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The One Thing We've Never Spoken About
An investigation into the failings of Australia's mental healthcare system, grounded in a personal story of a mother–daughter relationship.
Journalist Elfy Scott grew up in a household where her mother's schizophrenia was rarely, if ever, spoken about. For many years, this complex mental health condition was treated as an open secret.
Over the past two decades, admirable work has been done to generate public dialogue about more common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. But complex conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and psychosis have been left behind, as have many of the people who live with these conditions or who care for them.
Part memoir, part deep-dive investigation, The One Thing We've Never Spoken About is filled with rage at how our nation's public discourse, emergency services and healthcare systems continue to fail so many people. It is also a work of care, telling the little-heard stories of people who live with these conditions and work at the front lines of mental health. Above all, this timely, compelling book is informed by hope and courage, breaking down taboos and asking big questions about vulnerability, justice and duty of care in modern Australia.
Journalist Elfy Scott grew up in a household where her mother's schizophrenia was rarely, if ever, spoken about. For many years, this complex mental health condition was treated as an open secret.
Over the past two decades, admirable work has been done to generate public dialogue about more common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. But complex conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and psychosis have been left behind, as have many of the people who live with these conditions or who care for them.
Part memoir, part deep-dive investigation, The One Thing We've Never Spoken About is filled with rage at how our nation's public discourse, emergency services and healthcare systems continue to fail so many people. It is also a work of care, telling the little-heard stories of people who live with these conditions and work at the front lines of mental health. Above all, this timely, compelling book is informed by hope and courage, breaking down taboos and asking big questions about vulnerability, justice and duty of care in modern Australia.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2023
41 people are currently reading
794 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
June 4, 2024
Sometimes if you’re behind on your Goodreads challenge you’re allowed to review your own book!! Technically I have read it!!
May 8, 2023
Loved this book so much - so much of the stigma around complex mental health and failings of the Australian mental health system (or non existence) which I and my loved ones have experienced were discussed. Lots of aggressive head nods and tears whilst reading this book. Makes me hopeful for change…
September 15, 2023
- thanks to @panterapress for a #gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
Sadly, several times in the last few years, I have witnessed people's immediate physical reactions when the subject (or bare mention) of schizophrenia comes up in a conversation: from an involuntary flinch to horrifying, ignorant comments based on stereotypes. These conversations are always ironically casual, involving people who know nothing (including me) about schizophrenia but are happy to perpetuate myths and unhealthy judgements about a type of mental illness.
That is precisely why I am so grateful and honoured to have had the pleasure of reading Elfy's book.
Elfy's mum has schizophrenia and she could not be further from the 'schyzo' (please, let's stop using this word!) stereotype: lunatic, aggressive, dangerous. By telling her mother's story, including explaining her diagnosis and ongoing treatment, Elfy provides more than substantial information to understand the illness, gifting me the opportunity to correct my misconceptions about schizophrenia (thanks, Hollywood). In my humble opinion, this is the greatest gift a book can give you.
Elfy does an extraordinary job of exploring the many faces of an illness that is complex and widely misunderstood, not only from her mother's perspective but also from other people who were willing to share with her their own experiences with schizophrenia. Elfy also exposes the incredible faults of the Australian mental health system and how it fails its purpose by dehumanising vulnerable people.
I also celebrate the care and compassion embedded in Elfy's writing. With a straightforward approach, her journalistic writing style made convoluted information accessible and easy to understand for every type of reader.
Overall, The One Thing We've Never Spoken About is an informative, compassionate and necessary book. An eye-opening and confronting yet tender and thought-provoking read. I admire Elfy's extraordinary effort (emotional and practical) in putting this book together. 100% recommended.
Sadly, several times in the last few years, I have witnessed people's immediate physical reactions when the subject (or bare mention) of schizophrenia comes up in a conversation: from an involuntary flinch to horrifying, ignorant comments based on stereotypes. These conversations are always ironically casual, involving people who know nothing (including me) about schizophrenia but are happy to perpetuate myths and unhealthy judgements about a type of mental illness.
That is precisely why I am so grateful and honoured to have had the pleasure of reading Elfy's book.
Elfy's mum has schizophrenia and she could not be further from the 'schyzo' (please, let's stop using this word!) stereotype: lunatic, aggressive, dangerous. By telling her mother's story, including explaining her diagnosis and ongoing treatment, Elfy provides more than substantial information to understand the illness, gifting me the opportunity to correct my misconceptions about schizophrenia (thanks, Hollywood). In my humble opinion, this is the greatest gift a book can give you.
