Follow Next to Me - Hope for Schizoaffective Disorder (Paperback)

Follow Next to Me is a memoir that provides a hand to those separate from reality. I wrote it to share mental health education and support for those living with schizoaffective disorder. This novel is not only for those with mental health disabilities, but for their support group as well. I believe that this book will be an eye opener for the entire community. While I tell the story of the intimate details of my train of thought as I sink further into my disorder, this novel also involves gay and lesbian issues; suicide, self-mutilation, and the tale of my imaginary friend named Follow. I have a B.A. in Psychology and Counseling, as well as, a B.A. in Studio Art with a minor in Gay and Lesbian Issues. I received these degrees from Whitman College. This extensive education provided me with the tools to provide as much accuracy to describe the facts, as I am able to describe my feelings. Also, I have a Masters in Health Information Management from St. Scholastica University. I was the Senior Health Information Management Advisor for Spring Harbor Hospital for six years. This furthered my knowledge by reviewing hundreds of Mental Health case studies a week. While I may be young, I believe my experiences will help many. This is not a self-help book. It is an honest story of the events and turning points of my life. At 19, I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, and later with Idiopathic intracranial hypertension. I am not writing the memoir of a victim. I try everyday to not let this beat me, and trying is enough. I can't be scared because when fear is gone life opens up all of its grandeur. Strength is nothing about external performance. It is about internal belief.