unshrunk
Wow, this book was exceptional.
I heard about it when the author (Laura Delano) was doing an interview with Tucker Carlson. She seemed so genuine and real, but also talking like I do about the mental health “care” system.
I’ve been excited to read it. I picked it up from the library yesterday and I haven’t really put it down since. I just finished it a few minutes ago.
It’s a beautiful and painful piece. She fully captured the intensity and chaos of emotion that comes from a life centered on diagnosis, treatments and psych ward stays.
She goes into substance abuse and self harm. Her relationship with her body and men. The thousand medicine adjustments. The doctors, the waiting rooms, the rehabs.
She even talked about AA and the pink cloud we ride. She was able to verbalize the disillusionment that comes after a couple years in the program.
Her story was incredible. Coming to terms with the fact she’s been heavily medicated for 14 years, plagued by what could have been, the grief that remains.
I love how she writes about how she’s just human now. That she still had those emotional flare ups but she’s in tune and uses her intuition to guide her days and keep her grounded.
I like how she walks you through her whole journey and breaks up her story with research and scientific findings. It’s truly a work of art.
I also liked how she had a home birth and nursed her child for 3 years, just like me 🙂
I could relate to so much and I am grateful that she wrote this book. I feel heard and advocated for. I didn’t realize how much the mental health system fucked me up - I just thought it was my birth trauma and my general mistrust of the entire system.
To think I’ve probably been withdrawing from these meds for the last couple years and it probably contributed to some not so solid decision making even in sobriety…
I’m grateful to have read this book on the other side. Off all meds, cleaned up my lifestyle and sober. I’m very grateful for that.
End of chapter 37: “It had taken all these years to realize the objective isn’t to find an answer to “Who am I?” But rather to let go of needing to ask the question at all.”