Dear Psychosis,

by Sarah Martin

What would you do if you received a message from a stranger telling you that your daughter, who is travelling alone in Turkey, is having some sort of mental health episode?

Dear Psychosis, is a confronting, dramatic and no-holds-barred account of a family's experience following their daughter's first-ever psychotic episode in Istanbul, and her later diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

To some, it may be a warning, to others a story of hope. Most of all, it shows how the love and care given by strangers and family alike paved the way for their daughter's recovery and inspired the family to break the silence around mental illness.

Dear Psychosis , is a powerful story that needs to be heard.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Mental Health

248 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2023

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Kyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book approximately six months after an eerily similar experience. It felt like deja vu reading your experience, thoughts, and emotions. It's heart-wrenching. Thank you for writing this book, and sharing the impact of psychosis and the fear of your loved one across the world. It's something I never thought we would experience and was oddly comforted by reading we weren't alone.

[Liisa Baun · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this captivating narrative, I found myself deeply immersed in the poignant journey of a remarkable family. Sarah's experiences as a mother resonated deeply with my own, and I felt every beat of her heart as she navigated the challenges alongside her daughter, Alice. Their story of resilience in the face of mental health struggles is both inspiring and heartrending. For those grappling with similar issues, or simply seeking a powerful read, this book is a must. From start to finish, I was completely engrossed, reliving moments of my own past struggles. Sarah and Alice's willingness to share their story is commendable, offering solace and understanding to others who may be on similar paths. A truly compelling read that leaves a lasting impact, I find myself eager to revisit its pages already.

[Clare Welsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I read this book within a day. Sarah, with contributions from Jesse and Alice, gives incredible insight into what it’s like to have, or be directly impacted by, psychosis. Thank you for writing this book and shining a light on your journey and mental health.

[Emily Diem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a narrative non-fiction story about a topic that absolutely needs to be told.

This story includes the written input from three individual: Sarah (mom), Alice (daughter experiencing mental ill health), and Jesse (son). Immediately, I was drawn in and immersed in the story that was being told from each perspective. I love how Sarah crafted the book and arranged each piece of the story into a beautifully flowing account detailing her family's journey. Being faced with the circumstances they dealt with is not for the faint of heart. It was truly touching to read how this family approached the situation with love, strength, and support for one another.

As I'm sure rings true for many people that will read this book, mental health and mental illness is not a new topic and, for some, is something that is close to heart. I have known people that have experienced mental illness in a number of ways, but the one thing that seems to be true across the boards is how difficult it is to actually talk about. I think that it is easy for people to see and understand physical conditions because they are visible and tangible, mental illness can be scary to accept and understand because it isn't as obvious all the time.

This story is so important to read. I will be purchasing more copies of this book to give as gifts and will never stop recommending it to others to read. I admire each member of this family (Sarah, Shane, Jesse, Alice, Harry - and Ella) and all the other wonderful people that supported you along the way. It is encouraging and beautiful to read about your resilience and the never-ending love and support you have for one another.

Thank you, Sarah, for writing this and for breaking the silence of mental health.

[Ng · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible account of a family’s story facing mental ill health. As someone who also lives with bipolar, a lot here were so relatable and to read the words from a mother’s perspective brought tears to my eyes more times than I want to admit; imagining the hurt from my own mum’s perspective. Psychosis especially is highly stigmatised and misunderstood so thank you for sharing and being part of breaking the silence.

[Ginger Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of resilience

Wow! This book is a true story about Sarah‘s daughter Alice, and their family’s quest to save her from the brink when she experiences a life-threatening and debilitating mental illness.

Wow, this book is a narrative nonfiction, it reads as well as a story and I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t fiction.

The story starts in Istanbul, where Alice is on holiday. This is where her symptoms began. while the story includes perspectives of Alice herself, as well as her brother Jesse, our main narrator is her mom and the true hero of the story, Sarah. Of course, if you ask Sarah, she would say Alice is the hero of the story, because that’s just the kind of mom she is. If every person experiencing mental illness had a mom like Sarah, the world would be so much better for it.

Throughout the book, we are given Alice’s perspective on the events that unfolded. She talks in great detail about the delusions and the voices she heard. So often we see people suffering from mental illness on the streets and it’s easy to look the other way. Reading the perspective of someone who has been through these episodes has given me greater empathy for what these people experience.

My favorite part of this book was the epilogue, where Sarah summarizes what she felt they did well, and could have done better in hindsight.

This book is a must read for anyone working with psychiatric patients, the families of psychiatric patients, and families of teenagers and young adults. This book can be a tool when having conversations about the long-term effects drugs can have on the brain, and the importance of being open about mental health challenges as they occur instead of hiding them.

