Book Review: Simply Human:  Reflections on the Life We Share

In his new book, Simply Human: Reflections on the Life We Share, Alan Bodnar takes us inside the lives of people with mental illness, providing the keen insight and discernment of a clinical psychologist to show that their stories are all part of a much larger human experience. Bodnar explains, “I wanted to convey some of the fear, confusion, and betrayal that these people were feeling, and, in some small way, give voice to the distress that policymakers seemed to be ignoring.” Here, Bodnar is referring to the stigma that so often encompasses people who have mental illness, a stigma that perpetuates society’s misperceptions of what it means to live with mental illness. And yet people with mental illness share the same daily struggles, frustrations, hopes and dreams that are part of everyone’s lives. Bodnar writes, “The people I write about are our friends, neighbors, relatives, the wealthy and the poor, some who have achieved and lost much, and others who have never had a chance.” He goes on to say, “Everything we experience in life is an opportunity and a challenge to develop empathy, to realize that we are more alike than different, and to draw closer together.” What people who struggle with mental illness offer — if we can listen — is a simple message: we are all heroes together, just everyday people trying to cope with our misfortunes and struggling to live the best lives we can. Bodnar describes Jimmy, born to an alcoholic and ...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Book Reviews Disorders Ethics & Morality General Happiness Memory and Perception Motivation and Inspiration Personal Stories Psychology Psychotherapy Stigma Treatment Bodnar Empathy Humanity Mental Illness Prejudice Simpl Source Type: news