The mental health blogger looks to people with mental illness, including himself, who have become published authors as a result of sharing their hard-earned wisdom with the world. He encourages young people to pick up the pen and write!
My name is Gavin. I am a 36-year-old guy from Dublin who lives with bipolar disorder, and I’d like to talk about writing as an upside of mental illness. I’ve done a little research on the topic and found two authors who have shared their mental health journeys for the benefit of us all. Their books testify to the many fruits of mental illness and I hope that young people in particular will be inspired by their example. I also talk about the publication of my own mental health journey.
A memoir of beauty
First is Arnold Thomas Fanning who also lives with bipolar. I met him over the years at the Irish Writers Centre, the national resource centre for Irish literature in Dublin City. As a staff member, he was always very friendly – making me a cup of tea, discussing available courses and having a chat. He listened attentively and remembered my face as I popped in and out of the centre.
I was surprised and delighted when I saw his recent publication, Mind on Fire: A Memoir of Madness and Recovery. “Drawing on his own memories, the recollections of people who knew him when he was at his worst, and medical records, Arnold has produced a beautifully written, devastatingly intense account of madness — and recovery, to the point where he has not had any serious illness for more than a decade” (Irish Examiner). This last point is important. Arnold is someone we can listen to because he has been able to find a balanced life possible while living with his condition every single day. He is a good role model.
What’s more, Arnold has used the resources available to him, perhaps a key lesson for people with mental illness who wish to develop their writing. I imagine that it was a challenge for him to ask his friends about the times when he was most vulnerable or to request medical records that may have contained negative feedback on his recovery. Good for you Arnold. I salute you!
A chronicle of meaning
Second is J Peters who lives with schizophrenia. In University on Watch: Crisis in the Academy Peters chronicles his story in an academic environment where he struggled with his deteriorating situation as a student and mental health condition. He says, “As the book unfolds, neither intervention nor my own will to fight on would help me in my effort to overcome the obstacles I faced as I tried to fight my way to continue my education and move on to higher learning” (University on Watch).
I imagine that the sense of hopelessness he experienced was very tough indeed. He clearly opened his hands to recovery and wanted help, but nothing was working. However, he was eventually able to progress with his condition – this is indicated later by the need for further clarification of his life and its goals. Like Arnold, he was able to put these experiences down in a book, and it appears that he is now living a balanced life. He is currently a social worker and doing good work in the area of mental health. I salute you too J!
A work of soul
As for me, my mental illness has certainly encouraged me to pick up the pen and write. I have expressed myself over the years through journalling, participating in writing courses, keeping blogs and most recently publishing a small book. In Bursting Out in Praise: Spirituality and Mental Health I take the reader through the six steps of my journey to better mental health, drawing on my own insights, the wisdom of key figures from the past and well-known mental health experts today.
If someone told me ten years ago that I’d become a writer I would have laughed heartily! I would never have expected it. I am grateful for bipolar because it has enabled me to express my writing talent, and I am now determined to share my hard-earned wisdom with the general public.
In summary, writing can be a fantastic upside of mental illness. If there are any young people out there struggling with their mental health, don’t give up! I encourage you to continue writing in your journal or whatever means helps you to express yourself. You too can take the baby steps toward fullness of life. You too can reach a point of steadiness and calm. You too can be a published author!
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