I, Rob Graves: My Struggle with Childhood Trauma, Homosexuality, and Bipolar Disorder: A Memoir

by Robert P. Graves

"When I was nine years old and in the fourth grade, I had my first thought of self-harm. I shared with my mother my plan to kill myself. She hugged me, told me it would be okay, and sent me back to the kitchen to finish my homework."
Robert Graves has spent his life dealing with chronic clinical depression and bipolar disorder. I, Rob Graves offers a candid and poignant story about his life as a gay man suffering from these mental health issues and a genetic disposition for substance abuse-which morphed into an anonymous sex addiction during the height of the AIDS Epidemic. Graves chronicles his personal story, illustrating the dangers of misdiagnosis and treatment noncompliance, but rather than teach or preach any specific cure, his memoir lets the reader decide whether the life choices described are right or wrong for their own life path. He shares the journey he took to come to terms with his homosexuality and overcome tremendous health odds-through years of therapy, medication management, and learning the arts of forgiveness and acceptance-to find success and peace with himself and thrive in the present. He aims to provide an inspirational example of breaking the cycle of mental health stigmas and addiction, both in the gay community and the community at large.

220 pages, Hardcover

Published May 3, 2022

Reviews

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Robert P. Graves and Lilibet Publishing for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

I, Rob Graves, My Struggle with Childhood Trauma, Homosexuality, and Bipolar Disorder Is the perfect book to read right after we just celebrated pride month.
Why you may ask? Because Robert P. Graves opens his heart and shares his raw emotions of what it feels like to have unknown feelings for someone in a world where he couldn’t be his true self. Many including myself (who in June just came out as pansexual) can totally relate many aspects of this story and know that others will too.

First, let's just talk about how beautiful and calming this book cover is! Rob mentioned in the book he wrote this book in a tropical destination so this beach scenery is perfect for the cover! I loved it!

Rob would like to dedicate this book to George. He will ever be grateful for your gifts of kindness and friendship. For giving him the knowledge of forgiveness and acceptance. May he RIP.

One thing I loved about this book was that Rob and I are both WNYers and I also lived in Rochester for a little bit. That being said, a lot of the places, events or individuals he had mentioned I was familiar with.

I loved hearing stories of him growing up. But the one that stood out to me was when his car caught on fire at school! How in the world did that happen?! Oh and that funny comment the teacher made cracked me up.

Rob shares his stories of how he learned he was interested in men. As the book gets deeper the stories he shares get way more explicit! When I mean explicit oh he goes spicy!!! Very spicy and he is good at writing that genre.

There is a story that he shares that I remember seeing on the news and l remember thinking that is an odd news story…only to find out Rob lived it. Now I have the mental picture to back it up lol.

My heart broke in two and I wanted to reach into the book and give Rob such a huge hug when he got the tragic news of George's passing!

This book deals with a lot of very important issues such as mental health, HIV, Mental Health, Childhood Trauma, Bipolarism, etc.

This is a must read and I highly recommend it.