Elfy does an extraordinary job of exploring the many faces of an illness that is complex and widely misunderstood, not only from her mother's perspective but also from other people who were willing to share with her their own experiences with schizophrenia. Elfy also exposes the incredible faults of the Australian mental health system and how it fails its purpose by dehumanising vulnerable people.
I also celebrate the care and compassion embedded in Elfy's writing. With a straightforward approach, her journalistic writing style made convoluted information accessible and easy to understand for every type of reader.
Overall, The One Thing We've Never Spoken About is an informative, compassionate and necessary book. An eye-opening and confronting yet tender and thought-provoking read. I admire Elfy's extraordinary effort (emotional and practical) in putting this book together. 100% recommended.
July 28, 2024
Such an excellent discussion about complex mental health conditions in Australia, with so much nuance.
April 14, 2023
An interesting investigation of the mental health crisis in Australia. Elfy acknowledges there is much written about depression and anxiety, so has written this book looking at complex mental health issues, but mostly concentrating on schizophrenia.
February 12, 2023
This is a personal and critically important investigation about what it means to live with and care for people with complex mental health conditions in Australia. It talks about stigma and what we’re doing wrong in how we approach and provide mental health care, but also, optimistically, what we can do to make things better.
Elfy has skilfully toed the line between journalistic reporting and personal perspectives that brings home the value of lived experience (which she writes at length about). She writes sensitively but keeps readers entertained and hopeful with her great sense of humour.
This book is accessible and extremely worthwhile reading for anyone, but I would especially recommend it to people working or volunteering in mental health related fields, or with carers.
Elfy has skilfully toed the line between journalistic reporting and personal perspectives that brings home the value of lived experience (which she writes at length about). She writes sensitively but keeps readers entertained and hopeful with her great sense of humour.
This book is accessible and extremely worthwhile reading for anyone, but I would especially recommend it to people working or volunteering in mental health related fields, or with carers.
December 18, 2022
I know quite a few people who live with depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD and bipolar disorder, but no one has disclosed to me that they live with schizophrenia. This is not to say I don’t know anyone living with this condition, only that so much stigma is attached to schizophrenia that people often don’t feel comfortable sharing their diagnosis with the people in their life. I’m hopeful that books like this one will help break the silence that surrounds it.
Prior to reading this book I probably could have muddled my way through the DSM-5 criteria and maybe rattled off some statistics. However, the only times I’ve only heard from people who’ve been diagnosed with schizophrenia is in documentaries about mental health whose focus is invariably on the more well known diagnoses of depression and anxiety. The stories about those with schizophrenia were told in passing, usually referred to in hushed voices and terminology that you’d expect more in reference to people who are terminally ill.
The importance of peer support and the limitations of our health care, housing and justice systems are explained. The experiences of a number of people living with schizophrenia are told throughout the book, and it becomes abundantly clear the role privilege plays in the way schizophrenia is treated (or not) and how individuals are able to manage their condition.
I was encouraged by how well the author’s mother’s schizophrenia has been managed but was also very aware of the privilege that facilitated such positive outcomes. Being able to afford and access appropriate medical care from the time that symptoms appear, as well as having secure housing and a network of supportive family and friends are luxuries that many people don’t have.
I was relieved that Elfy’s mother didn’t have to deal with a lot of the struggles that other people diagnosed with mental illness face but, as someone who needs to advocate for myself in a broken health system, I also found myself envious of the privilege that allowed her to get the treatment she’s needed when she’s needed it. I imagine if I was reading this book as a family member of someone diagnosed with schizophrenia, this disparity would hit me even harder.
The author openly acknowledges this privilege. This book also includes the voices of people who I expect would represent the majority of people who live with schizophrenia, those who don’t have access to adequate medical care and who don’t have secure housing and an abundance of supportive people in their life.
Even with all of the resources their family had, their mother’s schizophrenia was an open secret for Elfy and her siblings when they were growing up.
