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Fighting for Freedom in America: Memoir of a "Schizophrenia" and Mainstream Cultural Delusions
In the frontiers of America’s mental health institutions, fighting for freedom can become very personal!
Six years into a clinical career, anonymous mental health worker, Clyde Dee, starts work in a notorious Section 8 housing project. Getting to the bottom of what’s going on in a fractured system, Clyde finds himself mysteriously compelled to break the codes of standard drug war conduct. After six months of uncanny threats and coincidences, he decides to go off a low dose of anti-psychotic medication. Stopped by police in an effort to exit the country, he ends up incarcerated in a State Hospital for three months and released to the streets. In the years that follow, Clyde moves through American disparities and cultural delusions, facing some of his worst fears come true.
Clyde’s story reveals both the innards of “Schizophrenia” and how a person can learn to make peace with the forces that are following them around. With the mob breathing down his neck, Clyde is able to overcome homelessness, underemployment, and harassment. He is able to morph into someone who is fighting to gain attention for his successes in treating others who are in the throes of a “psychotic” episode.
Readers Favorite Award 2016, Honorable Mention Non-Fiction Biography
2015 Book Viral Book Award, ranked 8th Best
Human Relations Indie Book Award, winner of four categoeires
Six years into a clinical career, anonymous mental health worker, Clyde Dee, starts work in a notorious Section 8 housing project. Getting to the bottom of what’s going on in a fractured system, Clyde finds himself mysteriously compelled to break the codes of standard drug war conduct. After six months of uncanny threats and coincidences, he decides to go off a low dose of anti-psychotic medication. Stopped by police in an effort to exit the country, he ends up incarcerated in a State Hospital for three months and released to the streets. In the years that follow, Clyde moves through American disparities and cultural delusions, facing some of his worst fears come true.
Clyde’s story reveals both the innards of “Schizophrenia” and how a person can learn to make peace with the forces that are following them around. With the mob breathing down his neck, Clyde is able to overcome homelessness, underemployment, and harassment. He is able to morph into someone who is fighting to gain attention for his successes in treating others who are in the throes of a “psychotic” episode.
Readers Favorite Award 2016, Honorable Mention Non-Fiction Biography
2015 Book Viral Book Award, ranked 8th Best
Human Relations Indie Book Award, winner of four categoeires
334 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2015
3 people are currently reading
1078 people want to read
About the author
Clyde Dee
1 book38 followersRaised in a private school, Clyde Dee, sought refuge in an inner city community to hide a history of anorexia. Working his way through, Clyde has learned to champion the untold story. Now a licensed Mental Health Practitioner and an anonymous debut author, he works in an inner-city mental health facility. He additionally is working on a second book to help supporters and sufferers be curious about the universal qualities of a "psychosis." One day he hopes to help revolutionize treatment across diagnostic divides.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 7, 2016
FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM IN AMERICA
Clyde Dee
Outskirts Press (2015)
ISBN 9781478759928
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (12/15)
In “Fighting for Freedom in America,” author and mental health counselor Clyde Dee takes us on a journey, as he relives dealing with a broken system for the down-trodden, personal mental health issues from going off his medication, family and financial issues. His story is fascinating because he is able to intellectualize what he was thinking and feeling at the time, even if he is discussing his paranoid delusional thoughts.
Clyde moves around quite a bit while trying to find employment. His mental health issues seem to hold him back from getting the perfect job, and he has a tendency to allow self-doubts to keep him from aiming very high. Being under or unemployed does not help him with his schizophrenia. Always feeling like he is being watched and followed, it is hard for him to know what is real and what is coming from his delusional thoughts.
As Clyde gets back on medication and begins to get his life together, he really begins to start processing what he is experiencing. This includes his personal and professional relationships. It is fascinating to watch him evolve and become more aware than most people who are not facing his issues. Many lessons are taught in his story. I think that mental health workers must read this book. People who have friends and family members with mental health issues should also read this, because it will help them to see things from the other person’s perspective.
As someone with a Master’s of Science degree in a counseling field, I have found my greatest lessons have been from real people and not material in textbooks. As I read Clyde’s story, I felt like I learned many lessons through what he has to share. My work will definitely be more beneficial by what I learned from him. For that, I am grateful, especially as I am getting more and more students who are dealing with mental health issues, and really need someone to understand what they are experiencing. “Fighting for Freedom in America” by Clyde Dee is highly recommended reading.
Clyde Dee
Outskirts Press (2015)
ISBN 9781478759928
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (12/15)
In “Fighting for Freedom in America,” author and mental health counselor Clyde Dee takes us on a journey, as he relives dealing with a broken system for the down-trodden, personal mental health issues from going off his medication, family and financial issues. His story is fascinating because he is able to intellectualize what he was thinking and feeling at the time, even if he is discussing his paranoid delusional thoughts.
