Flight from Reason: A Mother's Story of Schizophrenia, Recovery and Hope

by Karen S. Yeiser

The insidious symptoms of schizophrenia quietly transformed Karen’s devoted and intelligent daughter Bethany into a despondent, dirty, homeless stranger, living on the streets of a West Coast city. After dropping out of college and refusing all contact with family and friends, her daughter pursued an obsession to travel alone to three continents in an effort to help alleviate worldwide human suffering and poverty.
Throughout an agonizing five year period of estrangement, not realizing her daughter’s personality changes were the direct result of emerging schizophrenia, there were times when Karen did not know if her daughter was dead or alive. Every attempt to make contact with Bethany resulted in deeper estrangement as schizophrenia twisted her sense of reality and ravaged her mind.
One day Karen and her husband were notified by police that Bethany was being held on a 72-hour psychiatric hold in a hospital emergency room two thousand miles away. Little did they know that the reunion with their daughter would plunge all three of them into an even broader dimension of suffering generated by Bethany’s severe illness and her awakened desire to reclaim her life. Through a series of events, and despite overwhelming odds, Bethany made an unexpected and complete recovery from schizophrenia.
Seen through Karen’s eyes, and with raw honesty, she brings the reader directly into her own world of confusion and heartbreak. She offers an intimate perspective on the agony families endure while watching mental illness assault the mind of a loved one, and navigating the frustrating obstacle course of the mental health system.
“Karen’s book is an inspiring message for all families, parents and their adult children.”
“It is an amazing story of determination and persistence, fueled by parental love for a daughter who vanished from their lives.”
“Mental health professionals such as counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses, psychiatrists and all their trainees would find the emotional rollercoaster of Karen’s experiences as a vivid example of what parents of their patients go through.”
Henry A. Nasrallah, M.D.
Professor and Chairman
Department of Neurology and Psychiatry
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
FLIGHT FROM REASON is the companion book to MIND ESTRANGED: My Journey from Schizophrenia and Homelessness to Recovery, a memoir by Karen’s daughter, Bethany Yeiser. MIND ESTRANGED parallels the timeline of FLIGHT FROM REASON.

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 11, 2014

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is comfort, wisdom and hope in this book for parents whose hearts are breaking for their children. It's a book you won't be able to put down and a book whose truths will remain with you. The author eloquently describes the range of thoughts and emotions a parent goes through when a beloved child is suffering, and it's a book that many mothers and fathers will be able to relate to. One of the most inspiring books I've ever read -- I highly recommend it if you are seeking strength and hope to endure. I read the Kindle version but it is also available in paperback.

[Nanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a mother's journey. Her daughter, Behany Yeiser, also wrote a book from her point of view. I highly recommend reading BOTH books, and more specifically read Bethany's book first. Bethany also has a TED Talk out there, which I recommend viewing, so you have a 'picture' of her in your mind a s you read. Collectively, these two books plus the TED Talk, bring the story together. Profound. Painful. And also beautiful and miraculous. I honor these individuals for their journeys, for staying the course, for not giving up hope. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because I think you need to read both books together to get the full picture.

[Virginia Pillars · Rating 5 out of 5]

After I read Mind Estranged by Bethany Yeiser, I picked up the companion book written by Bethany’s mother, Karen. I wanted to learn how a family copes with the devastating illness schizophrenia. I wondered how can a mom deal with the pain that comes with her daughter's journey through schizophrenia?
I enjoyed this book, if enjoyed is even an appropriate word to use for a book about schizophrenia. I did find that I wanted to get into the meat of the story sooner and so I skimmed the first few chapters of family background.
Karen's deep faith came through loud, clear, and consistent as she and her husband watched helplessly as Bethany turned away from them as her illness progressed. Like me, they tried to reason with her, but they found out quickly the futility of it. Through prayer, Bethany’s parents placed their trust in God and focused on keeping their lives intact. After four years, the situation changed enough for them to reach Bethany and help her
I rejoiced with Karen as I finished the book and Bethany made it to recovery. I recommend this to everyone who wants to understand how one family played their hand as life dealt their daughter the illness, schizophrenia.
izophrenia.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Companion book to her daughters memoir. This is a wrenching account of the parents helplessness and pain as they practically lose their daughter to major mental illness and the painful, exhausting road to stability after she is located. It’s eye opening to juxtapose the two accounts and how impoverished of memory and mind, context and insight the daughters perceptions are of memory, time and reality.