Where this book shone was its inclusion of the voices of so many people living with schizophrenia, as well as schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder. Diagnostic criteria and statistics can only take you so far. It should go without saying but if you want an understanding of what it’s like to live with a condition, listening to the people who know it from the inside is invaluable. You can know in theory that people who live with schizophrenia experience stigma but until someone with lived experience explains how that impacts them personally, you can stay several steps removed from that reality.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Pantera Press for the opportunity to read this book.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
Prior to reading this book I probably could have muddled my way through the DSM-5 criteria and maybe rattled off some statistics. However, the only times I’ve only heard from people who’ve been diagnosed with schizophrenia is in documentaries about mental health whose focus is invariably on the more well known diagnoses of depression and anxiety. The stories about those with schizophrenia were told in passing, usually referred to in hushed voices and terminology that you’d expect more in reference to people who are terminally ill.
The truth is, the schizophrenia many of us think we know fails to reflect the reality of the schizophrenia that most people experience.In this book, the author opens up the conversation about what life looks like for people living with schizophrenia and their loved ones. They look at environmental risk factors, such as trauma and poverty, and explore the stigma that surrounds diagnosis and the different models of mental health. Contrary to their portrayal in the media, people with schizophrenia are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators.
The importance of peer support and the limitations of our health care, housing and justice systems are explained. The experiences of a number of people living with schizophrenia are told throughout the book, and it becomes abundantly clear the role privilege plays in the way schizophrenia is treated (or not) and how individuals are able to manage their condition.
I was encouraged by how well the author’s mother’s schizophrenia has been managed but was also very aware of the privilege that facilitated such positive outcomes. Being able to afford and access appropriate medical care from the time that symptoms appear, as well as having secure housing and a network of supportive family and friends are luxuries that many people don’t have.
I was relieved that Elfy’s mother didn’t have to deal with a lot of the struggles that other people diagnosed with mental illness face but, as someone who needs to advocate for myself in a broken health system, I also found myself envious of the privilege that allowed her to get the treatment she’s needed when she’s needed it. I imagine if I was reading this book as a family member of someone diagnosed with schizophrenia, this disparity would hit me even harder.
The author openly acknowledges this privilege. This book also includes the voices of people who I expect would represent the majority of people who live with schizophrenia, those who don’t have access to adequate medical care and who don’t have secure housing and an abundance of supportive people in their life.
Even with all of the resources their family had, their mother’s schizophrenia was an open secret for Elfy and her siblings when they were growing up.
Her condition didn’t feel shameful to speak about so much as it just felt quite scary and dark - too jarring to make sense in our day-to-day lives outside of the house and too big to concern other people with. And so it became a secret.One of my pet peeves, talking about what we’re going to talk about before getting into the talking about it, was present in this book. To be fair, this is something I come across more often than not in nonfiction reads and it probably says more about my impatience to get on with the learning than anything else. Once I made it past the introductory material, the stories shared by the people with lived experience hooked me.
Where this book shone was its inclusion of the voices of so many people living with schizophrenia, as well as schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder. Diagnostic criteria and statistics can only take you so far. It should go without saying but if you want an understanding of what it’s like to live with a condition, listening to the people who know it from the inside is invaluable. You can know in theory that people who live with schizophrenia experience stigma but until someone with lived experience explains how that impacts them personally, you can stay several steps removed from that reality.
If a quarter of all Australians are affected by a complex mental health condition in some way, whether through firsthand experience or by way of a relative or friend, then we’re forced to ask: Why aren’t we talking about these issues on a national scale? Why does it seem like nobody cares? And who does it serve for us not to care?Content warnings include mention of .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Pantera Press for the opportunity to read this book.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
September 16, 2023
wanted to read this because my friend was interviewed for the book. Was a comprehensive exploration of schizophrenia and other complex mental health conditions. I appreciated Elfy’s ability to highlight the gaps and issues in our health system, education, and biases. I think it definitely could have been more focused. A 3.5/5
December 28, 2023
3.5 stars
Mitch and I listened to this together as an audiobook and I was curious to get his psychiatry insights. This book does an excellent job of providing some needed depth to the mental health conversation in our country. In particular it aims to reduce stigma and increase understanding of complex conditions. My personal belief is that everyone should spend a week in a mental health unit but reading lived experience is a close second. There were some useful and moving vignettes included, especially her mother’s story. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about living with psychotic symptoms because it does a great job to increase empathy and awareness.
