Customer Reviews

HELP ME :(REAL LIFE )

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
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At first it seems that Karen is just a normal girl going thru the "teen phase". But then she starts getting into trouble with teachers, friends, and at home due to her extreme mood swings.

When her mother overdoses on pills, Karen finds out that manic depression runs in her family and realizes that she's not crazy.

The POV from Karen's prospective shines new light on mental illness and proves that no matter what some people believe, you just cannot control extreme emotions by yourself and it's ok to ask for help.

Wendy Corsi Staub has done a wonderful job portraying the effects of mental illness on a teenage girl and her family. This book should be required reading for all teens (and pre-teens) and their families.

I read this book probably when I was 13 - 14 years old. I would have never known then what I was about to go through would be almost exactly like Karen went through. I lost some of my relatives, but my depression and mania were so bad that I had to be hospitalized. This book takes the stigma of mental illness and enlightens everyone about the disease by reading what Karen's mind was thinking. Awsome to read if you know anyone with a metal illness (especially a girl in their teens), if you have experienced mental illness yourslef, and if you just don't understand the disease and believe that we are making up this "thing" inside our heads.

At the opening of this story, Karen, a bright sophomore in high school is facing more than the usual adolescent angst. She experiences extreme mood swings ranging from spurts of energy that last for days to bone crushing depression.

During one of her manic phases, Karen encourages her friend Gina to secure her a waitressing job at Gina's uncle's restaurant. Things start off well until Karen hits a manic swing and goes to a party instead of reporting to work. Losing her job and the ensuing downswing push Karen into desperation. In confronting her own demons, she discovers that the illness runs in her family. Karen's mother is also bipolar and it is all they can do to keep from being consumed by their condition.

Karen bravely confronts her illness and once armed with knowledge of her bipolar condition, she is empowered to make better decisions about her life.

I usually can't stand the thought of reading books. I either get easily bored or it takes me forever and I quit. I have found an interest in these types of books. I took me a little more than 2 hrs to read this great book and I never put it down till I finished, I was so afraid of forgetting everything. I would recommend it to anyone who likes journal type books about teenagers.