Psychiatric Tales: Eleven Graphic Stories About Mental Illness [Hardcover]

Darryl Cunningham (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 1, 2011

Psychiatric Tales draws on Darryl Cunningham's time working in a psychiatric ward to give a reasoned and sympathetic look into the world of mental illness. In each chapter, Cunningham explores a different mental health problem, using evocative imagery to describe the experience of mental illness, both from the point of view of those beset by illness and their friends and relatives. As Cunningham reveals this human experience, he also shows how society's perceptions of and reactions to mental illness perpetuate needless stigma, for example, the myth that schizophrenic people are more likely to commit crimes than non-schizophrenic people. Psychiatric Tales is a groundbreaking graphic work; it deftly demythologizes and destigmatizes the disorders that 26.2 percent of American adults live with every day.

Concluding with a reflection on how mental illness has affected his own life, Darryl Cunningham's Psychiatric Tales is a moving, engaging examination of what is, at its root, the human condition.

Darryl Cunningham is the creator of the Web comics Super-Sam and John-of-the-Night and The Streets of San Diablo. He is a prolific cartoonist, sculptor, and photographer, and lives in Leeds, England. This is his first book.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this debut book, Cunningham tells his reader right away that he has a message to impart. Having worked for years as a health care assistant in a hospital's psychiatric ward, he states his intent to counter the stigma surrounding mental illness and to represent the patients who suffer from "this most mysterious group of illnesses." The down and dirty truth about what it takes to care for dementia patients, the acts that self-harming patients are capable of, and the conundrum of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia all make for powerful, informative, and sometimes difficult reading. Cunningham's message, that "a mental illness is a brain disease just as a stroke or a brain tumor is a brain disease," is delivered in direct, no-nonsense language, while black and white drawings convey the hectic life of the disordered mind. Cunningham frequently speaks directly to sufferers, telling them that their symptoms are not their fault, that there are ways of dealing with them and simply that "you can survive." Speaking with compassion and clarity, Cunningham tells of his own struggles with severe anxiety and depression. creating a valuable tool for both those within the mental health profession and casual readers who may know someone with mental illness. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

This gem of a book examines a wide range of mental-health issues as well as Cunningham�s personal experiences with mental illness. Chapters cover dementia, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, suicide, antisocial disorder, and, perhaps most movingly, Cunningham�s own struggle to overcome depression. He also notes important historical figures who suffered from mental illness, such as Winston Churchill, who is now believed to have been bipolar; Brian Wilson, who suffered from hallucinations; and Judy Garland, who was beset by anxiety and depression. The concise and poignant tales, while self-contained, build upon each other and create a framework that allows Cunningham to effectively question the stigmas associated with mental illness. His inviting cartooning style mixes contrasting backgrounds with simple line drawings that leave a stark impression. The overall message�that mental illness is biochemical in origin and deserves the same kind of sympathy as other serious illnesses�is one that deserves to be heard. --Stephen Weiner

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (February 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1608192784
• ISBN-13: 978-1608192786
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #256,616 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid effort that aims to heighen awareness of mental illness February 9, 2011

By GraphicNovelReporter.com TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

When it comes to understanding mental illness, most people fall into the category of "curious voyeur." It's undeniably interesting to watch the erratic and unusual behavior of the mentally ill from a distance, which is why we have shows like Hoarders and Intervention. So, while one's own voyeuristic inclinations might compel you to pick up this graphic novella, there's far more value to be found inside, even if some of it might be unintentional.

Darryl Cunningham, the author and illustrator, spent a number of years working toward becoming a certified psychiatric nurse before quitting the program due to the emotional toll it took on him, and some of these stories from this time are recounted here. Using a cubist, art brut style, he begins by describing a few cases in which he was involved, and all of them are genuinely interesting, if extremely minimalist. Not a lot of verbal details are given, just a barest summary of notable points, paired with a few chunky, black-and-white pictures. Each of these stories is interrupted with a semi-clinical explanation of why each patient behaves the way he or she does, which is valuable information. It works to explain the fact that mental illness is genuinely a biological problem, and not as it is commonly perceived. The subjects are not lazy or stupid and do not have anything that can be self-medicated--these are biological issues that cannot be solved by simply forcing the patient to think differently. Psychiatric Tales does a great job explaining this, and it would likely serve as an excellent tool for anyone who is coping with mental illness in their own family.

The chapters that only describe a mental illness, without tying it to an actual, concrete subject or experience, are slightly less effective.... They become extended infographics, which have their place, but perhaps not in a book labeled Tales. One of the most effective points in the collection is a discussion of the idea that many clinically sociopathic traits are prized in today's business world, and just how unhealthy this psychological climate is for the human spirit.

The book reaches a crescendo in the final chapter, in which the author describes his own fight against mental illness and how following his passion ultimately led to a happier life. Even though years of nursing school were ostensibly "wasted" by the author, this book is about making something from the wreckage of your original goals. It's a reflection on the idea that no time is truly wasted if you grow from it, which is a good concept to always keep on hand, no matter what your situation is.

