Surviving Mental Illness author Linda Naomi Katz

What's it really like for those among us who suffer from mental illness?   Linda Naomi Katz, author of SURVIVING MENTAL ILLNESS takes us inside that often frightening and always confusing world.   Throughout her life, mental illness has played a big factor.  It started when her mother was diagnosed with acute depression when Linda was ten years old.  Linda did not understand what her mother was going through but it caused major chaos for her and her family. Her mother's illness had an affect on her too. Throughout high school and college, Linda was depressed most of the time because it was difficult for her to make friends, develop positive relationships, and even get a part time job. At the age of 24 she developed manic symptoms and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.   As an Orthodox Jew, Linda had difficulty maintaining relationships with people, especially men. Every time Linda would disclose her mental illness, men ran away from her.  Through those years, Linda realized with the help of her psychiatrist and therapist that life was worth living and that she needed to find someone who could understand he mental illness. As part of her recovery, Linda is now active in the mental health field, as a member of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and has published articles in New York City Voices, a newspaper that helps fight against stigma and other recovery stories pertaining to mental illness.   She is now happily married, a college graduate, and continues her work as a mental health advocate. Visit Linda Naomi Katz online at www.surviving-mental-illness.com.