The Quiet Room

I think this book was very unique from any other books I would typically read in class or for fun because of the various perspectives. At the beginning of the book when the chapter switched from Lori Schiller's point of view to Lori Winter's point of view, I had to go back and re read because I hadn't noticed the transition. It was then that I became really intrigued. Normally books- whether fiction or non-fiction- like to paint a good guy and a bad guy, and remain very biased to one side. This book was a raw view at the opinions and thought process of both sides. It frustrated me reading what her friends thought about her when they didn't understand what was going on, and I believe that was the purpose of this piece. It makes you realize that everybody is going through something even if they appear alright on the surface, and that can apply not only to mental illness but all other sorts of troubles. It builds sympathy instead of making people dismissive to the struggles of others. I would definitely recommend this book to friends. Reading it is a learning experience, and a very interested one at that. I personally love hearing other people's stories about their life experiences and travels, and reading this book is like an adventure but through someone else's mind. I think for anybody who doesn't quite understand mental illness this book would really open their mind and eyes to the reality of it, while showing them that these people are not 'crazy', their mind just works differently.

Mental Illness

Sitting down to write this, I didn't expect it to be that difficult. Mental illness is a hot topic these days- spread throughout the media, movies, and books as people push for a better understanding. But it hit me that although I have heard much about it, there is really not much that I actually know. The very little knowledge I do have came from a psychology class my sophomore year of high school. It made me realize that the stigma associated with mental illness is very real. When it comes to physical illness, it is taught starting in elementary school and everyone has a general idea of how to stay healthy. Mental illnesses are hidden away and often not taken seriously when they do arise. I do believe that society is becoming more accepting of them with awareness. Movies, for example, are more sensitive to mental illness and show things from the perspective of the person dealing with the illness. Older movies tend to paint anyone with a mental illness as the 'crazy' one. Another example happened within the last few years at Cedar Point. They had a musical show called 'Edge of Madness: Still Crazy' that they then changed to 'Edge of Madness: Six Feet Under' after the National Alliance on Mental Illness said it was perpetuating a stereotype. I think the poems by Kaitlyn Tramp do a good job of revealing what is going on inside the mind of a person with mental illness. It allows people to see that they are not different, they are just dealing with battles that not everyone has to face. Her side notes also proved that illnesses don't have to permanent. If someone gets the care they need, they will slowly gain the strength they need to fight it and finally be free.