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krissykross's review against another edition
4.0
I've read this book several times (as well as her other books.) Just as with her memoir Wasted, I had some issues with things that probably stem from the fact that I have Bipolar Disorder as well and Madness seems a little... romanticized. But as a whole I like this book and can identify with a lot of it. I pick it up every few months for a quick re-read. All-in-all I give it 4 stars.
andreiaoh's review
i tried and tried and tried but this just bored me and put me into the biggest reading slump ever
hbutler398's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
1.5
That was a slog. I feel bad giving someone's personal memoir a 2 star review, especially someone with mental illness, but..this needs a trigger warning. I know it was also written and published before the times of warnings, but geez. Alot of rambling and an honest depiction of the struggles of bipolar disorder with no real treatment plans.
o88's review against another edition
5.0
Madness is not for the squeamish nor does it have a happy ending. Marya struggles includes an eating disorder, cutting, suicide attempts, sleep deprivation, addiction, depression, anxiety, failed relationships, and seven hospitalizations (where she underwent electroconvulsive therapy at one point). It's the life of someone who is habitually living life on the edge and in crisis. It gives you a glimpse into the world of someone who is struggling just to survive and is in a cycle of starting and putting out fires in their life due to bipolar disorder.
I read this book because I wanted to demystify bipolar disorder. I quit this book three maybe four times because some portions made me very uncomfortable, but I sucked it up and finished because I didn't want to turn my back on this issue. I think we need to confront these issues because there are millions of people who are suffering and self-destructing over an issue that seems to have no clear treatment path apart from mentally sedating oneself on a variety of medications often times to mixed results.
Ultimately, in lieu of her irresponsibility and doing everything imaginable to sabotage her rehabilitation, I felt a great deal of compassion for her by the end of the book. Her current regimen to manage her mental life consists of an assortment of drugs, therapy, vitamins, journalling, etc. Thousands and thousands of dollars are put in on a monthly basis for the hope that she can just live a normal life to which she admits may likely never occur. Her life is simply structured around surviving. I think if she commits to not self-sabotaging things she has a shot, but she is her own worst enemy at the end of the day. If current scientific research is accurate on human behaviour---she may not have much of a say on the matter as the brain is ultimately in the driver seat and if you have a defective one then your life is going to be the sort of rollercoster that she's on.
I can't give his book any less than 5 stars because she was brutally honest and transparent.
Good luck Marya.
5/5
I read this book because I wanted to demystify bipolar disorder. I quit this book three maybe four times because some portions made me very uncomfortable, but I sucked it up and finished because I didn't want to turn my back on this issue. I think we need to confront these issues because there are millions of people who are suffering and self-destructing over an issue that seems to have no clear treatment path apart from mentally sedating oneself on a variety of medications often times to mixed results.
Ultimately, in lieu of her irresponsibility and doing everything imaginable to sabotage her rehabilitation, I felt a great deal of compassion for her by the end of the book. Her current regimen to manage her mental life consists of an assortment of drugs, therapy, vitamins, journalling, etc. Thousands and thousands of dollars are put in on a monthly basis for the hope that she can just live a normal life to which she admits may likely never occur. Her life is simply structured around surviving. I think if she commits to not self-sabotaging things she has a shot, but she is her own worst enemy at the end of the day. If current scientific research is accurate on human behaviour---she may not have much of a say on the matter as the brain is ultimately in the driver seat and if you have a defective one then your life is going to be the sort of rollercoster that she's on.
I can't give his book any less than 5 stars because she was brutally honest and transparent.
Good luck Marya.
5/5
sdmftn's review against another edition
3.0
Solid reality of a bipolar life
If you want a good representation of the inside view of living with bipolar disorder, this book will do it for you.
If you want a good representation of the inside view of living with bipolar disorder, this book will do it for you.
valancysnaith's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Self harm
o88's review against another edition
5.0
Madness is not for the squeamish nor does it have a happy ending. Marya struggles includes an eating disorder, cutting, suicide attempts, sleep deprivation, addiction, depression, anxiety, failed relationships, and seven hospitalizations (where she underwent electroconvulsive therapy at one point). It's the life of someone who is habitually living life on the edge and in crisis. It gives you a glimpse into the world of someone who is struggling just to survive and is in a cycle of starting and putting out fires in their life due to bipolar disorder.
I read this book because I wanted to demystify bipolar disorder. I quit this book three maybe four times because some portions made me very uncomfortable, but I sucked it up and finished because I didn't want to turn my back on this issue. I think we need to confront these issues because there are millions of people who are suffering and self-destructing over an issue that seems to have no clear treatment path apart from mentally sedating oneself on a variety of medications often times to mixed results.
Ultimately, in lieu of her irresponsibility and doing everything imaginable to sabotage her rehabilitation, I felt a great deal of compassion for her by the end of the book. Her current regimen to manage her mental life consists of an assortment of drugs, therapy, vitamins, journalling, etc. Thousands and thousands of dollars are put in on a monthly basis for the hope that she can just live a normal life to which she admits may likely never occur. Her life is simply structured around surviving. I think if she commits to not self-sabotaging things she has a shot, but she is her own worst enemy at the end of the day. If current scientific research is accurate on human behaviour---she may not have much of a say on the matter as the brain is ultimately in the driver seat and if you have a defective one then your life is going to be the sort of rollercoster that she's on.
I can't give his book any less than 5 stars because she was brutally honest and transparent.
Good luck Marya.
5/5
I read this book because I wanted to demystify bipolar disorder. I quit this book three maybe four times because some portions made me very uncomfortable, but I sucked it up and finished because I didn't want to turn my back on this issue. I think we need to confront these issues because there are millions of people who are suffering and self-destructing over an issue that seems to have no clear treatment path apart from mentally sedating oneself on a variety of medications often times to mixed results.
Ultimately, in lieu of her irresponsibility and doing everything imaginable to sabotage her rehabilitation, I felt a great deal of compassion for her by the end of the book. Her current regimen to manage her mental life consists of an assortment of drugs, therapy, vitamins, journalling, etc. Thousands and thousands of dollars are put in on a monthly basis for the hope that she can just live a normal life to which she admits may likely never occur. Her life is simply structured around surviving. I think if she commits to not self-sabotaging things she has a shot, but she is her own worst enemy at the end of the day. If current scientific research is accurate on human behaviour---she may not have much of a say on the matter as the brain is ultimately in the driver seat and if you have a defective one then your life is going to be the sort of rollercoster that she's on.
I can't give his book any less than 5 stars because she was brutally honest and transparent.
Good luck Marya.
5/5
le_fromage_en_fue's review against another edition
5.0
Madness was an interesting look into what it is like living with a mental illness. The way it was written vividly depicted the ups and downs and general craziness. By the end of the book I felt like I was going a little crazy myself.
sarahrachael's review against another edition
4.0
I found Marya's experience to be very unique. Rapid Cycle bipolar is such an extreme variety of bipolar. I think it would be important for those who read this book to be clear the differences between the types.
"The hands of his sadness close around my throat and I can't breathe. I have run out of the enormous love he needs to be all right."
"The hands of his sadness close around my throat and I can't breathe. I have run out of the enormous love he needs to be all right."