In the literature, many books have been written by people with an official diagnosis. But not a small number of books have been written about the madmen themselves. But there is literature that can be attributed to both categories - these are books written by mentally ill people about their diseases.
Instructions
Step 1
Oliver Sachs, "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat"
When describing books on mental illness, it's worth starting with this, of course. It was written by neuropsychologist and neurologist Oliver Sachs back in the 71st year of the 20th century. It describes stories about people suffering from unusual, but from this no less serious mental illness, taken from the medical practice of the author himself. In addition to describing interesting cases of psychiatry, the books also touch upon philosophical topics, for example, about the knowledge of the human soul.
And it would seem that such a book cannot be written in a language understandable to people far from psychiatry, but Oliver Sachs could.
Step 2
Arnhild Lauweng, "I Was Always a Lion Tomorrow"
Arnhild is now a successful psychologist, Ph. D. She not only practices as a psychologist, but also teaches her own lectures.
And once Arnhild was an ordinary teenager who suddenly became too demanding of herself. The demands grew every day, there was no strength left for anything, it appeared as if external voices that led, punished, shouted. And then there was hospitalization and the diagnosis - schizophrenia. And the confession of her mentally ill.
The entire book is devoted to the origin of the disease, its manifestations and, surprisingly, getting rid of it.
Step 3
Daniel Keyes, Billy Milligan's Multiple Minds
Only Billy himself knows what it is like to be Billy, and he can only talk about it in those short moments when he is allowed to control his own body. In addition to the original personality, 23 more people live in it. These are very young children, girls and men. Each of them has its own character, accent, habits, voice or lack of it.
The story of this amazing case begins with the fact that three girls were kidnapped and later raped near the medical college, and when the culprit was arrested, he claimed, and quite convincingly, that he had no idea what was the matter.
Step 4
Barbora O'Brien "An Extraordinary Journey to Madness and Back"
Another story about schizophrenia. Another woman who survived it. But the difference between this book and the previous one is that here Barbora was sent on the path of cure by her own hallucinations.
The book tells how one wonderful day one, an ordinary normal woman, woke up in her own bed, talked to an unknown person and left everything - family, work, friends. She left to the other end of the country and, most importantly, was able to hide from almost everyone that she was sick.
This is not a story told in the language of psychiatrists, not an outside observation. This is the experience of a woman who fell ill and was able to recover, told in living language, not without humor and philosophical digressions.
Step 5
Angel de Cuatie, Diary of a Madman
When listing books on schizophrenia, one cannot fail to mention this one.
This book was not written by the one listed on the cover - these are the notes of a guy who really has schizophrenia. Angel made only small remarks in the narrative.
The story begins with a young man's desire to destroy the universe. And of course, there are enemies who don't want to. But the further the story moves, the deeper themes begin to be addressed.
