A review by jessicabrazeal
Voluntary Madness: My Year Lost and Found in the Loony Bin by Norah Vincent
3.0
This book was an interesting look at mental health systems in this country. Many of the review seem angry at Vincent for her perspective, and yet it just seems she is writing about her own experiences and I don't know how you argue with that.
As a mental health professional, I found this to be a really interesting perspective to have. I tended to agree with Vincent on the way mental health is conceptualized in this country, the way in which a medical/pathology based model has been running the show, and often to the detriment of the clients. It seemed that the better the relationships with the those in the role of the helping professions, the more progress and mental health that Vincent actually cultivated.
Relationships are key. We were made to live together and where people are isolated, usually as a result of trauma, that is where the difficulty arises.
As a mental health professional, I found this to be a really interesting perspective to have. I tended to agree with Vincent on the way mental health is conceptualized in this country, the way in which a medical/pathology based model has been running the show, and often to the detriment of the clients. It seemed that the better the relationships with the those in the role of the helping professions, the more progress and mental health that Vincent actually cultivated.
Relationships are key. We were made to live together and where people are isolated, usually as a result of trauma, that is where the difficulty arises.