Summary: A Hidden Madness

Bipolar Disorder remains both a foreign concept and one all too close. In my family, my maternal Aunt was diagnosed with rapid cycling Bipolar Disorder (BD) following a car crash and my father’s ex-wife and mother of my half-sister and brothers was diagnosed with Narcissistic BD at the age of thirty. While I did not have a particularly close relationship with either of these women, they both inadvertently affected my life and others within my family. Therefore, reading A Hidden Madness was a mixed experience in which I was able gain new insight and a better understanding coupled with flashbacks and, at times, even frustration.
Question One
James T. R. Jones was able to bravely give an accurate and raw look into his accomplished life where
The author reports that “students whose refusal to seek psychiatric counseling is attributed to the desire to avoid the Kentucky reporting requirement” (Jones, 2011, p. 299). As a result, those with mental illness are either forced to practice in another state or do not seek the help they require. I was shocked to find that one had to reveal personal information that could lead to their discrimination for a profession whose goal is to protect citizens rights and whose foundation is lined with justice. This is a topic that I am thankful that was acknowledged and that the author brought light to a troubling issue.
In conclusion, A Hidden Madness is an astonishing journey through Jones’ life in which he is able to enlighten readers about his battle with a life-long diagnosis of BD and struggles within his profession and society. The author revels the added difficulty created by BD and how his mental illness had impacted all aspects of his life. Jones wrote a wonderful book that is honest about his mental illness that is able to speak to all readers