Clyde moves around quite a bit while trying to find employment. His mental health issues seem to hold him back from getting the perfect job, and he has a tendency to allow self-doubts to keep him from aiming very high. Being under or unemployed does not help him with his schizophrenia. Always feeling like he is being watched and followed, it is hard for him to know what is real and what is coming from his delusional thoughts.
As Clyde gets back on medication and begins to get his life together, he really begins to start processing what he is experiencing. This includes his personal and professional relationships. It is fascinating to watch him evolve and become more aware than most people who are not facing his issues. Many lessons are taught in his story. I think that mental health workers must read this book. People who have friends and family members with mental health issues should also read this, because it will help them to see things from the other person’s perspective.
As someone with a Master’s of Science degree in a counseling field, I have found my greatest lessons have been from real people and not material in textbooks. As I read Clyde’s story, I felt like I learned many lessons through what he has to share. My work will definitely be more beneficial by what I learned from him. For that, I am grateful, especially as I am getting more and more students who are dealing with mental health issues, and really need someone to understand what they are experiencing. “Fighting for Freedom in America” by Clyde Dee is highly recommended reading.
November 7, 2016
This book is a brilliant first person account of someone who has lived through various challenges with isolation, trauma, and experiences which were labeled as ‘psychotic.’ Clyde stirs questions about the nature of madness and sanity. Through narrative he points to the pretense and insincerity of “normal” in mainstream American culture, and discusses the challenge of a sensitive soul's endeavor to live a meaningful life in the midst of such a culture.
The book brought up reflections on the possible relationships between states we might label as “paranoid” and the “normal, neurotic” pretentious, or self conscious ways people show up in the world. Passages including Clyde’s dealings with mental health professionals were particularly interesting. Those passages made a case for the problematic nature of the “mental illness” narrative; how that narrative can get in the way of relationships, can make therapy impossible, and can add to the confusion of the one being diagnosed.
The book includes vivid detail of the author’s experience and internal process. Interactions and trains of thought come alive on the page. The humor in many of the author’s recollections is unavoidable, and I laughed out loud a number of times, as the language of the memoir often exposed the humor inherent in the quotidian episodes being recounted.
The book is also inspiring as an account of actually ‘fighting for freedom.’ I am inspired by the author’s courage in crafting a meaningful and loving life, and finding his power in relation to his family, and the mental health establishment.
The book brought up reflections on the possible relationships between states we might label as “paranoid” and the “normal, neurotic” pretentious, or self conscious ways people show up in the world. Passages including Clyde’s dealings with mental health professionals were particularly interesting. Those passages made a case for the problematic nature of the “mental illness” narrative; how that narrative can get in the way of relationships, can make therapy impossible, and can add to the confusion of the one being diagnosed.
The book includes vivid detail of the author’s experience and internal process. Interactions and trains of thought come alive on the page. The humor in many of the author’s recollections is unavoidable, and I laughed out loud a number of times, as the language of the memoir often exposed the humor inherent in the quotidian episodes being recounted.
The book is also inspiring as an account of actually ‘fighting for freedom.’ I am inspired by the author’s courage in crafting a meaningful and loving life, and finding his power in relation to his family, and the mental health establishment.
March 18, 2018
I won a copy of this book.
It's hard having a mental illness. It's even harder when you're trying to fix a broken system by exposing problems. Dreby's book is an intensive look into what it's like to be diagnosed with "Schizophrenia" while trying to live in the "normal" world. This would be a great book for those working in/with the mental health community.
It's hard having a mental illness. It's even harder when you're trying to fix a broken system by exposing problems. Dreby's book is an intensive look into what it's like to be diagnosed with "Schizophrenia" while trying to live in the "normal" world. This would be a great book for those working in/with the mental health community.
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July 5, 2017A very well written and truthful book about mental illness in America.
June 27, 2025
WOW. I am so moved by this memoir. I have been doing therapy work with “Clyde Dee” for 3 months now. Reading his experience was incredibly profound and gave me a fresh perspective I needed to have on psychosis and unusual beliefs. I am so thankful for the work “Clyde Dee” (pseudo) is doing, and for vulnerably sharing his story with me and everyone else.
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“What’s so horrible about schizophrenia”, I think out loud, “if it one day becomes a respected culture, Ruby and I will be seen having special abilities instead of disabilities. And we will be able to better learn to use them to contribute meaningfully to society.”
I will recover memories that — be they false; be they dreams; or be the real experiences — have meaning to me in terms of adding to my sense of trauma.”
