Maybe It's My Psychology Degree...

I recently read a review of Henry's Demons by Patrick Cockburn and Henry Cockburn that inspired me to go pull the book off our shelves.  To be honest, it only got a semi-decent review but it sounded so interesting I had to check it out.  Henry's Demons is written mainly by Patrick Cockburn with a couple chapters by his son Henry interspersed.  The book details Henry's decent into schizophrenia shortly after his 20th birthday.  Patrick and his wife, Jan, had noticed slight changes in Henry's behavior but when Henry suffered a breakdown that nearly killed him, they realized it was more than they could handle.  Patrick describes the cycles of Henry's hospitalizations, his escapes, subsequent panic stricken searches, and the painful realization that Henry's mental illness was taking over their lives.  Patrick also spends a substantial amount of time discussing the difficulties in diagnosing and treating schizophrenic patients as well as the lack of knowledge as to what causes the illness.  Henry's chapters allow him to describe the mental breakdowns and actions from his point of view.  The point of view of the mentally ill is both heartbreaking and fascinating at the same time.

I don't know if it's the fact that I have a degree in Psychology or what but I LOVED this book!  I was really interested in their family dynamics as well as the symptoms of schizophrenia.  In addition, I felt like Patrick Cockburn brought up some very interesting points without explaining them completely.  Instead of being aggravated by feeling like I didn't have enough information, I found myself arguing possible causes for the points he was making.  I also felt the desire to do research into schizophrenia and its treatment history.

I've found myself recommending it to everyone partly because I found it interesting and partly because I want someone else to talk to about it! Someone! Pick up this book and then talk to me about it!