Empty Cupboards

by Stacey Powells

All the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t put Stacey together again.”

The bathroom floor is where Stacey found herself when her slow descent into a special kind of mental hell began, culminating in a “checking out” of sorts. The chaos and exhaustion of her fifteen-year marriage had taken its toll, her disintegration disrupting the lives of her boys who needed her more than ever. It’s taken years for her to dissect the pieces of her dysfunctional puzzle, confirming that it wasn’t just one event, but many which sent her down the rabbit hole. Grateful that she’s still around to share her story in this extraordinary book of very personal essays, Stacey shows us how ignoring mental health issues can lead to some serious shit.

206 pages, Paperback

Published August 26, 2022

Reviews

[Behind The Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could have easily read this in one setting but life calls. I did get to finish it this afternoon. For those that battle mental illness I can’t even begin to recommend this book enough. I feel star ratings are unfair but in this instance it deserved a full sky of stars.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Review for Empty Cupboard by Stacey Powells i_read_and_rec

Brought forth with true grit and backbone
Empty Cupboards is an energetic and Candid account of essays, spanning a lifetime of events and people, that led up to the Authors' mental meltdown.
Her keen insight into the fact that depression is not caused by just an isolated event but many factors, even the most insignificant, slyly accumulating over years, spinning our brain into a downward spiral.
This book should be a prescription for anyone who steps into the office of any therapist or psychiatrist office seeking help for mental illness.
The best and most resonating non-fiction book I've yet to read on the subject.

[Renee Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I want to say THANK YOU to Stacey for this book of short stories documenting her life from the time she was a child to adulthood. We all suffer from some type of mental illness, some of us can deal with it on our own, and some of us need medication, sometimes nothing seems to work. Whether it be depression, bipolar disorder, or any other type of mental illness, there are always struggles, sometimes short term struggles, and sometimes struggles that last for years. Who knows what triggers this way of life? It could be a traumatic event or mistakes we have made. This book takes us through what some of us go through on a daily basis but as sad as it is, there is also hope. I definitely recommend this book that brings mental health to the frontline and helps make us aware that these illnesses not only effect the person suffering from it but everyone around them

[Karen Kuhn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book on a GR Give Away. This book is a series of essays written by Ms Powells regarding her life, family, upbringing and adult life that led her to have an emotional breakdown. This is an interesting read, first, because I'm educated as a Social Worker so to read the thoughts of a patient on why they had a breakdown, in retrospect, is interesting. Second, Ms Powells has a lot of self-blame in this book as to what she could, should, would have done differently in her life, again, in retrospect in interesting. I hope she can make peace with herself in the areas where she feels she fell short.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Tattered Cover Book Club FB from where I won this from.

It was such an open, honest and heartfelt book and not that it wasn't depressing, per se, it was both sad and uplifting since she kept right on going no matter what happened in her life with her ex-husband, kids, and yes, she regretted a lot of things.

I almost finished this less than 200 page book in one day and wanted to keep reading since I was really into it but my tired eyes told me to stop reading with 60 pages left and finish it the next day.

By the end of the book, I was crying.

Thank you Stacey for sharing your life.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is groovy and wonderful!

I am in awe of the author as a writer, as a mom, a woman and a human being. Thank you for your courage to write the truth in such a poignant way. I can’t even imagine how you survived. I had trouble working full time and raising four kids as a single mom without a major mental breakdown. I’m amazed I didn’t go through the same thing, though I also suffer from guilt about my ability to be a good mom. Thank you for this awesome book. People need to know this stuff happens. You’re a good person who deserves the best!

[Kristin Heller]

Reading a book about someone living life from childhood to adulthood with a mental illness was refreshing. This aspect of life isn't brought to light like this often. I don't have a mental illness, but life lately has been a struggle and this helped. It normally doesn't take me that long to read a book, but with everything I'm dealing with it took longer, I wish I was able to read it faster because it really helped me look at life from a different perspective.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A totally relatable read! So many of life's twist & turns are shared by Stacy in a way that keeps your attention.

[Darla Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book review:
Empty Cupboards by Stacey Powells

This is a book that I believe everyone should read. Why? To give you insight on just one person's experiences going through a mental health breakdown. Anxiety, depression, being a single mom and a lot going on with the dad - none of which was good, menopause, teenage boys that needed their dad, and so on and so on. Some people may never experience this but for others like Stacey and yes myself so much of this story will ring true, but help is out there. So please, if you see someone struggling with life, at least try to get them help. Everyone needs someone. Be that someone!!! As many stars as I can give this one .