True revolution and transformation in my insulted mind is the oppressed improving their own lives and those of their oppressors — not with guns, gangs, nuclear weapons, and terrorism, but by the slow exposure of covert injustice, by using a window of opportunity to drill into the vast iceberg of cultural delusions, to gain inclusion and then to educate.
At the same time, I still often find myself thinking about what would have happened had I not developed an ability to learn from “psychosis.” Many millions toil for decades in a system that offers no way out. That this is as good as it gets is the unreality that torments me with survivor’s guilt.
We will have to remove the gags from those who are now deemed powerless, oppressed, and unfit, let them up into the light, and learn from them.
The Mad, once celebrated spiritually in sacred texts, are now denigrated in American society. People who care about them often refuse to connect with them for fear they will reinforce a “delusional system.” I long to teach people ways to actually go down the rabbit hole. It can be fun. Learning how to manage the gifts of “psychosis” can lead to better functioning.
I will never forget the injustice that continues to co-sign the mad to the streets, the back wards, the prisons, the jails, the ghettos, and the board and care homes. I will never forget how many of us are still fighting for freedom in America.
—————————————————
“What’s so horrible about schizophrenia”, I think out loud, “if it one day becomes a respected culture, Ruby and I will be seen having special abilities instead of disabilities. And we will be able to better learn to use them to contribute meaningfully to society.”
I will recover memories that — be they false; be they dreams; or be the real experiences — have meaning to me in terms of adding to my sense of trauma.”
True revolution and transformation in my insulted mind is the oppressed improving their own lives and those of their oppressors — not with guns, gangs, nuclear weapons, and terrorism, but by the slow exposure of covert injustice, by using a window of opportunity to drill into the vast iceberg of cultural delusions, to gain inclusion and then to educate.
At the same time, I still often find myself thinking about what would have happened had I not developed an ability to learn from “psychosis.” Many millions toil for decades in a system that offers no way out. That this is as good as it gets is the unreality that torments me with survivor’s guilt.
We will have to remove the gags from those who are now deemed powerless, oppressed, and unfit, let them up into the light, and learn from them.
The Mad, once celebrated spiritually in sacred texts, are now denigrated in American society. People who care about them often refuse to connect with them for fear they will reinforce a “delusional system.” I long to teach people ways to actually go down the rabbit hole. It can be fun. Learning how to manage the gifts of “psychosis” can lead to better functioning.
I will never forget the injustice that continues to co-sign the mad to the streets, the back wards, the prisons, the jails, the ghettos, and the board and care homes. I will never forget how many of us are still fighting for freedom in America.
May 27, 2017
An author’s memoir of not only his struggles at times with the extreme mental illness, but his clienteles as well.
I commend you for your daily struggles & the work you do.
May you have a great future.
In the apartment, I live in there are 3 males who have it.
1 of the men are a Jehovah Witness advocate. He really amazes me. The other 2 I think are also autistic. They are very smart in the math areas.
Where I used to work in mental health these were my favorite male clients to work with were Schizophrenia, & Borderline Personality DO on the female side. It was kind of an unwritten rule that you keep that diagnosis that way. I still believe that even though the male/female somewhere out in this big world could be inter-changeable.
Warning: This book is for adults only & contains extreme violent or graphic adult content or profanity &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A fairly well written mental illness memoir book. It wasn’t always very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great biographical movie, a college PP presentation, or better yet a mini TV series or even a documentary (A & E, History channel). Tough to follow but I will still rate it at 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Making Connections; Outskirts Presss; Autographed; paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
I commend you for your daily struggles & the work you do.
May you have a great future.
In the apartment, I live in there are 3 males who have it.
1 of the men are a Jehovah Witness advocate. He really amazes me. The other 2 I think are also autistic. They are very smart in the math areas.
Where I used to work in mental health these were my favorite male clients to work with were Schizophrenia, & Borderline Personality DO on the female side. It was kind of an unwritten rule that you keep that diagnosis that way. I still believe that even though the male/female somewhere out in this big world could be inter-changeable.
