A common struggle [electronic resource] : a personal journey through the past and future of mental illness and addiction / Patrick J. Kennedy & Stephen Fried.
Material type: TextPublisher: New York, New York : Blue Rider Press, 2015Description: 1 online resourceContent type:- text
- computer
- online resource
- General
- 9780698185111
- Kennedy, Patrick J. (Patrick Joseph), 1967- -- Mental health
- United States. Congress. House -- Biography
- Drug abuse -- Social aspects -- United States
- Drug abuse -- Treatment -- United States
- Drug addicts -- United States -- Biography
- Legislators -- United States -- Biography
- Manic-depressive persons -- United States -- Biography
- Mental illness -- Social aspects -- United States
- Mental illness -- Treatment -- United States
- Patient advocacy -- United States
- BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Political
- MEDICAL / Mental Health
- PSYCHOLOGY / Psychopathology / Addiction
- Electronic books (Overdrive)
- 616.890092 B 23
- E840.8.K358 A3 2015
Item type | Current library | Collection | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Digital Content | Bedford Public Library Online Resource | eBook (Overdrive) | eBook | Available | 9780698185111 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
In this New York Times bestseller Patrick J. Kennedy, the former congressman and youngest child of Senator Ted Kennedy, details his personal and political battle with mental illness and addiction, exploring mental health care's history in the country alongside his and every family's private struggles.
On May 5, 2006, the New York Times ran two stories, "Patrick Kennedy Crashes Car into Capitol Barrier" and then, several hours later, "Patrick Kennedy Says He'll Seek Help for Addiction." It was the first time that the popular Rhode Island congressman had publicly disclosed his addiction to prescription painkillers, the true extent of his struggle with bipolar disorder and his plan to immediately seek treatment. That could have been the end of his career, but instead it was the beginning.
Since then, Kennedy has become the nation's leading advocate for mental health and substance abuse care, research and policy both in and out of Congress. And ever since passing the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act--and after the death of his father, leaving Congress--he has been changing the dialogue that surrounds all brain diseases.
A Common Struggle weaves together Kennedy's private and professional narratives, echoing Kennedy's philosophy that for him, the personal is political and the political personal. Focusing on the years from his 'coming out' about suffering from bipolar disorder and addiction to the present day, the book examines Kennedy's journey toward recovery and reflects on Americans' propensity to treat mental illnesses as "family secrets."
Beyond his own story, though, Kennedy creates a roadmap for equality in the mental health community, and outlines a bold plan for the future of mental health policy. Written with award-winning healthcare journalist and best-selling author Stephen Fried, A Common Struggle is both a cry for empathy and a call to action.
Electronic book.
"Patrick J. Kennedy, the former congressman and youngest child of Senator Ted Kennedy, details his personal and political battle with mental illness and addiction, exploring mental health care's history in the country alongside his and every family's private struggles. On May 5, 2006, the New York Times ran two stories, 'Patrick Kennedy Crashes Car into Capitol Barrier' and then, several hours later, 'Patrick Kennedy Says He'll Seek Help for Addiction.' It was the first time that the popular Rhode Island congressman had publicly disclosed his addiction to prescription painkillers, the true extent of his struggle with bipolar disorder and his plan to immediately seek treatment. That could have been the end of his career, but instead it was the beginning. Since then, Kennedy has become the nation's leading advocate for mental health and substance abuse care, research and policy both in and out of Congress. And ever since passing the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act--and after the death of his father, leaving Congress--he has been changing the dialogue that surrounds all brain diseases. A Common Struggle weaves together Kennedy's private and professional narratives, echoing Kennedy's philosophy that for him, the personal is political and the political personal. Focusing on the years from his 'coming out' about suffering from bipolar disorder and addiction to the present day, the book examines Kennedy's journey toward recovery and reflects on Americans' propensity to treat mental illnesses as 'family secrets.' Beyond his own story, though, Kennedy creates a roadmap for equality in the mental health community, and outlines a bold plan for the future of mental health policy. Written with award-winning healthcare journalist and best-selling author Stephen Fried, A Common Struggle is both a cry for empathy and a call to action"-- Provided by publisher.
Electronic reproduction. New York Penguin Publishing Group 2015 Available via World Wide Web.
Excerpt provided by Syndetics
Reviews provided by Syndetics
Library Journal Review
Kennedy (D-RI) served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 16 years (1994-2010) and reveals that during much of that time he was drinking heavily, fighting depression, and abusing prescription drugs. Both his mother, Joan, and brother, Ted, have released statements that criticized Kennedy's portrayal in the book of them and his father, the late Senator Ted Kennedy. Despite the family controversy, Kennedy reserves his harshest criticism for himself, as he describes his drinking bouts and bipolar illness from the time he was a teen, while he attributes his addiction to painkillers from the removal of a vertebrae tumor in 1988. Kennedy praises his legislative staff for enabling him to function and to advocate legislation beneficial for victims of mental health and addiction diseases. The concluding chapters chronicle his marriage and his postpolitical life working for One Mind and the Kennedy Forum, organizations promoting a civil rights movement for brain diseases. Verdict The book includes overly long and complex narratives about legislation and mental health agencies, which would likely appeal more to health-care professionals than general readers. The chapters about Kennedy that present an unvarnished look at how brain diseases and drug abuse could destroy the lives of those who suffer from them will resonate with general readers. [See Prepub Alert, 3/30/15.]-Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.Kirkus Book Review
A scion of an American dynasty recounts years of addiction, mental illness, and family dysfunctionmatters that, as the title suggests, are altogether too ordinary.Kennedy, son of Ted, is probably best known today for crashing his car into a barricade in front of his workplace under the influence of medication. This memoir opens with that event, promising, "I'm never going to remember what actually happened that night in early May of 2006 when I slammed my green Mustang into the police barrier in front of the US Capitol." The sentence is diagnostic, both mechanically and materially, of the narrative that follows: awkward, sometimes evasive, with good thoughts clunkily expressed. Why a green Mustang? That detail is less important than the multihued pills that punctuate the narrative. We sympathize with Kennedy when we learn that illnesses such as bipolar disorder fall into a category of things that members of the clan are supposed to face stoically, without making a fuss: "I grew up," he writes, "among people who were geniuses at not talking about things." Effectively shut out by his father as an embarrassing reminder of weakness, Kennedy squeaked by with a narrow electoral victory to become a U.S. representative, continuing a legacy of public serviceand, sad to say, a history of drug and alcohol abuse. A quarter of Americans have a similar story, by Kennedy's account. While's there's some special pleading involved"My father would have been President of the United States if there had been progressive mental health treatment for him," he insistsmuch of the narrative is given over to plainspoken advocacy for mental health initiatives, some enacted into law thanks to his persistent efforts. That account goes on too long, but it makes for a useful look at the politics underlying public health; to trust Kennedy's anecdotes, it's amazing that anything under that rubric gets done at all. A mixed bag but of interest to health policy wonks and activists. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.Author notes provided by Syndetics
Patrick J. Kennedy, son of Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy, spent 16 years representing Rhode Island as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. While in office, he fought a national battle to end medical and societal discrimination against mental illnesses. He decided to leave Congress to focus on advocating for brain diseases. He founded the Kennedy Forum and co-founded One Mind for Research. His first book written with Stephen Fried, A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction, was published in 2015.(Bowker Author Biography)