Mental Illness Narrative

One of the world’s leading researchers in the area of cross-cultural psychiatry and global mental health, Arthur Kleinman, has made it known that chronic mental illness isn’t just a disease but how it affects us and the people around us. From Kleinman’s book, The Illness Narratives: Suffering, Healing and the Human Condition, makes it clear that experiences of illness can be told through personal narratives. Personal narratives is often known as illness narrative which can be described as a story from which a patient tells or significant others of the patient retelling, in order to explain the chronological events and how they unfolded and how they handled the suffering. For this assignment, I decided to collect data and stories about mental …show more content…
This story can be interpreted in many ways and she does discuss a lot more painful topics. As compared to our mother, my sister and I never went through the same experiences but Kimberly has similar mental illnesses to our grandmother. Throughout the majority of Kimberly’s life, she stated that she’s never experienced anything like she has in her late 40s. She states “It wasn’t until I went through menopause, that I noticed a change in my moods, behavior and actions”. Within the past ten years, Kimberly states she’s experienced mood swings, very high moments and very low moments. Kimberly stated, “For many years, I was addicted to alcohol. I became an alcoholic. Instead of facing my inner demons, I turned to alcohol, which made everything worse in the long run”. After years of neglected to help her own self, she finally got the nerve one day to go get professional help. Kimberly expressed that she has many similar mental illness like her grandmother such as bipolar disorder, symptoms of schizophrenia and substance abuse. What can be learned from both of these stories is that you can have a say in your life, where you live, where you work and what you do. Unfortunately, I learned that it is hard to feel in control when your life is out of control. This is what it felt for Kimberly when she was going through her dark period. After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and symptoms of schizophrenia, …show more content…
Mental illness, despite its seriousness, can be looked at through judgmental eyes from many people. Some people know how to face these mental illnesses and some are too ashamed to admit it and won’t seek the health that they so desperately need. As for these stories, they bring light to this sensitive subject. These women, my family, discuss about their mental problems out in the open like any other health problem and they find no shame in it. Discussing personal narratives about mental illness is to help others to show that you are not alone. From the American Psychological Association makes a note that more than half of Americans experience some sort of mental health disorder each year. From personal narratives, anyone can learn that it’s okay to tell someone, no one should suffer in