A Common Struggle
A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction
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Narrated by:
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Johnny Heller
About this listen
In this New York Times best seller, Patrick J. Kennedy, the former congressman and youngest child of Senator Ted Kennedy, details his personal and political battle with mental illness and addiction, exploring mental health care's history in the country alongside his and every family's private struggles.
On May 5, 2006, The New York Times ran two stories, “Patrick Kennedy Crashes Car into Capitol Barrier” and then, several hours later, “Patrick Kennedy Says He'll Seek Help for Addiction”. It was the first time that the popular Rhode Island congressman had publicly disclosed his addiction to prescription painkillers, the true extent of his struggle with bipolar disorder and his plan to immediately seek treatment. That could have been the end of his career, but instead it was the beginning.
Since then, Kennedy has become the nation’s leading advocate for mental health and substance abuse care, research and policy both in and out of Congress. And ever since passing the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act - and after the death of his father, leaving Congress - he has been changing the dialogue that surrounds all brain diseases.
A Common Struggle weaves together Kennedy's private and professional narratives, echoing Kennedy's philosophy that for him, the personal is political and the political personal. Focusing on the years from his "coming out" about suffering from bipolar disorder and addiction to the present day, the book examines Kennedy's journey toward recovery and reflects on Americans' propensity to treat mental illnesses as "family secrets".
Beyond his own story, though, Kennedy creates a roadmap for equality in the mental health community and outlines a bold plan for the future of mental health policy. Written with award-winning healthcare journalist and best-selling author Stephen Fried, A Common Struggle is both a cry for empathy and a call to action.
©2015 Patrick J. Kennedy (P)2015 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"Johnny Heller's narration of this audiobook captures Kennedy's isolation as he struggled with alcoholism, drug addiction, and bipolar disorder in plain sight. Heller's skillful narration is complete with a dead-on Boston accent...through Heller's outstanding narration listeners can experience his triumph over his addictions and ultimate recovery." (AudioFile)
“A stunningly unvarnished portrait of one of America’s most private public families...." (People)
"Searching and fearless." (Kevin Cullen, The Boston Globe)
“I, am personally, really proud of Patrick. I think what he’s doing is consistent with everything that my family has stood for...he needed to start that journey by telling his own story of mental illness. I think it’s noble, and it’s heroic, and I have nothing but admiration for him.” (Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Ring of Fire radio)
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Imagine finding a glimmer of good news in a diagnosis of Alzheimer's. And imagine how that would change the outlook of the five million Americans who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, not to mention their families, loved ones, and caretakers. A neurologist who's been specializing in dementia and memory loss for more than 20 years, Dr. Gayatri Devi rewrites the story of Alzheimer's by defining it as a spectrum disorder - like autism, Alzheimer's is a disease that affects different people differently.
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Aging with Grace
- By Lisa F on 05-19-21
By: Gayatri Devi MD
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The Inheritance
- A Family on the Front Lines of the Battle Against Alzheimer's Disease
- By: Niki Kapsambelis
- Narrated by: Callie Beaulieu
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Every 69 seconds, someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Of the top 10 killers, it is the only disease for which there is no cure or treatment. For most people, there is nothing that they can do to fight back. But one family is doing all they can. The DeMoe family has the most devastating form of the disease that there is: early onset Alzheimer's, an inherited genetic mutation that causes the disease in 100 percent of cases, and has a 50 percent chance of being passed onto the next generation.
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A Cover-to-Cover Slug in the Gut, but Inspiring
- By Gillian on 04-16-17
By: Niki Kapsambelis
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The Center Cannot Hold
- By: Elyn R. Saks
- Narrated by: Alma Cuervo
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Professor of psychiatry Elyn R. Saks writes about her struggle with schizophrenia in this unflinching account of her mental illness. In The Center Cannot Hold, Saks draws readers into a nightmare world of medications, a misguided health-care system, and social stigmas. But she would not be defeated. With a strength and force of will that most can only imagine, Saks reclaimed her life and went on to achieve great success.
