Description

ISBN: 9781847473899
Published: 2008
Pages: 324

Volume Six of the Chipmunka Anthology contains 10 stories very different by equally inspiring stories of mental health empowerment. It includes

Description: Schizophrenia One Womans Story

This is a short and to the point book which describes what it is like to live with schizophrenia. Tiffany charts her history from her childhood to the present day explaining how this illness has changed the course of her life. Tiffany likens schizophrenia to cancer, the constant and crippling pain have taken their toll. This is an honest and revealing book.

There was something about my Dad, Paddy OBrien, whom I sadly lost on December 3rd 2000. He was one of the kindest, most patient, tolerant, deeply understanding and intuitive people I knew. It is the calibre of the person that he was that inspired me to write about him. The poems which you will read in my book just came naturally as I started grieving for him. I have wanted to write a tribute to him for a long time and also thought that perhaps what I have written might help other people going through the grief of losing someone special.

A young orphan girl called Maxine, lives trapped in poverty with Tony, an older man. One day they visit their local pub where they meet a wealthy gentleman called Steiny. Steiny propositions Tony into prostituting Maxine to him. Tony forces Maxine to go with Steiny, who in turn asks Maxine to become his mistress and leave Tony. The short ends with a twist when Maxine discovers her locket and Steinys signet ring coats of arms match and she discovers the identity of her father.

Description Through the Eyes of a Manic

My book is the vivid memory of the psychotic state of mind that I experienced after the birth of my first child. I try to explain how it actually feels to be manic and, although my body was on earth, my mind had taken me into a wild dimension, a frightening and frustrating place. I had been diagnosed with puruple psychosis a very serious case. I would not respond to any medication as my will was too strong. And I did not sleep night and day for three and a half weeks.

I was ill after my second child and then became a regular visitor to the psychiatric ward. In 1992 I was diagnosed a manic depressive. I found the psychiatrist a waste of time; when I became manic they treated my illness but did nothing to help me talk through my problems. The drugs given helped at the time, as they would push the problems to the back of my mind, unfortunately they kept coming back again and again. My brain is very logical and there had to be a reason and an answer for everything, it would go into search mode trying to find out why. I had no control over it and it would not stop until it was satisfied with the conclusion.

In my book I explain how I felt trapped with nowhere to turn, there was no hope left but to carry on causing havoc and visiting the ward. When I first went for my E.C.T the anaesthetist would say here she is the one who can count to fifty before she gets knocked out. I would even try to fight that, as my mind did not want to slow down.

The mind is a very powerful thing and I have experienced mine at full power.! At one time I was shuffling my feet and dribbling from the mouth. I must have looked as though I was auditioning for house on the haunted hill. But I was still there, I think the worst thing was remembering my family, my mother and father coming to visit and seeing their little girl like that, but as much as I tried to communicate with them I could not.

Writing my book was great therapy for me as, although it was difficult, I was able to put it away and keep it in the past. I hope it will inspire other people to write their experiences down even if it just gets put in a draw as mine did for two years until I was ready to do something with it. Obstacles will always be thrown at you in life but they are nothing compared to the mountains I have climbed..

Description Colonies

Colonies follows the story of three ants, Ara, Squadro and Rane, as they make their way from the desecrated colony at Hotel Ethos, Calvi, Corsica and head out to broaden their horizons and possibly make a few friends, and enemies, on the way.

Description My Fight Against A Life Of Depression

This short autobiography is touching and deceptively simple. In fact it is through Georginas use of simple descriptions that the reader gets a rare and emotive view of anothers internal and external world. That external world is post war Britain for a child and adolescent woman, an experience hitherto not sufficiently explored.

Clarissa or arrested innocence is a poignant collection of poems written by a mother in response to her daughters severe mental illness. These poems, crafted by an experienced poet, probe the pain of psychosis. The poet lays bare the isolation and frustration felt by the sufferer. She compares mental illness with the dangers of high speed motorbike racing. She draws on the legend of the Sleeping Beauty, the poems of Blake, Hopkins and Shakespeare, as well as using scenes from Scotlands beautiful West Coast, from Edinburgh, St Petersburg and Warsaw to offer wide-ranging word pictures on a single theme schizophrenia.

Description The Lost Highway

Lost Highway is the case study and story of my grandparents journey from clarity to confusion and the inevitable fallout that affected those who tried to care for someone with Alzheimers.

Description Mashed Mind

This is a short heartfelt collection of poetry from an extremely brave woman. Her work covers topics from the personal to the universal.

Description A Victim of the Freemasons

This book is the brief synopsis of one man relating his experiences at the hands of the freemasons. The things he claims they did destroyed many aspects of his life and almost his sanity.

The book contains not only an important reflection of our society, but, more beautifully, wonderful photos from the last century.