Main description:

When readers first meet Ben, he is a sweet, intelligent, seemingly well-adjusted youngster. Fast forward to his teenage years, though, and Ben's life has spun out of control. Ben is swept along by an illness over which he has no control_one that results in runaway episodes, periods of homelessness, seven psychotic breaks, seven hospitalizations, and finally a diagnosis and treatment plan that begins to work. Schizophrenia strikes an estimated 1 in 100 people worldwide by some estimates, and yet understanding of the illness is lacking. Through Ben's experiences, and those of his mother and sister, who supported Ben through every stage of his illness and treatment, readers gain a better understanding of schizophrenia, as well as mental illness in general, and the way it affects individuals and families. Ben Behind His Voices encourages families to stay together and find strength while accepting the reality of a loved one's illness; it illustrates the delicate balance between letting go and staying involved. It honors the courage of anyone who suffers with mental illness and is trying to improve his life and participate in his own recovery. Ben Behind His Voices also reminds professionals in the psychiatric field that every patient who comes through their doors has a life, one that he has lost through no fault of his own. It shows what goes right when professionals treat the family as part of the recovery process, and help them find support, education, and acceptance. And it reminds readers that those who suffer from mental illness, and their families, deserve respect, concern, and dignity.

Contents:

1 Foreword 2 Introduction: 2010 3 Snapshot: The Turning Point 4 Part One: Warning Signs 5 Reflections 6 1. Beginnings 7 2. Ben Drops Out 8 3. There Must Be a Reasonable Explanation 9 4. The Wailing Wall 10 5. The Black Eye 11 Part Two: Chaos, Trial and Error 12 Reflections 13 6. Frightening Thoughts 14 7. Almost Arrested 15 8. The Last Resort 16 9. Psychic Vampires 17 10. Diagnosis Roulette 18 Part Three: Dealing with Catastrophic Events 19 Reflections 20 11. Almost Hospitalized 21 12. Finally, Sick Enough 22 13. Frozen: Hospitalization Number Three 23 14. Hospitalizations Four and Five 24 Part Four: Recovery and Acceptance 25 Reflections 26 15. He's Still in There 27 16. Baby Steps to Normal: Realistic Expectations 28 17. Ordinary Miracles 29 18. The Drum Circle 30 19. Relapse and the Road Back 31 20. You Can't Reason With Mental Illness 32 21. Love: the Positive "Second Hit" 33 22. No Secrets: Fighting Stigma 34 23. Never Give Up Hope 35 Resources