The painful challenges of restoring safety, wellness and stability with a family member battling schizophrenia is daunting. The pull for this young woman to return to the “safety and freedom” of living out in the open and homeless is hard for anyone not ill to comprehend. The repeated ineffectiveness of the healthcare system and the holes in the fabric of systems of psychiatric care and limitations of access to care, even for a middle to upper middle class intact family is glaring across the country. This family experienced the psychiatric systems in Los Angeles and Ohio.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a companion book to Mind Estranged, written by the mother of the author of that book. It has value in that it tells the other side of what Bethany, the daughter, went through. It is particularly good for the ending part in which Bethany finally confesses she has voices in her head and is schizophrenic. The parents went through hell in the weeks after Bethany agreed to come home, and Bethany isn't aware of that part of the scenario in her book.

One quibble: This author overuses and misuses the word "enormity," which means "monstrous wickedness." The author uses it for anything that means huge or enormous. The mother's writing is better than the daughter's, but still pretty dull.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been an excellent book instead of just ok. The author was just so overwrought and spent way too long talking about how hard the ordeal was on her and her husband when the focus might should have been on their daughter. Talk about whining! I couldn't finish the book because I was just so tired of their emotional angst.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mother's true and agonizing story of her daughter's plunge into the world of mental illness. While I found the book easy to read and an interesting account, it's was a bit too full of mundane details for a stronger review. But I applaud the author for her courage in sharing her story.

[Chammuel Mizzv · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good look into mental illnesses and the struggle for proper care

A moving book that gives a good look into mental illness and how hard it can be to access proper care. It also shows that with proper care even the most serious of mental
illnesses can be effectively treated .

[Chelsea Kowal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, Flight From Reason by Karen S. Yeiser, is the 9th book I’ve read this year (2024).

Having met Bethany online and reading her memoir, I have been waiting over a year to read this book. This memoir, written by her mother Karen, is a unique perspective as a parent of someone with severe mental illness.

I recognized some similarities in Bethany’s family story with my own, as I have also been diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder as well, along with some other disabilities.

I read this book in less than 2 days and I honestly could not put it down. I related to so many aspects throughout the book. The book itself is extremely well-written and truly captivating.

I hope that some of you read this review and read this book, along with Bethany’s memoir.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I want to thank both Bethany and her mom for sharing their journeys and helping both the mentally ill and their families.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest and raw

I was drawn to read this book after having finished Bethany's account of her frightening spiral into acute mental illness. My son suffers from a very similar illness and it was enlightening to hear Bethany's side. While reading her mother 's story, I found myself thinking "oh my gosh, I know exactly how that feels" from a mother 's heartbreaking perspective. She captured precisely how it feels when it seems like no one really understands, including mental health professionals, the only ones you can turn to and privacy laws which shut the care givers out. It's a horrible place to be. Thank you and bless you, Karen. You've helped me on my journey and given me some measure of hope that maybe there is some way of getting through this after all.

[Imthiaz AHmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Love endures, love cures."

This memoir might give hope to anyone who is currently experiencing despair while taking care of someone they love.

The author conveyed her emotions exceptionally well, allowing the reader to empathize with her feelings even without experiencing them firsthand.

[Gayle A · Rating 5 out of 5]

We were overwhelmed by the presumptive and unjustified judgment and blame that came our way as parents when our daughter's illness presented. I imagine that some people subconsciously blame in order to put a barrier between their immediate families and severe mental illness. Thank you for gently giving parents who have been battered by stigma, judgment and blame a voice. Thank you for giving us a place to rest, reflect and encourage each other. And thank you for providing an honest, responsible and hopeful memoir. This is a remarkable roadmap to recovery for loved ones living with severe mental illness and their families. This book is a tremendous gift to the mental health community.

[theodore roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

Really really loved this book I work in the mental health field and everyday I see people suffering from medications non compliance and some of these folks are just like the young lady in this story. Must read

[kris saba]

Inspiring, heart wrenching

Bethany was fortunate to have devoted parents to support her out of the crippling and dangerous behaviors of mental illness. Bethany would not give up, and her parents would not give up as well. God's help was evident as well.