting"), and grew up Protestant in the Deep South which means that Chicagoans in a rush to judge don't know whether to pigeonhole me as WASP, White Trash, Johnny Bull or Scots-Irish (not my concern!) I have been openly gay for the past 20 years to the point of publishing review of gay- or lesbian-themed books and movies under my own name; certainly when Queer Studies emerged 10-12 years ago (after muttering "What took you so long?" under my breath) I cheered. My other flaws are far more self-apparent.

I am also Bipolar Type IIa, atypical. (Depressive/Manic) and need about 5 different CNS meds a day and several sedatives to sleep at night, insomnia being the two-year warning signal that I was headed for a hospitalization.) I pay over $250 a month for prescriptions while politicians talk having Medicare foot the bill "for the Seniors(?)." Of all my built-in character flaws and bad habits, irrespective of whether they are intrinsic, extrinsic, matters of chance, my contrariness or whatever: none of the above has thrown as much gratuitous CRAP in my way as the "mental illness" "condition" or what have you, and probably the social consequences are more alienating than the economic--even now, at least to me, tho' I've worked hard on the anger, the limitations of capacity, the history pre-manifestation and so on.

Astonishing to me is the number of people who will sidle up at church or wherever and admit they take, say, Zoloft but should I reveal I have a diagnosis--WELL!--I take on the color of a leper. There are certain ambiguities people will tolerate, and certain they won't.

Perhaps that's why I'm upset that so many people are trashing the captioned book because the author committed the cardinal sin of extricating herself from the disease as well as she could--even though she never said "I did a splendid job of healing; what's wrong with you"? I am hearing rage and frustration in some of the people who are trashing the author; while I understand the rage and frustration I think perhaps venting it toward the author is not the way to go.

If this were 1910, would Americans be justified in saying, "Oh, sure, it's all right for HELEN KELLER. She had everything! A big house, the best possible governess. All the breaks. All she does is make the rest of us look bad. That blithe spirit of a HELEN KELLER, always so pleased with herself." Or am I making too much of the analogy? I can only reiterate that the book has truly been helpful and I WOULD STILL be handing it out if the technology hadn't moved on in the intervening years. And I bear the author no envy for the fact(s) that she's smarter, better educated, trained in exactly the right field, and more disciplined than I; in fact, that's why I'm grateful to her.

My name is Allen Smalling.
.

Rating:
Summary: Offers false hope to many readers
Review: Let me begin by saying that I read this book from two perspectives: as a writer, and as a manic-depressive. Some aspects of this book are useful are and well-written. Certainly I identified with Dr. Jamison's descriptions of depression, although I felt her descriptions of mania were less helpful (this may have something to do with the different natures of the states--since there is often a greater distortion of reality in mania, it can be harder to reconstruct or make real to one who has not experienced it). Let me also say, that like Dr. Jamison, I have been incredibly lucky. I was diagnosed and began medication by 25, and I have had a family who offered both emotional and financial support. However, even I felt resentful and envious as I read of how her education and professional life were never interrupted (I made it through Princeton University with honors, published my first book and received my MFA from Emerson College, but had to give up my dreams of a PhD and a life as a professor). I was unemployed for five years. I now have a full-time job as a secretary, of which I am enormously proud, but it's not the life I was headed for or the life I would have chosen. Dr. Jamison's memoir gives the impression that all manic-depressives can have her achievements and glamorous life. I don't mean to detract from her suffering, but not all of us are surrounded by friends and lovers who happen to be gifted psychiatrists, not all of us can survive without giving up significant dreams. As I said, I am one of the lucky ones (like all good depressives I feel real guilt for this); without my family I'd probably homeless or dead. I wonder how all those who are less fortunate will feel reading this book.

Rating:
Summary: An Unquiet Mind by Kay Jamison
Review: A wonderful look into the tortured mind of someone with manic-depressive illness. Terrifies and illuminates the mind of this reader. As someone who lives with clinical depression, I wonder sometimes if I have had manic episodes. This is helpful for anyone who loves someone with depression or manic-depression and those of us who live with it daily. I highly recommend it. The only detraction is too much personal info.