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Schizophrenia Inside Out
- By Pamela Harvey on 07-23-09
By: Elyn R. Saks
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The Desperate Hours
- One Hospital's Fight to Save a City on the Pandemic's Front Lines
- By: Marie Brenner
- Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
- Length: 15 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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In the spring of 2020, COVID-19 arrived in New York City. Before long, America’s largest metropolis was at war against a virus that mercilessly swept through its five boroughs. In The Desperate Hours, award-winning journalist Marie Brenner, having been granted unprecedented 18-month access to the entire New York-Presbyterian hospital system, tells the story of the doctors, nurses, residents, researchers, and suppliers who tried to save lives across Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn and the northern periphery of the city.
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Way too much politics
- By Josh on 07-18-22
By: Marie Brenner
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The Gift of Adversity
- The Unexpected Benefits of Life's Difficulties, Setbacks, and Imperfections
- By: Norman E. Rosenthal M.D.
- Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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The noted research psychiatrist explores how life's disappointments and difficulties provide us with the lessons we need to become better, bigger, and more resilient human beings. Adversity is an irreducible fact of life. Although we can and should learn from all experiences, both positive and negative best-selling author Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal believes that adversity is by far the best teacher most of us will ever encounter.
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Book ruined by the narrator
- By David C. on 12-07-22
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To Obama
- A Diary of a Nation
- By: Jeanne Marie Laskas
- Narrated by: Jeanne Marie Laskas, Sullivan Jones, MacLeod Andrews, and others
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Every evening for eight years, at his request, President Obama was given 10 handpicked letters written by ordinary American citizens - the unfiltered voice of a nation - from his Office of Presidential Correspondence. He was the first president to interact daily with constituent mail and to archive it in its entirety. In To Obama, Jeanne Marie Laskas interviews President Obama, the letter writers themselves, and the White House staff who sifted through the powerful, moving, and incredibly intimate narrative of America during the Obama years:
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a must have audible book or print, it will amaze u
- By 1mercedeb8 on 11-08-18
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The Politician
- An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal that Brought Him Down
- By: Andrew Young
- Narrated by: Kevin Foley
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Like a nonfiction version of All the King's Men, The Politician offers a truly disturbing, even shocking, perspective on the risks taken and tactics employed by a man determined to rule the most powerful nation on earth.
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Politician Phony. A must listen!!!
- By Sherman on 02-09-10
By: Andrew Young
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Truth Doesn't Have a Side
- My Alarming Discovery About the Danger of Contact Sports
- By: Dr. Bennet Omalu, Mark Tabb, Will Smith - foreword
- Narrated by: Ron Butler
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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One day in 2002 the 50-year old body of former Pittsburgh Steeler and hall of famer Mike Webster was laid on a cold table in front of pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu. Webster's body looked to Omalu like the body of a much older man, and the circumstances of his behavior prior to his death were clouded in mystery. But when Omalu cut into Webster's brain, it appeared to be normal. Something didn't add up.
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Truly Enlightening
- By Marie on 01-31-20
By: Dr. Bennet Omalu, and others
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American Spirit
- Profiles in Resilience, Courage, and Faith
- By: Taya Kyle, Jim DeFelice
- Narrated by: Taya Kyle
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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From Taya Kyle, New York Times best-selling author of American Wife and widow of “American Sniper” Chris Kyle, an inspiring collection of stories, both personal and drawn from American history, that showcase the resilience of the “American spirit”.
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Just love Taya Kyle!
- By Rebecka R. Murray on 05-14-19
By: Taya Kyle, and others
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Unhinged
- An Insider's Account of the Trump White House
- By: Omarosa Manigault Newman
- Narrated by: Omarosa Manigault Newman
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Few have been a member of Donald Trump’s inner orbit longer than Omarosa Manigault Newman. Their relationship has spanned 15 years - through four television shows, a presidential campaign, and a year by his side in the most chaotic, outrageous White House in history. But that relationship has come to a decisive and definitive end, and Omarosa is finally ready to share her side of the story in this explosive, jaw-dropping account.
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Take if for what it's worth...
- By Clay on 08-14-18
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Women Who Think Too Much
- How to Break Free of Overthinking and Reclaim Your Life
- By: Susan Nolen-Hoeksema
- Narrated by: Sheryl Bernstein
- Length: 2 hrs and 58 mins
- Abridged
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It's not a surprise that our fast-paced, overly analytical culture is pushing people - especially women - to spend countless hours thinking about negative ideas, feelings, and experiences. Renowned psychologist Dr. Susan Nolen-Hoeksema calls this "overthinking". Her groundbreaking research shows that an increasing number of women - more than half of those in her extensive study - are doing it too much and too often, hindering their ability to lead a satisfying life.
