Brave Young Lady Conquors Depression and Social Anxiety - A Book Review

A Way Out: A Memoir of Conquering Depression and Social Anxiety

Author: Michelle Balge

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Publication Date: February 27, 2018

Pages: 202 Pages



About the Author
Michelle Balge is a mental health advocate, web designer and animal lover. She holds an Honors BA in Sociology with a concentration in Critical Animal Studies, and will receive a Web Design Graduate Certificate in June, 2018.

Mental Illness Is Real
Michelle Balge provides a raw, unfiltered look into the world of mental illness.

She shares the thoughts that almost destroyed her. Suicidal thoughts invaded her mind and cast a dark shadow over her existence. They threatened to steal her future.

Michelle is a fighter. She will not surrender to the illness and let it control her life.

Here are some resources and techniques that helped the author battle her mental illness;

• See a doctor/therapist.
• Medication.
• Healthy eating.
• Exercise.
• Breathing techniques.
• Have a good support system.
• Volunteering or joining something that interests you where you can meet people.
• Meditation and mindfulness.
• Group therapy.
• Maintain a regular sleep schedule.
  

Michelle Balge learned that her mental illness can be treated and she has hope for the future.

My Thoughts
This book was difficult to read. The author's goal was to be completely transparent and share her experiences in a way that would make a difference.

Ms. Balge displayed persistence, courage and determination in her fight with depression and social anxiety during her childhood and into young adulthood. She would not allow fear to win. She set out to educate herself and find the professional help she needed to overcome and conquer the demons in her mind.

This is a very timely story in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. We can no longer afford to bury our heads in the sand and ignore the problem of mental illness in our society. 

Ms. Balge demonstrates a tremendous amount of insight into her illness at a very young age. She will conquer her depression and social anxiety and succeed in helping herself and others.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair review.

Thank you for visiting my blog and reading this review. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or tweet me @JanetteFuller.
I want to hear from you!

Book Review: Where the Water Meets the Sand by Tyra Manning

Title: Where the Water Meets the Sand

Author: Tyra Manning

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

Publication Date: May 10, 2016

Length: 264 Pages



About The Author
After retiring from a forty-year career in education, Dr. Tyra Manning has devoted her energies to comforting those suffering in silence, reducing the stigma associated with mental illness, and opening doors to resources for support and treatment.

A Woman With A Mission
Tyra Manning learned that her husband had been killed in the Vietnam War from her psychiatrist at the Menninger Clinic, where she had been hospitalized for clinical depression. After years of battling addiction and depression, Tyra's worst fear had come true. Larry had been shot down over the Laotian jungle while flying a top-secret mission, just two weeks before their daughter's second birthday.

The author recounts how she was able to persevere in the face of devastating loss. With courage, love, and determination, she overcame her grief and fulfilled promises she made to Larry before he left for Vietnam. She ultimately earned a doctorate of education from the University of Kansas and became one of the nation's top school superintendents.

When Tyra received a call from the Air Force in 2006, she was able to keep one last promise to Larry. His remains had finally been excavated after thirty-five years, and she was able to honor his wish to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

My Thoughts
This memoir is remarkable for many reasons. I started reading this book and couldn't put it down until I read the last page.

The author is a survivor. Tyra Manning is as much of a hero as her husband who lost his life in Vietnam. She would not give up, no matter how difficult her life circumstances were.

Here are some of the challenges that Dr. Manning overcame:

• The illness and death of her father at a young age.
• Depression, anxiety and eating disorders.
• Alcohol addiction.
• Becoming a young widow of an Air Force pilot killed in Vietnam.
• Single motherhood.
• Working as a school teacher and going to school at night and during summers.
• Severe injuries from a head-on collision with a drunk driver.
• Divorce.
• Dealing with military authorities for over 35 years to have her husband's remains returned and buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Trya and Larry were planning to meet in Hawaii, where the water meets the sand, during an upcoming R&R leave. This dream of walking on the beach with her husband inspired and comforted Tyra during her most difficult days.

Courage. Inspiration. Determination. Perseverance. Patriotism. Hope. Love.

These are just a few words that describe Dr. Manning's life journey. 

Highly recommended!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

The video book trailer below provides some highlights from the book.

Scattershot; A BiPolar Family

Scattershot: My Bipolar Family, by David Lovelace, is a true story about a family's struggle with mental illness. David's mother, father and brother were all diagnosed with manic-depressive illness. David is also bipolar.

I found the details of David's youth very interesting. The family was "strange" but the illness was not identified or recognized. David's father was a Presbyterian minister and scholar. His mother was a quiet artist who was plagued with depression. David and his brother started exhibiting signs of manic-depressive illness in their teen-age years. His sister was the only family member that did inherit the genes that led to this illness.

David spent many years traveling around the world in a manic state. He was hospitalized and prescribed several anti-psyhotic drugs. He learned that he could live a normal life if he stayed on his meds.

This book serves a noble purpose. It illustrates how mental illness is truly a family affair. It is not something to be hidden and ignored. It needs to be treated like any other illness. This book offers hope for recovery. There is a light at the end of the tunnel for those suffering from manic-depressive illness.