Rating:
Summary: An Unquiet Mind
Review: Kay Redfield Jamison's 'An Unquiet Mind' has been for me an adventure into the chaotic past life of my beloved first daughter. For so many years our family has lived with this disease, never diagnosed until mid 1999. This book transported me back to her first suicide attempt at age 16, her many many relationships, two marriages, countless changes in schools, outrageous spending sprees, severe panic disorder, inability to raise her own child, and so many other tragedies. Our lives have been complete chaos. Never before have I been able to understand this disease, but this wonderful book has given such tremendous insight, it could very easily be my daughter's story. Thank you Dr. Jamison. Now with this new knowledge, gained from your story, so beautifully told, and the prescribed treatment which is working so well, we can all look forward to recovery with confidence.

Rating:
Summary: Mile Wide, Inch Deep
Review: I learned much about both M-D illness and the author's facinating life, about which I had equal interest. Both topics were shortchanged in the endeavor - I wanted to know more about how her family dealt with her problems (reader learns only about the author's perception of her family's feelings). I also wish the science of the illness was covered in greater depth. Perhaps this wasn't the book's mission, however.

Rating:
Summary: just keep in mind..............
Review: Upon reading all of the reviews for this book, so far, it suprised me by the number of 1-2 ratings. It appeared that readers weren't very much in the middle; they either loved or disliked it. One of the most common comments pertained to the fact that it was KRJ's personal story. Readers seemed to expect more medical, scientific, and technical material. Please keep in mind that the subtitle to this book is 'A memoir of moods and madness" A MEMOIR. If the reader needs more medical information, they should seek the guidance of that kind of read, psychiatrist, or physician. I thought KRJ did a wonderful job in describing her life with manic depression. Being diagnosed, myself, last year, I needed someone to be this honest and this personal. KRJ succeeded in sharing this information. Of course, she doesn't make her life seem ordinary and "down to earth" (as was another complaint by some readers) because it wasn't/isn't an ordinary life. KRJ has had noteable accomplishments. Not everyone is a PH.D in their field, not everyone has seen far-away lands. I think her story is well told and well thought. I could identify with her descriptions and memories. Her words, people complained, made m.d. seem glamorous and beautiful. To that I say, if you've ever been manic, it can be a beautiful experience. It can be seductive and a whirlwind of wonderful feelings. Just keep in mind that everyone with this disorder has different trials and triumphs and emotions that go with them. I applaud her strength and her will. And, I give thanks to her honesty and straightforward style. [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: Impressive and enlightening
Review: Over the past 20 years I've had several friends who suffered from manic-depressive illnesses. It's abundantly clear to me that the disease is primarily biochemical and "not their fault." But I had trouble understanding why these people refused to take their medication (or stopped taking it after they started) and otherwise engaged in massive denial. Jamison's frank and well-written book was a revelation: now I feel I have a better sense of the seductiveness of mania, and why creative, intelligent people are often willing to risk the lows of their illness for the sake of the highs. As Jamison points out emphatically, however, the long-term effects of bipolar disorder can be devastating mentally and physically (not to mention the financial and personal fallout) -- hence her crusade to understand the basis of the illness, and learn how to fine-tune the medication so that the sufferer achieves equilibrium without deadening the sensitivity and creativity that often accompany this disease. I'd already read "Night Falls Fast," which is also excellent, but this book set out the personal story behind Jamison's research interests. While she insists that love alone won't cure the disease, it's also clear that, without the love of her loyal friends, this intelligent, talented, and articulate woman might never have made it through the more difficult years, let alone become a respected authority in her profession. Anyone who suffers from bipolar disorders, and those who love them, should read this book.

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant book not grasped by all
Review: This book is brilliant in its ability to convey the gift/curse of MD or bipolar disorder in a very moving and articulate way. In short, it's a remarkable book that will set on my shelf next to other great works of fiction and nonfiction. I had to chuckle at the reviews on this site which were not five-star ratings. It must be remembered that some people lack the personal depth and intellect and simply are unable to fully appreciate the value of this book and be profoundly moved by it. I am not easily impressed, but this book is a classic and I have no doubt that time will prove just that. If you want to understand the hurricanes which resided in the minds of Van Gogh, Ezra Pound, Emily Dickenson, Sylvia Plath, and others greats of our time read this book. If you want to understand the paintings of Thomas Kincade and poetry by Rod McKuen, this book's not for you.

Rating:
Summary: Don't read this book unless...
Review: you have manic-depressive illness or love someone who does. KRJ says that manic-depressive illness can kill love faster and more completely than just about anything. This is so true. However, this book gave me a glimpse into the why behind all the frightening and bizarre behavior. It's made it easier to respond with love and understanding to my spouse and probably saved our relationship.