Growing Up with a Schizophrenic Mother [Paperback]

Margaret J. Brown (Author), Doris Parker Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2000 | ISBN-10: 0786408200 | ISBN-13: 978-0786408207

An estimated two to three million people in the United States today were raised by a schizophrenic parent. Brown and Roberts offer a unique book based on interviews with over forty adult children of mothers diagnosed as schizophrenic. Such topics as the isolation their family felt, their chaotic home environments, their present relationships with their mothers, and the lost potential of mother and child are covered. Their stories are fascinating and provide important information to both the mental health community and the lay public. The offspring have been described as having higher rates of "increased aggressivity" and "sibling conflict," but often their circumstances strengthened these children and contributed to artistic and creative talents, resiliency, and high achievements. The authors provide an overview of schizophrenia, behaviors of the affected parent, and the marital relationship of the patient and her non-schizophrenic spouse. As adults, the respondents now share their grievances about the psychological community—what they needed and did not get. Brown and Roberts then present suggestions for treatment of affected children aimed at psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and health care providers.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 207 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company (August 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786408200
• ISBN-13: 978-0786408207
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,632 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Growing Up With a Schizophrenic Mother, January 15, 2005

By 

RB (Sheffield, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Growing Up with a Schizophrenic Mother (Paperback)

I have only read half of this book so far. The authors have the remarkable ability to share detailed, deeply upsetting aspects about the lives of the 44 people in a respectful and sensitive manner. There is a feeling of gentleness towards not only the adult "children" of the schizophrenic mothers, but also the mothers themselves. Nor is it pratronizing. It fully acknowledges the almost impossible difficulties of those whose lives have been affected by the subject matter of the book, and I have found it worthwhile to read. As a person that has picked the book up to better understand personal experiences, I have found it to be a useful outline of the common, and likely experiences, of one caught up in the situation of living directly with a mentally ill parent. It also allows one to feel the comfort of knowing that such an unusual past has been shared by other people, that one is not such a freak for having to put up with something so hard. In the case where the illness is poorly managed or doesn't respond well to treatment, it is understandable that this can result in great harm to the children of that person. It's a sad fact of life, and yet, this book can help to focus one's eyes on that very fact - potentially very therapeutic for the survivors of the unfortunate reality.
I commend the writers, just for their warmth and professionality and the way that they have highlighted the abnormality of the behaviour of the mothers without taking away any of their value away from them. In modern times, which lack modern attitudes to the social problems of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, it's a breath of fresh air and a much needed frank insight into a matter that all of society should be interested in.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent book, May 30, 2005

By 

Lenore Connellee (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Growing Up with a Schizophrenic Mother (Paperback)

The authors have done an excellent job in gently drawing out from their subjects the details of some very painful family experiences. The book is hard to read in a way, because of the intensity of the experiences, but the reading is worthwhile. I can personally testify to the accuracy of much of what is written, and there's precious little written on the topic. If you grew up with serious mental illness in your family, this book will ring true and help you feel less alone with your experience. If you work with people who grew up in such cirucmstances, I would urge you to buy this book, since it will help you understand their lives and also help you know what questions to ask. It's well and sensitively written, to boot. Highly recommended.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book on a little understood subject, May 13, 2008

By 

Joseph Seibel (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Growing Up with a Schizophrenic Mother (Paperback)

Wow! I read this book in about 11 hours. Like those who gave accounts in this book, I did not understand certain things about my childhood until I was much older. I believe this book does an excellent job protraying a very difficult subject. I found Chapter 5 to be the most enjoyable. I wish that some subjects had been written with a little more detail however and not merely a bullet point.