Willa Goodfellow was going to stab her doctor, but she wrote a book instead.Years later, Goodfellow revisits her account of the antidepressant-induced hypomania that hijacked her Costa Rican vacation and tells the rest of the story: her missed diagnosis of Bipolar 2, how she’d been given the wrong medications, and finally, her process of recovery.Prozac Monologues is a book within a book—part … book within a book—part memoir of misdiagnosis and part self-help guide about life on the bipolar spectrum. Through edgy and comedic essays, Goodfellow offers information about a mood disorder frequently mistaken for major depression as well as resources for recovery and further study. Plus, Costa Rica.
· If your depression keeps coming back . . .
· If your antidepressant side effects are dreadful . . .
· If you are curious about the bipolar spectrum . . .
· If you want ideas for recovery from mental illness . . .
· If you care for somebody who might have more than depression . . .
. . . This book is for you.
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A wonderful book full of creativity and realistic, important advice for those with bipolar disease, their families, and all interested readers.
Full of creativity, wit, sorrow, determination and the passion to help others. The author gives tough love and heartfelt advice to others with bipolar disease, including chapters with a curated reading list and a list of organizations that are helpful.
Whether you have a bipolar disorder or love someone who does, this book is like a GPS navigator when you are lost in your rental car. You’ll travel through a few dodgy wildernesses as the author describes (in manic-speak) her journey through misdiagnosis. But she intersperses that with chapters in which her healthier self steps in to give translation, commentary, and solid support. The book combines memoir, self-help, stand-up comedy (yes, somehow it works without making light of the reader nor their illness). This book should be required reading in every med school class, and a reference in every medical professional’s mental health first aid kit. Goodfellow transforms years of study, research, serious science, and painful lived experience into a wonderful ride of discovery, acceptance, and healing. PS:This book recently received the silver Ben Franklin Award from the Independent Book Publishers Association in the very competitive memoir category.
Prozac Monologues has so much to offer its reader, but above all it is an excellent read. Goodfellow’s writing is at once deeply personal–she often speaks directly to her reader with genuine concern–while also being very informative. Technical topics related to mental health research, treatment, and recovery are unpacked with a delightful balance of precision and humor.
I came to this book looking for a better understanding of the experience of friends and family who live with mental illness. To this extent, it was a complete success. I learned about the complex journey that underlies the processes of seeking help, a diagnosis, a treatment, and ultimately ongoing recovery, as well as gaining insight into the history and institutions interwoven into this journey (for better and worse). But beyond this understanding, Goodfellow’s stories and insights gave me a real window into the experience of living through all of this and choosing life, as she encourages us to do.
In this way, Prozac Monologues has been an invaluable resource in my own efforts to give my friends and family the support they need and deserve. I highly recommend it to anyone living with mental illness or seeking to be a better ally.
As someone who grew up in the presence of a parent’s undiagnosed bipolar struggles, and thus affected and troubled by their consequences, I found that reading Prozac Monologues offered affirming and uplifting discoveries. With humor, empathy, understanding and authority, Ms. Goodfellow pulls back the curtain to shine a healing light on this dilemma. She has not only mastered the storyteller’s craft, she displays a wisdom which derives only from personal experience. Whether you have personal experience with this malaise like the author has, or you know someone else who does, this book will help you. -Will B Peet
I am in AWE of the raw honesty, humanity, and grit Willa Goodfellow uses to describe her journey to ‘Choose Life’ … PURA VIDA. Along with her personal experiences, Goodfellow includes a medical explanation of Bipolar Disorder in easy to understand laymen’s terms. I’m not a good reader, but she kept me engaged and wanting more. Definitely worth the read!
I finally finished the book!! I am excited about this book. I loved it and it was hilarious in some parts. This book talks about a woman’s journey through mental illness. I can totally relate to her. I have a couple different mental illness and it is quite hard to find the right meds. I know about Prozac and all the tiny details it entails but it had work great for me until they took it off the shelves. Now I am on Wellabutran. Not sure how you spell it but it works great for me. When you read the book, I will guarantee you will say, yep did that, did this. You might also agree on a lot of things. You will laugh, cry and laugh some more. You will also be learning. In the back of the book i s s resource chapter and it explains everything.
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