[Annette Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is invaluable to breaking the stigma around mental illness. It is written with honesty and the admittance of when they did not get things right when helping their daughter. It shows courage and strength and most of all hope.

[Tarleea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly I believe this book would be amazing for anyone to give a read, it would help everyone gain a small bit of knowledge regarding mental illness.
I devoured this book!

[Anne Gately · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a raw and startlingly honest account of mental Ill health and the dramatic circumstances under which a family discovers it. At its core this story is about two heroines, a mother driven by her fierce love and a daughter courageously finding a new path. Any family that has suffered a major setback and have had to grieve they life they envisaged they would have will be able to relate. It reinforces that you want make assumptions about what is going on in someone else’s life. Hopefully this book will provide more people with the courage to talk.

[Margy Syrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little book that packs a big punch. I read it in one sitting but it has stayed with me for a long time. My admiration and love go to Sarah, Alice and their whole family for opening up their lives and helping people to talk about mental illness. It can truly happen to anyone so there shouldn’t be the historical secrecy or stigma. Let’s get this book out there.

[Nin Mok · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Psychosis by Sarah Martin tells a true story about one mother’s race across the globe to save her daughter. Alice contacts her mother in Australia regularly from Istanbul, but then the calls become sporadic. Sarah then receives a message from her daughter with the picture seen on the cover. With no explanation, Alice had scribbled all over her face with a thick black marker. Alarm bells ring.

This book introduced me to drug-induced psychosis in the most chilling way. An entire room full of people could take the same drugs and only one may have an unexpected reaction like Alice. The effects are everlasting for her and she remains trapped in her mind, unable to tell the difference between reality and imagination.

The story is told from three points of view, Sarah the mother, Jesse the brother and Alice, the victim of psychosis, adding depth to the story. Alice's accounts give the reader a good understanding of what it is like to experience psychosis.

Martin conceals the situation. She doesn’t ask for help because of the potential shame and stigma that it may bring to her family; that their daughter had taken drugs and is now experiencing a crippling mental illness. To avoid the judgement they suffer alone. Finally, Martin decides to speak up through this book, ending the silence and giving others the courage to seek support.

Their family is forever indebted to a group of refugees displaced by the Syrian crisis who watched over Alice around the clock until her mother arrived. The kindness of strangers saved Alice’s life.

[Steve Shipley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Deeply Revealing and Confronting Read Leading to Understanding

Dear Psychosis was a real eye-opener for me. Not having experienced psychosis myself, this book became a guiding light, illuminating how easy it is for anyone to enter a period of psychosis or other mental health concerns. And how tough, yet invaluable it is to be open about addressing them.

The raw candor by the author was highly impactful and confronting. Yet, it is a story of hope and recovery and how a family’s love and support and professional support can overcome anything.

Sharing this story took courage. I also loved that it was multi-dimensional, weaving the views of Alice, with her mom’s (the author), and brother, and Alice’s friends in Turkey, who first became aware of Alice’s situation . And how important trust in others is to work through the most challenging times.

A definite read to better understand psychosis, how easily it can occur and how to navigate a path to deal with it. Thank you Sarah Martin for sharing Alice and your story.

[Alee Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a psychotic break when I was 15 (it’s been 12 years) and I always look back, wishing I wrote about it as soon as I came back down to reality. I’m glad people do write about these experiences because you really can’t understand fully until you go through one. I always find it to be uncanny how eerily similar experiences with psychosis tend to be. I could only read so much of this at a time as I realized a couple of years ago, I’m sensitive to other experiences of psychosis.

Psychosis (and even mania and deep depression) put into perspective why bipolar disorder is a disability and why it is classified as a SMI.my heart broke for Alice, her family, and her friends.

Very well written in that it is true to the experience.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated from the moment I started reading Dear Psychosis and couldn't put it down. So nicely written. The author was very brave to open up about the families mental health journey, which so many families keep behind closed doors. I hope this book can help to raise awareness.
We chose this book for our bookclub and we were incredibly lucky to have the author join via zoom and had a very interesting discussion.
My teenage daughter and friends are now reading the book which I hope will give the some awareness of the dangers of party drugs but also awareness of mental health and the important support friends can provide.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

The journey that Alice, Sarah (and others) went on was heart wrenching and full of reminders of the beauty of humanity at the same time. A very well written recount, from multiple perspectives, of mental health and the dark nature of psychosis and its impacts. There is a lot to take away from this book alongside the story, including support and ideas for people walking a similar path, but mostly that Alice is a mountain of strength, Sarah is an absolutely wonderful Mother and acts of kindness and compassion can have a greater impact than you know. A brilliant read. Thank you Sarah and Alice for shining a light on the darkness so others may feel less alone.

