The Quiet Room: A Journey out of the Torment of Madness

By: Lori Schiller, Amanda Bennett

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley, Gregory Abbey, Cheryl Smith

Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

Moving, harrowing, and ultimately uplifting, Lori Schiller's memoir is a classic testimony to the ravages of mental illness and the power of perseverance and courage.

At 17, Lori Schiller was the perfect child - the only daughter of an affluent, close-knit family. Six years later she made her first suicide attempt, then wandered the streets of New York City dressed in ragged clothes, tormenting voices crying out in her mind. Lori Schiller had entered the horrifying world of full-blown schizophrenia. She began an ordeal of hospitalizations, halfway houses, relapses, more suicide attempts, and constant, withering despair. But against all odds, she survived.  

In this personal account, she tells how she did it, taking us not only into her own shattered world, but drawing on the words of the doctors who treated her and family members who suffered with her.  

©2008 Lori Schiller and Amanda Bennett (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Mental Health Care in America

Very good narrations. Well written. Good format, with one exception; the chapter read by her roommate totally confused me because they have the same first name. This would not be a problem except in the audio version.

I read this because my adult son has serious mental illness. He, too, is smart, handsome and talented. I wanted to let this book make me hopeful for good results in his life as she had in hers. She has very serious illness, too, and after many years of struggle and pain for her and her entire family, was able to find her way.

However, in today’s world there is no way on earth a regular person on regular insurance would ever be able to be hospitalized for the long periods she experienced. She was able to have all that time with therapists and physicians and the help of psychopharmacology as well as all those hospital stays because her parents were very wealthy. Even with insurance policies that include 30 days a year of psych hospital stays, there is no way they would ever let you spend that many days consecutively. Never!

So how does a person in this country accomplish this today? The person does not. Only the wealthy can afford what their child needs in order to get well. I am happy for this woman, but I am not encouraged for my son. Today he left a psych hospital after a record number of days, 11. Yes, the average is 7-10 days. The best hospitals in the country do not even bother with insurance, just cash. Check the Menninger Clinic, for example. In the USA mental health care for the lower and middle classes is a disgrace, and there is not a thing I can do about it to get the kind of help for my son that this family got for theirs. Good for them. Too bad for the rest of us.

Enthralling tale

In this recount of Lori Schiller's life you learn the hardships of Schizophrenia, and the life you live with it. The new perspective I am given on someone else's perspective on life, is an eye opening experience of never truly knowing what people have gone through. It was written well, and the story never lapsed. Great read!

Fantastic Read!

As a therapist, this book was very helpful and insightful. I highly recommend this book. It was incredibly beneficial to hear about the author from many different viewpoints.

Moving and vulnerable

Hearing Lori's story was incredibly moving and inspiring. I think hearing Lori's story opens up the discussion about mental illness and the stigmas surrounding those struggling. Her story was true to her diagnosis, interesting, and vulnerable. She dives deep into her deepest trenches and highest mountains with her mental illness. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing story

Hopeful and inspiring true story that will inspire compassion and awe for anyone battling mental illness, and hope and encouragement for those whose loved ones are battling.

Related

Trying to research and understand somehow my love one's illness I began to understand how Laura was struggling and I began to applaud for her and understand how and why my mental illness had me stuck. Be patient with your love one's sometimes their just stuck!

Great book!

Excellent book, writting that depicts what the schizophrenic is experiencing. Also gives hope that with the right meds and hard work one can have a productive existence.

Must read if you work in the medical/ behavioral health field

Excellent! I’ve spent years working in the behavioral health field. This book gave me a different level of insight into the illness. Thank you for being so honest and open about your Journey.

Wonderful

One of my favorite books. I already read it and now listened to the audiobook because I'm obsessed!

Absolutely brilliant

I loved this book. It was fascinating and moving to hear a personal account of the experience of a psychotic disorder. Very eye opening, well written, and well narrated.