FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH PUZZLE

The Story

More than ten years ago, my brother was approved for social security based on a diagnosis of schizophrenia. I wondered at the time, how could I have not realized he was so ill? I saw the symptoms, but the diagnosis shocked me.

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Needless to say, when I applied to get a Creative Writing Master of Fine Arts degree, my advisors encouraged me to write a text that was useful for society as a whole. My family's experience with my brother's condition was a hot target. But I just wanted to forget all the trauma and get on with a new, happier life. Well, eventually I was talked into writing about it. The result is two books, a mixed genre family memoir potentially titled "Winter's Learning Ducks" and a poetry book potentially titled "Mixed Up Western Family Puzzle." I hope to share news about these products with you in the future.

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Meanwhile, this blog serves as a way of sharing what I know about mental health. I am not a mental health professional. My career was as an Information Systems Architect and Software Developer. I learned to manage data, to streamline business processes, and to analyze how work is performed. I brought this experience to my writing in order to figure out just what happened to my brother. In the process, I read extensively about addiction, mental health, police practices concerning drugs and working with juveniles, the court system, child protective services, school policies toward at-risk students, and much more. I hope to share what I know and provide resources where readers can find more information or help.