Surrounded by Madness

A Memoir of Mental Illness and Family Secrets

By: Rachel Pruchno PhD

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman

"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.

Good read and hard to put down.

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.

surprisingly good!

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.

Couldn’t turn it off

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...

Solid read

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

great read. I would definitely recommend it.

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