79 reviews for:

Because I'm Not Myself, You See: A Memoir of Motherhood, Madness and Coming Back from the Brink

Ariane Beeston

4.5 AVERAGE

hootenannie's review

5.0

challenging dark informative inspiring medium-paced

jaclyncrupi's review against another edition

3.0

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After reading Catherine Cho’s memoir of postnatal psychosis, Inferno, a couple of years ago I didn’t think I’d read another. But this was a much more comprehensive look at the condition and the literature published around it. Beeston who worked in child protective services and trained as a psychologist before she had her son, has a unique perspective to offer. This book will be hugely important to parents of newborns who find themselves faced with mental illnesses in the perinatal period. For those of us who will never be in that position because we can’t or don’t want to have children, it’s still worthwhile reading so we know what to look out for in those we love.

nixieee's review

4.5

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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When I borrowed this from the library, the librarian commented, 'Oh, looks a bit sad.' While they were partially correct, the book is much more than that. It's undeniably heavy and raw, yet it offers a remarkable balance of darkness and light, trauma and humor, despair and hope. 

The author shares her personal
journey with the perspective of both a psychologist and a patient. Her writing is relatable, accessible, and emotionally resonant, providing valuable psychological education and resources on perinatal mental health. The subject matter is undoubtedly challenging, it hit close to home, reading breaks were necessary but I'm so glad I read it. 

nanirump's review

4.75

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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What a fascinating and informative look into post-partum mental health, especially psychosis! 

ahd5's review

4.0

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

rosa3's review

5.0

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

greyt_things's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

kateander's review against another edition

5.0

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

indoorg1rl's review against another edition

4.5

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Ariane Beeston is a child protection worker and newly registered psychologist when she gives birth to her first child – and very quickly begins to experience scary breaks with reality. She keeps her delusions and hallucinations secret, but as the months pass Ariane gets worse. Finally admitted to a mother and baby psychiatric unit, the psychologist is forced to learn how to be the patient.

I’m so glad I won this book from a giveaway, because I ended up loving it! Part memoir, part self-help, Ariane’s honest reflection on her motherhood experience was told in a fresh way, and I was hooked.

I love real stories like this because it highlights that motherhood (and parenthood) is hard work and doesn’t always come naturally easy for everyone. And that should be okay. Mothers (and parents in general) deserve all the supports they need to ensure they’re healthy physically and mentally to be able to, in turn, support their children every day.

This book, with its heavy topic, shouldn’t have been funny. But it was! I was educated and entertained at the same time. Ariane is an amazing storyteller and I’ll read whatever she writes next!

a_b_hall's review

3.75

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced