Liza Long - The Price of Silence: A Moms Perspective on Mental Illness

A PLUME BOOK

THE PRICE OF SILENCE

LIZA LONG is an author, educator, mental health advocate, and mother of four children, one of whom has bipolar disorder. She regularly contributes to P sychology Today, The Huffington Post, Boise State Universitys The Blue Review , and Eagle Magazine . Since her essay I Am Adam Lanzas Mother went viral, she has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, Anderson Cooper 360, The Diane Rehm Show , and The Dr. Oz Show .

Praise for The Price of Silence

In this courageous, determined, radical book, Liza Long exposes the dearth of alternatives for parents of kids with mental illnesses, the shame that attends their perceived failures, and the hope that such families may find their collective voice and demand better options. I hope her passionate cry is heard far and wide.

Andrew Solomon, PhD, author of The Noonday Demon and Far from the Tree

Not only is Liza Longs The Price of Silence an honest and inspiring memoir, but its an incisive indictment of what passes for a mental health care system in Americaand whats too often the result, mental illness leading to prison, not treatment. But The Price of Silence doesnt only illuminate the crisis, it offers solutionsones that can lead to healing.

David Sheff, author of Beautiful Boy

A searing indictment of the lack of affordable care available for the treatment of mentally ill adolescents.

Kirkus Reviews

[Longs] message that there is a complex interplay between genetics, parenting, and the environment, and her reminder that people with mental illness are usually the victims of violence (and when they are violent it is usually against themselves) ensure that The Price of Silence is an important book.

Brain, Child magazine

Longs heartfelt, brainy, and gutsy book eloquently describes the great pain, but also the unexpected joys, of having a child who suffers from severe mental illness. I applaud her crusade against silence, stigma, and shunning.

Allen Frances, MD, author of Saving Normal

Liza Long offers a lucid description of the myriad of problems that confound and perplex the average parent who struggles mightily to find answers and relief for their child. In the process, she charts a course that will provide an excellent guide for others on this difficult journey as they make their way through the maze of our current mental health care system.

Demitri Papolos, MD, coauthor of The Bipolar Child

The most excruciatingly honest portrayal of what its like to be the mom of a child with serious mental illness and how the mental health system gets in the way.

DJ Jaffe, executive director of Mental Illness Policy Org.

Liza Long deals a powerful and devastating blow-by-blow indictment of how our mental health system has failed us. Her courageous voice is an important call to action for a nation that has for too long ignored the true situation. A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the mental health crisis facing our nation.

Matthew Lysiak, author of Newtown

The Price of Silence goes deep into the civil rights issues that parents face in getting appropriate care and education for their children. Lizas ability to share the truth about her familys experiences is changing history, making it possible for others to step out of the darkness of isolation. Courage personified, she is our Flawless heroine.

Janine Francolini, founder and board chair of the Flawless Foundation

PLUME

An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

375 Hudson Street

New York, New York 10014

First published in the United States of America by Hudson Street Press, a member of Penguin Random House LLC, 2014

First Plume printing 2015

Plume ISBN: 978-0-14-751640-4

Copyright 2014 by Liza Long

Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

REGISTERE D TRADEMARKMARCA RE GISTRADA

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HAS CATALOGED THE HUDSON STREET PRESS HARDCOVER EDITION AS FOLLOWS:

Long, Liza.

The price of silence : a moms perspective on mental illness / Liza Long ; foreword by Harold Koplewicz.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-59463-257-0 (hardback)

1. Children with mental disabilitiesPsychology. 2. Violence in children. 3. Parents of children with disabilities. I. Title.

HV891.L5966 2014

362.2083dc23 2014009322

Printed in the United States of America

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Original hardcover design by Eve Kirch

Penguin is committed to publishing works of quality and integrity. In that spirit, we are proud to offer this book to our readers; however, the story, the experiences, and the words are the authors alone.

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers, Internet addresses, and other contact information at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors or for changes that occur after publication. Further, publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

Neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this book.

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For Michael and the one in five children who have mental illness