Warning: This book is for adults only & contains extreme violent or graphic adult content or profanity &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A fairly well written mental illness memoir book. It wasn’t always very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great biographical movie, a college PP presentation, or better yet a mini TV series or even a documentary (A & E, History channel). Tough to follow but I will still rate it at 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Making Connections; Outskirts Presss; Autographed; paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
February 18, 2017
First of all l would like to say a big thank you to Clyde Dee for sending me his book and giving me a chance to read it. I was sent this book in exchange for a honest review. I am glad this book is on my bookshelf. I would tell people that you should step outside your comfort zone with books because it is good to add more authors and genres to your reading portfolio even if you do not read books like this. I normally do not read books of this genre but l stepped outside my comfort zone with authors and genres l am so glad l did because l have read so many great books. I highly recommend this book. The author is really nice and kind. I was sent this book by bostick communications who l want to say a big thank you to them as well. I really enjoyed this book I liked this storyline and l found this book easy to get in to and it was very hard to put this book down once l started reading it. I loved reading about Clyde's life. I loved he got a dog Maxine and a kitten buddy. I love reading memoirs now this book has 321 pages it did not take me long to read this book. Sometimes l just lie on my bed reading this book cuddling up with my kitten who is called Oscar and l also have a dog. I was sad to read that Clyde's bike was stolen and his flat was trashed. Clyde sounds brave. I really found this storyline a great read and it sounds like Clyde is a great guy who overcome a lot. I like that Clyde gives a sandwich to a homeless person. This book took me 5 days to read. I would love to read more from this author and more about this story and a bit more about Clyde and his life. I was happy to read Clyde got married. This is a great book wish l could rate this book more than 5 stars because it deserves more than 5 stars. This book is a must read and a must have on your bookshelf. I would tell people to read this book to see how great it really is. I fell in love with this book and l would happily read this book again and again
June 15, 2021
If you ever wondered what happened to Holden Caulfield, read this book.
It's compelling, insightful, and artfully told. At times gritty and at times gracious, it is written from the heart. I literally laughed and cried.
I understand the critiques written by others. There is some redundancy, and some passages are hard to follow. To me this mirrors recovery perfectly. There are days that last a lifetime. There are questions that are never answered. For me that's part of the beauty of this book.
My hat is off to the author.
It's compelling, insightful, and artfully told. At times gritty and at times gracious, it is written from the heart. I literally laughed and cried.
I understand the critiques written by others. There is some redundancy, and some passages are hard to follow. To me this mirrors recovery perfectly. There are days that last a lifetime. There are questions that are never answered. For me that's part of the beauty of this book.
My hat is off to the author.
September 27, 2016
Reviewed By Rabia Tanveer for Readers’ Favorite
Fighting for Freedom in America: Memoir of a “Schizophrenia” and Mainstream Cultural Delusions by Clyde Dee is a non-fiction book that focuses on some of the harshest realities of life. Clyde Dee was a mental health counselor when his life was turned upside down. Taking a job at the Section 8 housing project was perhaps the worst (or the best) thing to happen to him. Embroiled in politics and games, his life becomes increasingly difficult when he is incarcerated in a psychiatric ward. After three months, he comes back to the real world as a changed man. But he is homeless and jobless; however, he has the will and strength to face down his fears and conquer them. Now he has empathy for the mental health patients and how they survive day after day.
Clyde Dee is such an inspiration for people who deal with mental health issues day after day. This book would be informative and very encouraging for people who are either suffering from mental illness or who treat people with a mental illness. For an average person like me, it was insightful and instructive. I finally understand what a person with a mental illness feels like, lives like, and how he fights for his sanity and his life every single day.
You cannot help but feel their pain and hope for the best. Life is very tough and the way Dee described it, things are even harder for the mentally ill. This book has compassion, passion, understanding, and a force of will that will allow any person to become better and make peace with themselves. Great job.
Fighting for Freedom in America: Memoir of a “Schizophrenia” and Mainstream Cultural Delusions by Clyde Dee is a non-fiction book that focuses on some of the harshest realities of life. Clyde Dee was a mental health counselor when his life was turned upside down. Taking a job at the Section 8 housing project was perhaps the worst (or the best) thing to happen to him. Embroiled in politics and games, his life becomes increasingly difficult when he is incarcerated in a psychiatric ward. After three months, he comes back to the real world as a changed man. But he is homeless and jobless; however, he has the will and strength to face down his fears and conquer them. Now he has empathy for the mental health patients and how they survive day after day.
Clyde Dee is such an inspiration for people who deal with mental health issues day after day. This book would be informative and very encouraging for people who are either suffering from mental illness or who treat people with a mental illness. For an average person like me, it was insightful and instructive. I finally understand what a person with a mental illness feels like, lives like, and how he fights for his sanity and his life every single day.
You cannot help but feel their pain and hope for the best. Life is very tough and the way Dee described it, things are even harder for the mentally ill. This book has compassion, passion, understanding, and a force of will that will allow any person to become better and make peace with themselves. Great job.
December 17, 2016
“Fighting for Freedom in America” reveals the lives of mental illness patients that I think most people would care less about or know little of. A memoir vividly written with passion and compassion.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews