A review by emiged
Voluntary Madness: My Year Lost and Found in the Loony Bin by Norah Vincent

3.0

Ms. Vincent, as someone who has fought her mental illness for years, comes across as forthright readable, and above all, credible. Her insights are pointed, searching, and persuasive. While not completely objective – after all, it's her own mental health, how could she be? – she recognizes the merits and drawbacks of each treatment setting and gives each its fair due. And the conclusion she reaches is that at some point the individual involved must make a choice to fight for wellness if the fight is to have any chance at success.

She is utterly, completely, baldly honest, revealing thoughts and reactions that do not always paint herself in a positive light. But her candor compels the reader to examine his/her own thoughts and admit she's got a point. Ms. Vincent's acerbic wit crops up frequently as she faces the contradictions and dilemmas in the system head-on with a refreshing admission that she doesn't have the answers. Her perspective is what she has to offer.

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