[A.G. Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an important story to tell! A harrowing true story about a family that deals with the mental health of their daughter, Alice. I appreciate how this story is bringing about awareness of the stigma around mental health. It is important to have stories like these to help break that stigma.

What stood out to me the most was how much this family loved one another and how wonderful it was for Alice to be surrounded by such special people in Istanbul who contacted her family when they noticed something wasn't right.

[Alanna Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Psychosis

By: Sarah Martin

Sarah, thank you for sharing your story with the world. This book is a firsthand account of a family’s journey through mental illness. Sarah’s daughter experiences an episode of psychosis seemingly out of nowhere while traveling abroad. Strangers alert Sarah and her family to the emergency. Sarah walks readers through their journey of fear, anxiety, helplessness, strength and hope. This story will rock you to your core and remind you that mental illness does not discriminate. This story will save lives. 

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Psychosis is a powerful story of love and the best of human nature. Those who stepped up to help keep Alice safe, in those dark hours far from home, are the people we encounter too rarely. To then have a family that will do anything to find help & source answers & provide an immensely strong support system, for me, shows a depth of love, we all long for in life… A story that we hope we’re never a part of.
Dear Psychosis is a wonderful read.

[Kimmi Olivarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful to put this story out there for the public, as the stigma of mental health struggles should be broken. That being said, it was clearly written by someone who I’d imagine isn’t passionate about writing but also wanted to sound poetic and intelligent. Very simple text with intermittent metaphors sprinkled in on repeat made it read as less genuine. Maybe that’s me being judgmental, possible. But the verbiage and repetition made it a bit of a drag to read.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having an adult child go through psychosis was frightening- to be able to nod my head in agreement to much of what was written is amazing - my wife is reading this now and I have to say I’m glad I stumbled across this book.
Let’s hope that you do break the silence because mental illness needs to be heard.

[Mark Berridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been on my list for a year. I am glad I broke inertia as Dear Psychosis was every bit as moving, powerful and important as I hoped it would be.
It is a story of determination, hope, kindness, courage and acceptance.
It is shared without judgment or pretense.
And it is a riveting read.

[Meg C · Rating 5 out of 5]

My sister found this book in a thrift store at what couldn’t have been a more perfect time. I had just experienced a psychotic break myself and reading this book helped me better understand what I was going through as well as those around me. Thank you to the author for sharing the story. It has inspired me to maybe one day share my own.

[Jacinta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read! A true story of love and hope. I enjoyed reading from the three perspectives which enhanced the detail and understanding. It’s a page turner and gives an insight to a family’s love to protect and support their daughter through mental illness. Highly recommend.

[Stacey Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book in a couple of settings and I was captivated. It weaves a powerful narrative, offering multiple perspectives on mental health and psychosis, delivered with a remarkable degree of honesty and authenticity. In my view, this book is an absolute must-read.

[Yumiko Tsuji · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest writing on the challenging subject of mental illness, which still carries a significant stigma in society. I appreciated it being written from the perspectives of three key individuals: a mother, daughter, and son, each sharing their views on the family crisis.

[Marianne Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt for the family and how amazing her friends were. It was a drug induced psychosis from taking drugs in Turkey. Take as a warning about how drugs can impact a whole family.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Sarah for telling your version of our story so very, very well. We were inspired by your talk at Chatswood, organised by Carer's Gateway to buy the book. We are recommended to everyone.

[Maggie Raab · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a truly heartbreaking story and as a mum this is something that you would never want to go through for sure. I did feel like there were some things that were repeated a lot but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

[Sarah Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d like to share the WHY & the WHO I wrote Dear Psychosis, for.
In 2015 when mental illness barged in our front door and sat uninvited and unwelcome at our table, I had no one to talk too, no book to read and no Sarah (me) to ask for advice or most importantly to sit and just listen.

My WHO became the person just like me, lost, confused and sad at watching their loved one slowly disappearing before their eyes.
My WHY, is reiterated every time I receive an email or message on social media, thanking us for sharing our story, knowing that they are not alone.
Mental health concerns are mostly unseen, there are no bandages, bandaids, crutches or scars to see. There is often no one to talk to due to the stigma & silence that goes with it. We are often too scared to break that silence because as loved ones and carers we feel that it is not our right to share - how can we ‘out’ our loved one?

By sharing our journey, our hope is that others may retell our story and it may become someone else’s survival guide.
There is NO shame in any mental health concerns.
Thankyou for joining us in breaking the silence and stigma of mental illness.