'Not a misery memoir but a story of courage and hope'

 

This moving account of a bright and talented girl who is struck down by the sudden onset of mental illness in her 30s is sometimes brutal and always compelling. Judith explores her own perspectives and those of her family and friends honestly, in detail and with deep feeling. Her determination to win through against all odds and to find the happiness and fulfillment she has now achieved is awe-inspiring

 

 

This is a compelling Memoir of one woman’s journey through life’s difficulties. Judith offers a touching and honest account of her struggle with her own emotional turbulence from childhood. She captures the pain and suffering experienced from her father’s abusive relationship towards her, whilst displaying how we, as humans, revert back to old patterns of behavior learnt in childhood by discussing her relationship with her first husband.

 

She describes her difficulties which lead to her psychotic experience in her 30’s, her recollection of being sectioned and her encounters with E.C.T. She discusses how psychoses debilitated her, reflects on the treatment which she received and how she continues her journey through life, displaying the sheer inner strength and determination which if read can be of inspiration to others.

 

She talks not only of her sadness but also of her achievements whilst recognizing humor to be a valuable source of recovery and how recovery is a slow, painful yet liberating experience for those dare turn and face their difficulties.

 

What I would hope comes from this is for professionals and non-professionals alike to realize that Mental deterioration is not something that one suffers when life is harmonious and instead rears it head when life becomes fraught with difficulties.

 

 

'This is clearly a most useful first person account of psychosis'

 

I found this a very moving, honest and realistic account of Judith's life. I found the style of writing easy to read and the pace of the book was good, in fact, once I started, I had to contiue reading until I reached the end. It was un-put-downable.....:). Thank you for offering this to the world Judith and for your unquenchable spirit in life.

 

 

.....Don't Mind Me is written by a survivor in two senses of the word - of the mental health system and of life itself.

The book takes us through the major events of Judith Haire's life and introduces her relationships, some of which, particularly those with key male figures, are difficult. She describes extreme incidences of abuse, including rape, emotional abuse and gross physical violence. Yet Judith describes uplifting and helpful relationships and events, striking a balance between ups and downs, positives and negatives, stress and caring. I was struck by the rawness of the text and felt at first that some descriptions of other people were so subjective as to be questionable. However, the book does not claim to be objective, it is simply an honest personal account. As a mental health professional, I am used to looking at things from all sides and I found myself wanting to know more about the sub-characters, to hear more of their voice. But I was missing the point, which is that it is Judith talking about her emergence from trauma and psychosis, and how she saw other people through the frame of her experience. Once I realised this I was able to truly engage with her story - I r

ead the book in two sittings and found it well worth the effort. Which brings me to the publisher. Its ethos stems from a belief that mental health survivors have a unique take on the world. I have had clients, now and in the past, who would have related and found comfort in Judith's book. I am sure you will find the same.

Geoff Brennan is nurse consultant -psychosocial interventions at Prospect Park Hospital

 

 

As I struggle to make sense of (make sensible inferences from) the data, I hope to find that my previous body of knowledge and misinformation gets disturbed and enriched” (Wengraf 2000, p.11).

 

James Wood (2008, p.56) asks “Is specificity in itself satisfying?” in his study of Don Scotus’ ideas of ‘thisness’ or haecceitas, in authorship; he believes it is. Thisness is all through Judith Haire’s harrowing account. With her matter-of-fact opening sentence lacking the expected exclamation mark (‘The phone rang and I screamed.’), Haire opens up a narrative that is both compelling and horrifying.

 

Even bearing in mind the caveat of ‘reductionism’ in ‘autobiographical texts’ (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000, p.142), we find ourselves quickly and effortlessly taken into young Judith’s nightmare world, where she is a trapped witness to her parents’ loveless and violent marriage; and we find ourselves driven to read page after page, as her life unfolds with almost predictable results.

 

Although her narrative exudes thisness, her reality, on almost every page, she does glance at the supernatural world once (‘Just recently for no reason at all the framed photo of their headstone fell off my bookshelf’, p.18), but this merely acts to further illuminate her humanity, and so enhances the believability of her story.

 

Over all, this is a story of hope that celebrates a survivor, and also holds lessons for practitioners. It is not hedged about with apologies but paints a picture of a difficult life clearly and naturally (Strunk & White, 2000, p.70), avoiding jargon and ‘fancy words’ (Ibid., p.76).