Our lower rating comes down to this- it felt like a passionate essay based on lots of research, but not quite enough to make up for a lack of experience working in mental health. Mental health is tough. Sometimes the suggested solutions or the moral stances taken felt idealistic. In particular, the section on involuntary admission and ECT (which is a gold standard and effective treatment) actually perpetuated some harmful stigma and misunderstandings about the patients unwell enough to require these management options. There was also no mention of community mental health care teams, and treatment orders outside of the hospital were framed negatively despite their necessary role in follow-up of clients.
Finally, there was a rightful reflection on broader societal institutions such as the justice and housing systems which fail vulnerable people - including those with mental ill health. These deficiencies were summed up as the failings of our mental health system when these services go beyond healthcare’s domain. This reinforces however why every Australian should have more exposure and insight into complex mental health conditions- it should be everybody’s responsibility to improve our systems.
Overall we found this book unique, insightful, engaging and worth a read (with a grain of cynical salt).
Mitch and I listened to this together as an audiobook and I was curious to get his psychiatry insights. This book does an excellent job of providing some needed depth to the mental health conversation in our country. In particular it aims to reduce stigma and increase understanding of complex conditions. My personal belief is that everyone should spend a week in a mental health unit but reading lived experience is a close second. There were some useful and moving vignettes included, especially her mother’s story. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about living with psychotic symptoms because it does a great job to increase empathy and awareness.
Our lower rating comes down to this- it felt like a passionate essay based on lots of research, but not quite enough to make up for a lack of experience working in mental health. Mental health is tough. Sometimes the suggested solutions or the moral stances taken felt idealistic. In particular, the section on involuntary admission and ECT (which is a gold standard and effective treatment) actually perpetuated some harmful stigma and misunderstandings about the patients unwell enough to require these management options. There was also no mention of community mental health care teams, and treatment orders outside of the hospital were framed negatively despite their necessary role in follow-up of clients.
Finally, there was a rightful reflection on broader societal institutions such as the justice and housing systems which fail vulnerable people - including those with mental ill health. These deficiencies were summed up as the failings of our mental health system when these services go beyond healthcare’s domain. This reinforces however why every Australian should have more exposure and insight into complex mental health conditions- it should be everybody’s responsibility to improve our systems.
Overall we found this book unique, insightful, engaging and worth a read (with a grain of cynical salt).
December 9, 2024
Listening to Elfy Scott read this herself really made this more engaging and enjoyable!! A great starter for people who don't know much about schizophrenia and complex mental health issues.
November 22, 2023
highly recommend this book, particularly in the audiobook format. loved how researched the content was by Elfy and enjoyed the range of people she interviewed. this is just me being picky, but I reckon the book could have done with interviews with health care workers that have experiences dealing with schizophrenia. unpacking the demands of the job and protocols that workers must abide by (regardless of their personal beliefs or desires for the individual in care) would add more perspective on the realities of the Australian mental health care system.
January 17, 2024
*I'll preface this review saying that I have quite a good understanding of mental health issues, and my current job has me interacting with many different people who suffer from a number of mental illnesses*
Definitely an important topic, but unfortunately not done justice by the author. I did enjoy some of the individual stories of certain interviewees, but that was not really enough to save this book, which I found to be quite a preachy read with an abundance of cherry picked/anecdotal evidence.
Mental health (MH) shouldn't be stigmatised, I 100% agree. Painting sufferers of MH as totally normal and functioning members of society is great, however it's a bit disingenuous if you only interview the ones that have extremely robust support networks, and the ability to access MH support. Practically every person that comes up in this book has resources to deal with their MH issues, be it family support or money (or both). I understand that MH affects everyone but when all the examples are successful or affluent people, the message gets lost. This is not the reality for a great deal of MH sufferers, and the ones without these networks are the people whom society overwhelmingly stigmatises for MH the most. They are also the ones to become part of homelessness/crime/the prison system and live on the fringes of society, and they are the ones whom the average person on the street is wary of. The author frequently brings up her mum when trying to combat the trope of the 'dangerous schizophrenic'. No Elfy, your 'tiny indonesian mother who bakes lots of nice snacks and manages her MH issues with medication, familial emotional and financial support' isn't going to hurt anyone...but the homeless drug affected, currently manic, schizophrenic person might.
I would consider myself pretty progressive, however I found myself rolling my eyes at a number of ridiculous ideological statements made in the book. Downplaying (and generally omitting) the effects of illicit drugs on exacerbating, or even creating, MH conditions is bordering on absurd. I'm not sure what MH professionals the author found in order to put this idea forward, and I get that the author enjoyed her younger years taking too many drugs (stated in the book), but I am yet to meet a psych/mental health worker that would dare say illicit substances are not a large contributing factor for poor mental health.
