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A portion of all proceeds from Ben Behind His Voices will be donated to NAMI. |
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 one in a hundred 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.
Here, Kaye encourages families to stay together and find strength while accepting the reality of a loved one’s illness; she illustrates, through her experiences as Ben’s mother, the delicate balance between letting go and staying involved. She 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.
Praise and Reviews of Ben Behind His Voices:
In this must-read for any family struggling with mental illness, Kaye offers a gripping account of her son’s battle with schizophrenia. Until Ben was 15, Kaye believed that patience, structure, therapy, and love were the solutions to Ben’s academic and social challenges, mood swings, and drug and alcohol abuse. Having struggled to find help for Ben as his illness went unnamed and incorrectly diagnosed, Kaye provides helpful and informative guideposts throughout the book…Along the way, she shares her fundamental belief in love, humor, and hope. This well-written, well-researched, and brutally honest book will provide information, inspiration, and encouragement for many parents. –Publishers Weekly
“Ben Behind His Voices reminds us that schizophrenia is an illness, but not necessarily an identity. It movingly depicts the difficulty and the importance of recognizing, accepting, and managing the symptoms of this disorder.” — John H. Krystal, M.D. Chair, Department of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine
“Ben Behind His Voices” details the struggles, initial defeats, sadness, subsequent victories, and joys of a family coming to terms with a son’s schizophrenia. Unlike purely “first hand” or “family” accounts, this book presents the viewpoints of all involved in this captivating family drama…This book is a good “up-close” description of all the ways mental illness affects families. ..(from) a mother who persevered through years of confusion, isolation, heartache, and bureaucracy to bring her son back to health. — National Alliance on Mental Illness Advocate
An illuminating portrait of a parent coping with the guilt and heartbreak that come from feeling like one can’t “fix” one’s child. Recommended for anyone who is involved with teens or those with mental disorders, and a darn good read for memoir fans. –Library Journal
The author is eminently helpful, particularly in the matter of self-medication, which so many of the mentally ill prefer to taking the medications that have been prescribed for them….Heartfelt and surely of help to those new to living with mentally ill loved ones of their own. –Kirkus Review
