When Claire Bien first began hearing voices, they were infrequent, benign and seemingly just curious about her life and the world around her. But the more attention Claire paid, the more frequently they began to speak, and the darker their intentions became...
Despite escalating paranoia, an initial diagnosis of Schizophreniform Disorder and taking medication with debilitating side effects, Claire learned to face her demons and manage her condition without the need for long-term medication. In this gripping memoir, Claire recounts with eloquence her most troubled times. She explains how she managed to regain control over her mind and her life even while intermittently hearing voices, through self-guided and professional therapy and with the support of family and friends. Challenging a purely medical understanding of hearing voices, Claire advocates for an end to the stigma of those who experience auditory verbal hallucinations, and a change of thinking from the professionals who treat the condition.
By Claire Bien, Foreword by Larry Davidson
Imprint: JESSICA KINGSLEY PUBLISHERS
Release Date:
Format: PAPERBACK
Pages: 272
Foreword. Preface. Prologue. 1. Background and Early Years. 2. College. 3. The Graduate. 4. Searching for a Career. 5. My Father's Death. 6. Transitions. 7. Marriage. 8. Discovering Family and Heritage. 9. Jean. 10. Anger and Shame. 11. Early Voices. 12. Pineywoods. 13. Waiting for a Yale Bed. 14. Yale-New Haven Hospital. 15. Finding a Career and Recovery. 16. A Skirmish with the Voices in Europe. 17. The Working Mother. 18. If It's Just a Metaphor. 19. The Power of Love. 20. If You Start to Get Scared, Stop Listening. 21. Divorce. 22. Finding Community and a Measure of Faith. 23. Growing Up with Paul. 24. Arthur. 25. Tilting with the Shadows. 26. Understanding the Voices.