Further, I get that MH is obviously caused by a number of factors, but opting to suggest that 'racism' is a primary cause is ridiculous. I guess that MH issues/conditions don't exist in countries with a homogenous population such as a Japan and South Korea (spoiler alert, they do). I also found it a bit of a stretch to suggest that Indigenous Australians have a mystic and effective way of accepting MH based on one conversation the author had with an Aboriginal man over the phone.
Another thing I found to be a bit concerning, was that the author praised milenninal's/gen Z's approach to using social media in order to form 'support networks' for MH conditions. As a member of one of these generations and a user of social media, I don't see how glorifying and fetishising MH for internet validation is healthy. The group of people the author praises is the same group of people that have been diagnosing themselves with ADHD, Anxiety, Depression Bipolar, Autism and OCD en masse. I would argue that the mass proliferation of making mental health 'trendy' on social media has massively detracted from actual sufferers of MH (or in the case of autism, neurodivergency) being taken seriously by the general public.
Finally, I understand that the author is the editor of Mamma Mia, which is probably why the whole book reads like a long internet blog post full of quirky humble brags, 'relatable' millennial/gen Z phrases and an abundance of unnecessary social justice virtue signalling. Whilst this might be up some people's alley, found it distracting and detracting from the message of the book.
All in all, I'm glad people are starting to write about this topic in the mainstream, however this book frustratingly misses the mark.
Definitely an important topic, but unfortunately not done justice by the author. I did enjoy some of the individual stories of certain interviewees, but that was not really enough to save this book, which I found to be quite a preachy read with an abundance of cherry picked/anecdotal evidence.
Mental health (MH) shouldn't be stigmatised, I 100% agree. Painting sufferers of MH as totally normal and functioning members of society is great, however it's a bit disingenuous if you only interview the ones that have extremely robust support networks, and the ability to access MH support. Practically every person that comes up in this book has resources to deal with their MH issues, be it family support or money (or both). I understand that MH affects everyone but when all the examples are successful or affluent people, the message gets lost. This is not the reality for a great deal of MH sufferers, and the ones without these networks are the people whom society overwhelmingly stigmatises for MH the most. They are also the ones to become part of homelessness/crime/the prison system and live on the fringes of society, and they are the ones whom the average person on the street is wary of. The author frequently brings up her mum when trying to combat the trope of the 'dangerous schizophrenic'. No Elfy, your 'tiny indonesian mother who bakes lots of nice snacks and manages her MH issues with medication, familial emotional and financial support' isn't going to hurt anyone...but the homeless drug affected, currently manic, schizophrenic person might.
I would consider myself pretty progressive, however I found myself rolling my eyes at a number of ridiculous ideological statements made in the book. Downplaying (and generally omitting) the effects of illicit drugs on exacerbating, or even creating, MH conditions is bordering on absurd. I'm not sure what MH professionals the author found in order to put this idea forward, and I get that the author enjoyed her younger years taking too many drugs (stated in the book), but I am yet to meet a psych/mental health worker that would dare say illicit substances are not a large contributing factor for poor mental health.
Further, I get that MH is obviously caused by a number of factors, but opting to suggest that 'racism' is a primary cause is ridiculous. I guess that MH issues/conditions don't exist in countries with a homogenous population such as a Japan and South Korea (spoiler alert, they do). I also found it a bit of a stretch to suggest that Indigenous Australians have a mystic and effective way of accepting MH based on one conversation the author had with an Aboriginal man over the phone.
Another thing I found to be a bit concerning, was that the author praised milenninal's/gen Z's approach to using social media in order to form 'support networks' for MH conditions. As a member of one of these generations and a user of social media, I don't see how glorifying and fetishising MH for internet validation is healthy. The group of people the author praises is the same group of people that have been diagnosing themselves with ADHD, Anxiety, Depression Bipolar, Autism and OCD en masse. I would argue that the mass proliferation of making mental health 'trendy' on social media has massively detracted from actual sufferers of MH (or in the case of autism, neurodivergency) being taken seriously by the general public.