 

Haire is clear when her care has fallen below par at times, and also clear when it has been beneficial. As such, I would not hesitate to recommend this book to mental health care professionals as well as to fellow sufferers, relatives and carers, and hope that practises benefit and stigma reduce as a result.

 

 

'Over all, this is a story of hope that celebrates a survivor, and also holds lessons for practitioners."

 

'For all mental health professionals this patient insight can help us to provide a good practice for our patients and understand what they are going through aside the mental illness.  This insight can also help other people whether they be sufferers  of mental illness or a family or friend of a person who suffers'

 

Inspiring and informative - this is recommended for all nursing professionals

 

Judith's experiences of human rights abuses, ranging from close family members to those of the 'caring' professions, illustrates the insidious nature from which little if any recourse is found.  It was simply her tenacity and determination that eventually pulled her through'

 

An amazing author delving into reasons for her descent into psychosis. This book makes compelling reading and is very inspirational

 

 

I can't say enough good things about this book - if you haven't read a book about psychosis or being in the mental health system, this is the book to read. Honest, touching and inspiring, it will blow you away.

 

Having experience psychosis myself, I understand our mountains are higher to climb than most people, but once we reach the top, we see more and become better people for it. Judith wants you to share her climb, but only to see the amazing view once you get to the top.

 

 

 

Gripping, harrowing and very brave account of what it is to experience mental illness and to overcome it

 

This brilliant read gives the reader an insight into the life of an incredibly brave woman, and also into the concerning state of mental health care in this country past and present. How Judith manages to live a relatively normal life with everything that she's been through is anybody's guess. A truly inspiring woman with a story of courage, determination and true grit.

 

judith Haire has been to hell and back

if you are stuck in your own private hell

read this book for inspiration

struggle on, find your way through

if Judith can do it, so can you

so can i!!! we will survive!

 

 

I have recently finished reading Judith Haire's book "Don't Mind Me" and I found it compelling if sometimes disturbing reading. The accounts of her poor treatment mainly by her father and partly her mother in her early years were especially harrowing and it is understandable to me that this scenario would lead to further abusive behaviour mainly by her husband Clinton in later years.

 

It struck me very strongly that Judith managed mostly to separate her domestic troubles from her school/college/work scenarios, mostly succeeding in all these external spheres of her life despite or perhaps because of the hellish nature of her domestic life, until it all became too much later on and even broke out into her outer world of work etc. when the psychosis reached critical point under such pressure.

 

She makes little mention of more purely non-practical what I would call "escapist" activities that could have perhaps helped release some of the extreme pressures that she was under. Mention was made of walking and swimming as being of some help, but with no great enthusiasm.

 

I was intrigued by her description of her major psychotic breakdown, the hallucinations and feelings that she had, especially the episode when she felt "out of phase", as I would describe it, the feeling of being out of your body and not being able to prove to yourself that you are having any tangible effect on the physical world.

 

All in all I think Judith has valiantly tackled a very difficult subject and helped to give a voice to the usually misunderstood 1in 4 of us.

 

 

It is always heartening to read accounts of recovery.  Judith's story is a valuable reminder that it is users themselves who have to shape their personal journey

 

Writing in vivid and candid detail Judith Haire shares her traumatic life experiences and her journey to wholeness.  Her work encourages a more compassionate approach towards understanding distressed individuals.

 

An extraordinary memoir, uncompromising and brutally honest yet full of hope and dignity. Very powerful, very compelling, beautifully written and with a contagious sense of courage, grace and determination - I was deeply moved by it. Judith Haire's beautiful book will be an invaluable resource not only for aspiring mental health professionals and those who experience mental distress, but to all of us who wish to seek and understand a true recounting of human potential.

 

Judith has told the very personal story of her mental illness with total honesty and clarity in her book. It takes you on a cathartic journey from the horrors of abuse through a fascinating personal perspective on psychosis and how we treat patients with mental illness, through to ultimate survival and success. An amazing book.

 

'Judith's journey back to health is both thought provoking and insightful.  I recommend this book to all those who are caught in the dreary slog of trying to cope with mental health problems.  It catalogues this and the more dramatic entry and exit from psychosis.  An easy book to read and one that shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel.'