Surrounded by Madness Audiobook By Rachel Pruchno PhD cover art

Surrounded by Madness

A Memoir of Mental Illness and Family Secrets

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Surrounded by Madness

By: Rachel Pruchno PhD
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
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"What was the likelihood my adopted daughter would have my father's hazel eyes and my mother's mental illness?"

In this fiercely candid memoir, Dr. Pruchno, a scientist widely acclaimed for her research on mental illness and families, shows how mental illness threatened to destroy her own family. Not once, but twice. As a child, she didn't understand her mother's episodes of crippling sadness or whirlwind activity. As a mother, she feared her daughter Sophie would follow in the footsteps of the grandmother Sophie never knew.

Unraveling the mysteries of her mother's and daughter's illnesses, Pruchno fought to preserve her marriage and protect her son. But it was not until she came to terms with her own secrets that she truly understood the destructive and pervasive effects mental illness has on families. Surrounded by Madness is transforming. It will empower families to stop hiding and start talking when mental illness strikes.

©2014 Rachel Pruchno, PhD (P)2018 Audible, Inc. Women Mental Health Memoir Mental Illness

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This is such a tragic story. Sophie was adopted as a newborn by a couple who were loving, kind, responsible , and thrilled to finally become parents. Both of Sophie's biological and birth grandmothers were diagnosed with severe mental illnesses. Despite the love and seemingly perfect upbringing, Sophie was diagnosed with an SMI that became dangerous and nearly out of control as the years passed. It made me wonder if Sophie was doomed to suffer from the start due to circumstances outside anyone's control. What treatment could have helped Sophie and the thousands of others homeless and suffering? Meds help with the symptoms, but the person has to be willing to take them. Lots of stigma and lack of access connected to treatment.

Good read and hard to put down.

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It was as if
my story with my daughter had been told. Very well written and the delivery of narration was a bit robotic at first, was also quite good.

surprisingly good!

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I don’t usually read the descriptions of books before I purchase one, if the audio sample interests me I go from that so I can end up surprised. That being said I thought I was about to listen to something about life with a adhd child, I got so much more!! This was a incredible listen I didn’t want it to end...

Couldn’t turn it off

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I was hooked by the first chapter and struggled to put it down. Great read!

Solid read

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I loved this book. it was hard to put it down and would recommend to anyone that is looking for a good read regarding memtal illness

great read. I would definitely recommend it.

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Sophie’s story is extremely sad. What could her parents have done differently?
I think waiting until she hit rock bottom was a mistake. I think more time and compassion may have slightly helped.
There very strict rules did not help her, only there household.
Sure, there are limits but making her clean her room is a bit much in that situation. Both parents have busy working careers and little time for their children.
Perhaps stricter rules on taking her meds and using street drugs, but again difficult to enforce. Perhaps impossible after the age of 18. I totally agree, the mental health system is broken, and mostly dysfunctional.
Let’s please try to pass laws and provide more resources to care for those struggling with severe mental health issues.

Sad but true

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Surrounded by Madness is a mother's story. A family's story... a story about mental illness, the damage it causes to the sufferers and to those around them. I am a mother too- of a very mentally ill child- who is now an adult. This was my story in many ways. My own thoughts were racing as I listened, waiting to hear if her outcome would be better than my own. It is a story of a mom, who loves her child and never- not even after everything, loves her daughter with all of her heart.

I feel that.
I, too, am right there with you.

I also lost my own mother to suicide when I was young- younger even than the author's own. This is a story everyone can benefit from hearing... so you know you are not alone.

I felt ALL of this and more

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My sister has BPD, and I resonated with this book and it gave me comfort

Honest and heartbreaking

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As an adoptive parent of (now an adult) daughter with mental illness this book made me feel so seen. Thank you for bravely sharing your heartbreaking story 💔

I feel seen

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As I hunted for a book for support, for explanations, I stumbled on this book. Every word of what life is like with mental diseases and substance abuse is very true in this book and I feel that I found a connection with the author, as I struggle with my own children, two with bipolar disorder. Thank you Dr.Pruchno for the courage to write such a well written book. As a mother of 6, two whom have bipolar disorder, this was well worth my time and I find the collections of my thoughts similar to Dr. Pruchno. The narrator is excellent!

Staring at the truth

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