Writing in accessible terms for general readers as well as professionals in mental health, author Victoria Costello, a science journalist and film writer, weaves family history and science in
this narrative of her journey through the medical establishment to find help for her older son's psychotic symptoms, her younger son's depression and anxiety, and her own depression and
alcoholism. As she confronts her denial about the severity of her sons' symptoms, she discovers that various forms of mental illness have plagued her family for several generations. She
explains current research on early warning signs of mental illness among young people, stressing research that demonstrates that early medication and psychotherapy can help affected young
people lead full, independent lives. With advice directed at parents of children and teens at risk, she discusses the problematic link between antidepressants and adolescent suicide and offers
guidance on getting the right mental health care, using family history as a guide for treatment choices, and practical ways to safeguard a child's mental health. Annotation 穢2012 Book News,
Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
