Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us by Rachel Aviv

8 reviews

jilliant's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

I did appreciate the perspectives of these stories and how vastly different each one was. I just think they were a little too disconnected? There seemed to be a vague overall theme of dissatisfaction with the healthcare provided for mental illness, but nothing concrete. I just wish there had been a more unifying message to tie everything together?

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Suicide

kellyisntcool's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Medical content

Moderate: Addiction, Suicide, Vomit, Ableism, and Chronic illness

Minor: Child death and Racism

melissa_l_mcabee's review

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-paced

4.75

This book may be the most impactful view on mental illness I have ever read. The lives and minds of the people she included spoke to the part of me that wonders if I'm the only one that feels the way I do. It was validating to see others perspectives and experiences. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, and Mental illness

This is a book about the impacts of mental illness on four very real people. If you don't want to read about the traumas that come with it, then this is not the book for you.

dangrous's review

emotional hopeful fast-paced

2.0

This had interesting stories in it but there wasn't really an overarching thesis other than like the system doesn't treat mental illness very well? Sort of confusing overall, though I liked learning about the people's lives. I also kind of hate things about mental illness but this was more about the system so it wasn't too bad for me

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

aimee__a's review against another edition

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder

Moderate: Suicide

toephia's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Addiction, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Mental illness

lowbrowhighart's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, and Mental illness

Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, Grief, Sexism, Confinement, Dysphoria, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Fatphobia, Racism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Child death, Death, Body shaming, Medical content, and Pregnancy

flowergrrl's review

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

Aviv is among my favorite nonfiction writers, and her first full-length book reminded me why. The depth of her journalism and the thoughtfulness of her cultural commentary are unmatched. I did find myself wanting more of her own opinion, or perhaps more background on the political contexts surrounding madness. But Aviv stays in her lane--which is, here, the ways external narrative constructs interiority--and the result is nevertheless masterful. I recommend this book to anyone willing to expand their understanding of mental illness.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Self harm, Suicide, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis