Mental

Lithium, Love, and Losing My Mind

By: Jaime Lowe

Narrated by: Jaime Lowe

A riveting memoir and a fascinating investigation of the history, uses, and controversies behind lithium, an essential medication for millions of people struggling with bipolar disorder.

It began in Los Angeles in 1993, when Jaime Lowe was just sixteen. She stopped sleeping and eating, and began to hallucinate—demonically cackling Muppets, faces lurking in windows, Michael Jackson delivering messages from the Neverland Underground. Lowe wrote manifestos and math equations in her diary, and drew infographics on her bedroom wall. Eventu­ally, hospitalized and diagnosed as bipolar, she was prescribed a medication that came in the form of three pink pills—lithium.

In Mental, Lowe shares and investigates her story of episodic madness, as well as the stabil­ity she found while on lithium. She interviews scientists, psychiatrists, and patients to examine how effective lithium really is and how its side effects can be dangerous for long-term users—including Lowe, who after twenty years on the medication suffers from severe kidney damage. Mental is eye-opening and powerful, tackling an illness and drug that has touched millions of lives and yet remains shrouded in social stigma.

Now, while she adjusts to a new drug, her pur­suit of a stable life continues as does her curiosity about the history and science of the mysterious element that shaped the way she sees the world and allowed her decades of sanity. Lowe travels to the Bolivian salt flats that hold more than half of the world’s lithium reserves, rural America where lithium is mined for batteries, and tolithium spas that are still touted as a tonic to cure all ills. With unflinching honesty and humor, Lowe allows a clear-eyed view into her life, and an arresting inquiry into one of mankind’s oldest medical mysteries.

Thank you!

What made the experience of listening to Mental the most enjoyable?

Thank you for sharing your story. I was led to your book by a friend that works with your father. My husband is BP2. I find stories like yours are always helpful to others who suffer from, live with, or should just know what it's like to live with mental illness.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mental?

Your in-depth information on your lithium, research, and then delving into the new drugs was so very helpful and informative, thank you.

What does Jaime Lowe bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her personal narrative with inflections and dramatization where she knows it belongs.

Any additional comments?

Thank you.

Incredible

Lowe's recounting of her journey through mental illness is both harrowing and inspiring. I was hooked immediately, from the first chapter. Lowe's writing style is distinctive and brilliant. I have never encountered such dazzling metaphors. Lowe allows the reader to truly visualize and envision what it means to be unwell. There was simultaneous critique and appreciation for psychiatric medication, giving a realistic portrayal of both the benefits and side effects of medication. I have recommended this book to a number of folks and will come back to listen to it many times, if only for inspiration for my own writing.

Completely Made My Feelings & Thinking Feel Valid

Amazing story. She went through a a lot. Ups and downs. But just just kept on going and pushing herself. It made me feel like I have hope to become something more than just my mental illness. The researching and determination to find out her best treatment astonished me. Very inspiring book.

Mental Realness

Best book on audible about mental health. Hope she records her ODB biography for audible!

Captivating

A client suffering from Bipolar Disorder recommended this book to me. I was captivated by The author’s storytelling from the first 5 minutes and couldn’t stop listening until the last word. I’m a better therapist because of this book and a better human as well. Thank you for sharing your life w me!