“Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?” A Story of Bipolar Disorder
As you know, I often write about dual diagnosis (co-occurring disorders — having both a mental health illness and an addiction), as well as the fact that mental illness is one of the five key risk factors for developing an addiction (whether it’s to drugs or alcohol). [The other four are childhood trauma, social environment, early use, and genetics.]
In keeping with this, I’d like to bring to your attention a new book, Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?: A Family’s Journey Through Bipolar Disorder, a debut novel by Karen Winters Schwartz, O.D., who earned her BS in microbiology, MS in immunology, and Doctorate in Optometry from Ohio State. Dr. Winters is a board member of the Syracuse chapter of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental illness) and an advocate on behalf of people with mental disorders.
Based on true events, Dr. Winters explains that Where Are the Cocoa Puffs? is a fictionalized story of what a family goes through when the teenage daughter is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. “It’s funny, sad, and thought provoking—and as real and as raw as mental illness itself,” she says, adding that her main goal is to decrease stigma. “I want to reach those who don’t know schizophrenia from sauerkraut or bipolar from a baked trout, who’ll just say, ‘Hey. Cool title. Let’s see what it’s about.’ I want to entertain, and if I sneak a little knowledge and understanding about mental illness in there—well then, I’ve done my job.”
Since her book’s release last fall, Dr. Winters has spoken to numerous NAMI groups and conferences, college psychology classes, bookstores, book clubs, and radio shows discussing the effects of mental illness on the entire family and the need for education, empathy and advocacy. Dr. Winters explains that at least one out of five people struggle with some sort of mental illness and fifty percent of those people have co-occurring substance abuse/addiction issues – facts that mean these illnesses collaterally effect countless others, as well – friends, family, coworkers, neighbors. “One of the most difficult aspects for families dealing with a loved one’s mental illness is the guilt and the shame and the lack of support,” said Dr. Winters. “Immediate family members are often alone on their journey with mental illness, alienated by family, friends, school teachers, and administrators and the community in general.” She hopes her book can change that.
For more information about this book, visit her website: www.karenwintersschwartz.com
To view an explicit version Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEMV0Nn-Weo
To view a clean version Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SNY3iblU1g&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
Lisa Frederiksen
Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com
Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! What you really need to know when your loved one drinks too much,” and "Loved One In Treatment? Now What!” She is a national keynote speaker with over 30 years speaking experience, consultant and founder of BreakingTheCycles.com. Lisa has spent the last 19+ years studying and simplifying breakthrough research on the brain, substance use and other mental health disorders, secondhand drinking, toxic stress, trauma/ACEs and related topics.
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Thank you, Lisa!. Great blog. Thank you for all you do!