Finally, I understand that the author is the editor of Mamma Mia, which is probably why the whole book reads like a long internet blog post full of quirky humble brags, 'relatable' millennial/gen Z phrases and an abundance of unnecessary social justice virtue signalling. Whilst this might be up some people's alley, found it distracting and detracting from the message of the book.
All in all, I'm glad people are starting to write about this topic in the mainstream, however this book frustratingly misses the mark.
May 23, 2024
This is a 3.5/5.
Overall, a successful look at complex mental health conditions in Australia. Elfy Scott did well to include the voices and stories of those with lived experience of schizophrenia, bipolar, and other adjacent diagnoses, as well as of family members and experts from various fields.
Where this book fell slightly short for me was that it lacked anger and a biting edge. While Scott is perfectly critical of the current mental health care system, I didn't feel that this book appropriately challenged the rage that she evidently feels. Likewise, it didn't get quite far enough into criticising the systems that interrelate with the current abysmal state of mental health care. While she touches on housing, prisons, and welfare, these weren't (in my opinion) afforded quite enough analysis.
However, this is not to say this book wasn't good. Because it was. And I'm wary of criticising this book for not doing something that it never set out to do -- after all, at it's core this is a story of Elfy and her mother. To some extent, the rest of the book serves as context building, and as the author's own realisation just how lucky her mum was to receive the care she did at the onset of her schizophrenia. Scott is not an expert about prisons or housing, and so I shouldn't be expecting her to make policy reccomendations or sociological analysis -- that's not what this book is for.
I found the chapters about stigma and self-stigma particularly compelling. In general: Australia has a long way to go when it comes to the discussion and action around people with complex mental health conditions, and I'd definitely reccomend this book to anyone who doesn't feel educated on the topic.
Overall, a successful look at complex mental health conditions in Australia. Elfy Scott did well to include the voices and stories of those with lived experience of schizophrenia, bipolar, and other adjacent diagnoses, as well as of family members and experts from various fields.
Where this book fell slightly short for me was that it lacked anger and a biting edge. While Scott is perfectly critical of the current mental health care system, I didn't feel that this book appropriately challenged the rage that she evidently feels. Likewise, it didn't get quite far enough into criticising the systems that interrelate with the current abysmal state of mental health care. While she touches on housing, prisons, and welfare, these weren't (in my opinion) afforded quite enough analysis.
However, this is not to say this book wasn't good. Because it was. And I'm wary of criticising this book for not doing something that it never set out to do -- after all, at it's core this is a story of Elfy and her mother. To some extent, the rest of the book serves as context building, and as the author's own realisation just how lucky her mum was to receive the care she did at the onset of her schizophrenia. Scott is not an expert about prisons or housing, and so I shouldn't be expecting her to make policy reccomendations or sociological analysis -- that's not what this book is for.
I found the chapters about stigma and self-stigma particularly compelling. In general: Australia has a long way to go when it comes to the discussion and action around people with complex mental health conditions, and I'd definitely reccomend this book to anyone who doesn't feel educated on the topic.
August 20, 2023
This was a good introductory overview of the treatment of 'complex mental illness' (in this case, mental health conditions that 'can include psychosis') in Australia, though the focus is predominantly on NSW and Victoria. By no means did it feel comprehensive. In part this may be because it was written during the pandemic, as I often got the feeling that Scott was somewhat bound to outspoken online voices when gathering stories from others.
That said, some of the most powerful moments in the book come from Scott's interweaving of these thoughtful and considered stories from people with lived experience. The book is well worth reading, and even more so for that.
One thing I will say is that Scott's typically careful treatment of these stories is sometimes undermined by Scott's casual tone. I'm particularly thinking early in the book, when they write, "[People with lived experiences] gave up their time, they were generous with the details of their lives and, for some bizarre reason, they trusted me to communicate all of it." Personally, if I'd shared my personal experiences of mental illness with a journalist and read this at the start of a piece of theirs, I would probably have a panic attack reading that.
That said, some of the most powerful moments in the book come from Scott's interweaving of these thoughtful and considered stories from people with lived experience. The book is well worth reading, and even more so for that.
One thing I will say is that Scott's typically careful treatment of these stories is sometimes undermined by Scott's casual tone. I'm particularly thinking early in the book, when they write, "[People with lived experiences] gave up their time, they were generous with the details of their lives and, for some bizarre reason, they trusted me to communicate all of it." Personally, if I'd shared my personal experiences of mental illness with a journalist and read this at the start of a piece of theirs, I would probably have a panic attack reading that.