Aside from a few necessary violent and scatological stories (which are only pictured ambiguously anyway), Psychiatric Tales is a solid collection that dedicates itself to mental-illness awareness in a very effective manner. While it might be more practical than it is entertaining, this does not diminish its value in a collection.

-- Collin David Read more ›

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving, powerful, accessible May 9, 2010

By Sarah McIntyre

Format:Hardcover

I've been looking forward to this book for some time, and it's as impressive as I'd been hoping. In one sense, the book is a fascinating handbook, focusing on different kinds of mental illness in each chapter. These include dementia, self-harming, depression, anti-social personality disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, suicide, and great figures in history who've suffered mental illnesses. But it also follows Darryl Cunningham's own journey, starting as a health care assistant and then training to become a mental health nurse until the strain of the course threw him into severe depression and he had to stop.

But all the years of working as a carer gave him a deep insight into the lives of people suffering different conditions and provided him with real-life work anecdotes that makes him able to portray them as real people, not just clinical conditions. And it also makes the reader care about Cunningham as a health worker, realizing the hard-core things these carers deal with, and the emotional beatings they go through. But the book's not a request for for us to pity the writer; his straightforward, almost dead-pan voice at times focuses us as readers on the universality of mental health problems, and emphasizes the need to be able to talk about these things in a way that doesn't stigmatize people for being ill, in the way we wouldn't if someone had, say, a broken leg. A deep sense of empathy is the thing that came through most clearly to me in this book, and the last chapter clinches it, when Cunningham allows us to see his own struggle with depression and the hope he gives to other people who suffer it.

The artwork in this book reads very easily and clearly, and provides an excellent introduction to graphic novels for readers who are not very familiar with the medium.... Cunningham's solid line work and shapes draw inspiration from a long tradition of woodcut illustrations, and his clever compositions give the story its great impact.

This accessible book could become a classic text for people learning about mental illness, and would fit just as easily into a school library or doctor's office as in a comic book shop. The book raises a lot of important issues and would make an excellent assigned reading to start off discussions about different kinds of mental illness, the role and treatment of health carers, living with someone who suffers one or more of these illnesses and public perception of mental disorders. Or it may simply provide much-needed comfort to readers in discovering they are not alone in a world where they don't seem to fit in.

Teachers could use this book to inspire students to write autobiographical comics about their own struggles with depression, bullying, anger or grief. The pictorial format may allow them to express themselves in ways they may find difficult to put into words. Students can learn from Cunningham's simple, expressive line work and accessible but sophisticated storytelling techniques. Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and well worth it February 19, 2011

By Regina Rodriguez-Martin

Format:Hardcover

I read this book in one sitting. Having been diagnosed with clinical depression, I loved the double-mission of giving the truth about mental illness and supporting those of us who live with it. It works to lift the stigma of it, in an entertaining and gripping way. The illustrations are effective and poignant, the stories are interesting even to those of us who think we know a bit about mental illness. I'd especially recommend it for people who don't know anything about mental illness, but want clear, easy-to-understand basic information about it. Thank you, Daryl Cunningham, for producing such an important piece of work.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars educational April 7, 2011

By nutmeg

Format:Hardcover

As a mental health professional myself, I found the book to be a very helpful educational tool. It was clear, expressed with empathy for sufferers, and was artistically presented. I was somewhat troubled that no mention was made of therapy as an important intervention, but I do recognize that medications are touted as central to recovery these days. In the case of personality disorders, such as the antisocial man, they are of limited effectiveness, as is therapy itself. Thank you for an informative book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A Matter of Perspective October 20, 2012

By sainyavaarai

Format:Hardcover

Darryl Cunningham's Psychiatric Tales is a descriptively written and jarringly drawn work. I write this review as someone currently residing in a psychiatric treatment center and someone who has seen the inside of locked psychiatric wards firsthand.* His structure is sound and his information is solid. All in all, Cunningham writes a good book.

What troubles me about this book is the way Cunningham chooses to position himself for the reader. In this book, Cunningham is either a mental health worker or a person with mental illness. In the portions with the narrator as mental health worker, the portions where he shares his patients' stories, I found myself irate with Cunningham. Apart from a few factors of time and location, I could have easily been one of Cunningham's patients, and if I would have read this book, I would feel immensely exposed and robbed. All hypotheticals aside, as a "patient", my story is a very important part of my power and dignity. It is not for Cunningham, or anyone else, to take away and make their own.

The last chapter of the book, however, focuses on Cunningham's struggles with anxiety and depression. This part of the book may serve to humanize Cunningham or identify him as a part of the sufferers, but his explication of an obviously trying time in his life seems gestural rather than heartfelt. Cunningham's emotional simplification of a very complicated way of being seems more to serve a need to legitimate his spokesmanship for those with mental illness. He seems to do his own story a disservice in this way.

Ultimately, I think this book does the mental illness world more good than harm. I think the issues are complicated and anyone who tries to tackle them is courageous.... Though at the same time, I would have rather heard the story of Cunningham as a mental health worker or Cunningham as someone with anxiety/depression--not someone dealing in the stories or others. Read more ›