The Other Side of Mind

The Other Side of Mind delves into the mind of a bipolar patient, exploring the soaring highs of mania and the devastating lows of depression. When Sarah Smyth began writing, she was consumed by madness and desperately needed psychiatric care. Because of the complexities of this illness, diagnosis was difficult, and Sarah endured several years of emotional and mental torment while being in serious denial. She suffers from bipolar disorder and has experienced devastating depressions and severe, disturbing manias that made recovery seem impossible. In the past, at times she nearly lost the will to live, but then at other times felt that it was her job to save the world. Gripped by psychosis, she suffered severe episodes of depression and mania where she lost complete touch with reality while she experienced frightening hallucinations and delusions. Eventually, a correct diagnosis was made, and treatment finally began. Medication and therapy are essential for bipolar patients to recover their lives, but there are also important life skills that one must learn in order to recover successfully and maintain that recovery. Smyth explores the dos and don'ts of diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and life skills in a highly personal and compassionate narrative.