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Generic tools for overcoming overthinking
- By letlet on 01-09-19
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The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head
- A Psychiatrist's Stories of His Most Bizarre Cases
- By: Gary Small M.D., Gigi Vorgan
- Narrated by: Marc Cashman
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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True stories are more bizarre than any fiction, and Dr. Gary Small knows this best. After 30 distinguished years of psychiatry and groundbreaking research on the human brain, Dr. Small has seen it all - now he is ready to open his office doors for the first time and tell all about the most mysterious, intriguing, and bizarre patients of his career. The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head is a spellbinding record of the doctor's most bewildering cases.
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90% Useless Information
- By Think B4 Eating on 10-01-10
By: Gary Small M.D., and others
What listeners say about A Common Struggle
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Lynn
- 07-25-16
Inspiring
the depth of his journey left me in awe of him and admiring the person he has become . The narrator read with the same emotions that Patrick had written it. At times I had to remind myself that Patrick was narrating this book. This is one book worth listening to again.
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- christina
- 12-08-15
Outstanding!
A must read for all living with or caring for a loved one with mental illness or addiction.
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- Diane
- 02-17-16
ASTOUNDING!!
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Absolutely! Already have re-tweeted, re-posted many times. I'm in recovery & I felt like he did a brilliant job of respectful representation.
What did you like best about this story?
I have often searched for books by and about people in recovery and have usually found that, either, they didn't actually "work" the program & are full of misinformation. Or, they are just trying to exploit what did not work for them as a way to get a "book deal" - bad motives. Kennedy did neither of these. He was always respectful of the "anonymity" factor in our traditions, and, told his own experiences with humility.
Have you listened to any of Johnny Heller’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
A little of both - happy tears that FINALLY - the country is having a conversation about this deadly disease that is killing our kids. Now, maybe we can truly begin to get past the stigma of it all and get on with the solutions!
Any additional comments?
I would encourage ANYONE that is either fighting their own demons, or, that knows someone who is to read this book. Great gift!!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Lynn
- 02-03-16
Greater understanding of mental illness
Having lived through a mother with mental illness I was compelled to listen to this book...part of the politics I didn't quite understand but my heart goes out to Patrick to step out of his comfort zone and the restrictions of the family code to tell what his life was like and how hard it is for children of such a horrible disease....I wish him so much happiness in his new found life with his beautiful family
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- Diana S. Dawson
- 11-03-15
Personal & educational
Patrick Kennedy's story wrapped within that of his parents and extended family is one in common with so many not as famous or advantaged. The lives of the Kennedy's are tabloid popcorn so that is of interest but this book educates us about the many forms of brain illness- alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness and post traumatic stress. Patrick turned his personal illness, a "lemon" into lemon aid, a life's work for mental health parity.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Dawn
- 03-28-16
informative
I truly healful, eye opening ! My daughter is biplar 1 and an addict, very helpful. thank you Dawn
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- bobby
- 10-02-16
not very good
Would you try another book from Patrick J. Kennedy and Stephen Fried and/or Johnny Heller?
no
Would you ever listen to anything by Patrick J. Kennedy and Stephen Fried again?
no
Would you be willing to try another one of Johnny Heller’s performances?
no
Did A Common Struggle inspire you to do anything?
no
Any additional comments?
no wonder we have such a pitiful congress! we have people like him running this country!
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- Yvonne
- 01-03-17
Personal Struggles
As a fellow struggler w/ bipolar illness, I appreciated the personal stories of Patrick and his family members. At times I got lost in all the politics (though appreciative of his efforts). I wanted to fast-forward to the non-political narratives!
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- Karen Walker
- 09-28-16
Very moving!
Patrick told his story openly and honestly and his work is changing the way America sees mental health and addiction issues.
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- Blozzon Family
- 02-08-16
Insightful & Thought Provoking
This is an amazingly open and candid account of how addiction can run rampant within a family. So true are the references to fear.....and societies take on the issue....... More individuals and families are effected by some for of mental illness than to or three other diseases put together. Yes this is a disease and needs to be acknowledged and supported as such. Thank you Mr Kennedy.
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