Nonfiction Navigators discussion

Suicide is the act for intentionally causing one’s own death. Many suicides are caused from mental disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, and substance abuse, including alcoholism. This was the case in, “All The Things We Never Knew: chasing the chaos of mental illness,” by Shiela Hamilton. Hamilton recounts her own experience with someone who committed suicide. Hamilton thought she had met her future husband, David. At first, to her and everyone else, all they saw was a tall, handsome man, who distributed confidence and success. The way David was described and how he treated Hamilton, I would have never thought things would take a turn for the worse. Throughout the book, Hamilton started unraveling secrets about this “perfect man.” Hamilton learned he had never divorced his old wife and was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Hamilton considered divorcing David but after long thought, Hamilton decided to stay by his side, as she was pregnant. She did not want her child growing up without a father. As the book moved along, Hamilton gained the courage to seek a divorce, until David was hospitalized. When David was hospitalized, I started realizing where the book was going. David was soon diagnosed with bipolar disorder and more secrets began to arise. Before any divorce action was taken place, David committed suicide. David left his wife and soon to be daughter without a note to explain any of it.
This story at times may be stomach turning and difficult to read, but the heart and perseverance of Hamilton to overcome the rough patches and move past the tragedy was heart touching. Hamilton had many uncertainties after the horrific incident, about whether or not her daughter would grow up with bipolar disorder. The uncertainty of if her daughter will have the disorder or not, makes this book worth reading. I found this book interesting because I have always wondered what could possibly go through someone’s mind before committing suicide. From being affected by a friend who once committed suicide, I would like to try to find ways to help others. Not one person in the world should have to feel alone and think this is the only way to fix it. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat when trying to unravel the mystery question: Why?