Hi everyone! It has been two years since the publication of my second book,
Raising Sebastien: Realising the Potential of Your Autistic Child. I am pleased and excited to announce Armour Publishing's publication of my third book,
Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery. For those of you who are familiar with my journey of raising Sebastien, this book can be considered to be a pre-quel to my previous book.
Although many people would think that I have had a most unfortunate life with my struggle with manic depression and the plight of raising an autistic child, my experience with manic depression has strengthened my spirit and given me the unique mindset to care for Sebastien. At the same time, my journey of raising Sebastien has in turn challenged me to 'recover' from manic depression. Thus, I believe that this coming-of-age story of life and love will resonate with people of all ages and walks of life.
More specifically, this book is of tremendous value to individuals with mental illnesses, their caregivers and professionals. Apart from identifying with my story, some may be motivated by the steps that I have undertaken to initiate and maintain my recovery from this condition. Just as importantly, in revealing my condition, I am deliberately challenging society's stigmatisation of the mentally ill in order to change the prevalent mindset of the public.
I feel that my book will contribute specifically to the understanding of manic depression and more generally to the pursuit of an authentic and fulfilling life in the following ways:
1. Provides a personal and intimate look at my experience of manic depression that gives a far richer and more complex conception than clinical diagnostic criteria;
2. Offers a non-pharmaceutical approach towards the treatment of manic depression that extends beyond medication and psychotherapy;
3. Puts forth the possibility that some sufferers of manic depression can recover from the condition, i. e. lead functional lives without psychiatric medication.
4. Describes how I was able to wean myself off medication;
5. Identifies practical strategies from taking medication to maintaining a medication-free life;
6. Offers suggestions to help caregivers to care for their loved ones without getting overwhelmed;
7. Challenges mainstream society's stigmatisation of the mentally ill;
8. Inspires people to be transformed in a positive way by the adversities in their lives as exemplified by my triumph over manic depression, while raising my autistic son; and
9. Resonates with power and authenticity because everything I advocate in the book is backed up by my life.
This book is retailing at $16.00 and should be available at all major bookstores by October 26th, 2008. For more information, you can contact me at kchoo7@gmail.com or 8163-4509; or Jenny at jenny@armourpublishing.com or (65)6276-9976 (Ext 212) to place orders for the book.