February 1, 2025
This is a book everyone should be reading! Young Australian author and journalist Elfy Scott writes with passion about the hidden cost of people who have complex mental illness -- schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and psychosis. The stigma and suffering they endure. This is not something we can just blame on the system, on governments. It's on us, society to start fixing. By making people who live with these conditions feel welcome, part of a community. To listen to them, try to understand their lives and not reject or recoil.
Elfy is correct in saying we've come a long way in normalising depression & anxiety. I think the same can be said for PTSD up to a point, depending on how you developed it. Elfy talks about how virtually no one with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or psychosis, however, wanted to be identified by their full names in her book, afraid of how they might be perceived in their workplace for example.
Well done Elfy. You've written a deeply moving, powerful book.
Elfy is correct in saying we've come a long way in normalising depression & anxiety. I think the same can be said for PTSD up to a point, depending on how you developed it. Elfy talks about how virtually no one with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or psychosis, however, wanted to be identified by their full names in her book, afraid of how they might be perceived in their workplace for example.
Well done Elfy. You've written a deeply moving, powerful book.
March 14, 2023
Scott's treatment of this heavy topic is gripping and deeply informative. Scott offers a comprehensive view of the politics, societal norms and infrastructure which hold us back from truly improving the mental health landscape in Australia. And yet...this book is still deeply rooted in human storytelling. It is the heartbreaking and sometimes hopeful stories of Scott's subjects that make this book so special.
The last chapter is especially moving and reiterates the author's deep love for her family and passion for this subject.
The last chapter is especially moving and reiterates the author's deep love for her family and passion for this subject.
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May 27, 2023This will be an eye-opening book for a lot of people, who I hope will read it! I was very interested to learn about pioneering advocates such as Marg Leggatt, and learn more specifics about the history of de-institutionalisation in Australia. The strongest parts of the book for me were the anecdotes from patients and their carers. I commend the author for pursuing and completing the mammoth, psychologically challenging task of interviewing so many people and collating the data.
March 10, 2023
If you want to know more about the flailing Australian mental health system. Or about how stigma is stopping thousands of Aussies with complex mental illness getting the help they need, Elfy nails it in this book. Exceptionally researched, and thoroughly sensitive and empathetic, this book needs to become mandatory reading for anyone working in health, justice, or social services.
January 7, 2024
This is a super approachable book I would recommend to anyone to help gain an understanding of what it is like to live with or to support somebody living with a complex mental health condition in Australia. Elfy highlights the necessity of breaking down stigma for progress and the serious failings of our government and systems in a thoughtful and sensitive way.
March 6, 2023
A thoughtful, well-researched book by a truly beautiful and tender writer. I'm so grateful for the way this book challenged and educated me, ultimately helping me understand the people in my life who are living with complex mental health conditions a little better.
April 4, 2023
A must read exposing the failures of Australia’s mental health care and social systems towards people living with complex mental health. The author weaves in her own family’s lived experience and brings the voices of many in a engaging and insightful way.
May 13, 2023
Incredibly told. Elfy manages to hold the reader with her storytelling, while feeding us the stats and facts of long form journalism that would normally put me to sleep. The soppy ending made me want to throw the book across the room though - warning for happy family content.
May 18, 2023
An interesting investigation of the mental health crisis in Australia. Elfy acknowledges there is much written about depression and anxiety, so has written this book looking at complex mental health issues, but mostly concentrating on schizophrenia.
Read by Suzie
Read by Suzie
March 16, 2024
The strength of this book is in the author’s personal narrative and narratives of other caregivers, children, and parents supporting people with mental illnesses. I think it falls a bit flat in some sections and can be repetitive while discussing Australia’s healthcare and stigma.
January 22, 2025
3.5-4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Scott's in depth and passionate research throughout allows readers to listen to unbiased perspectives of patients who struggle with schizophrenia. A great non-fiction addition to my list by a wonderful, talented writer.
March 8, 2025
This was such an excellent read. It was enlightening, full of empathy and a much needed investigation into the state of mental health care in Australia…especially when it comes to serving those living with complex mental health conditions.
May 15, 2023
One of the best books I’ve ever read about mental health. Everyone needs to read this.
August 21, 2023
A great book about the struggle of people with mental health issues
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October 4, 2023Very insightful
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