(1888 PressRelease) A firsthand account of a paranoid schizophrenic’s courageous battle for a better life.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. – After she began experiencing hallucinations and other symptoms as an adolescent, Bonnie Twomey endured peer ridicule, family frustration, and ineffective medical intervention before she was finally diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. But putting a name to her demons was just the beginning of Bonnie’s journey.
In Sweet Freedom: Mending a Heart Broken by Mental Illness, Bonnie shares her struggles in learning how to thrive while living with mental illness. For her, it was an ongoing two steps forward, one step back process that demanded honest introspection, cutting ties with negative influences, and enduring a healthcare system that too often fails patients.
“Sweet Freedom is a raw, honest account of how I fought to overcome mental illness and live an independent, productive life filled with friends, love and hope,” explains Twomey. “It wasn’t an easy process, but I’ve found my place in the world. My hope is that this book will inspire others who are struggling by showing that recovery from mental illness is possible.”
The book also discusses Bonnie’s decision to participate in a study that resulted in the groundbreaking The Bonnie Tapes; a set of published interviews with Bonnie’s family members discussing her condition’s impact on them individually and as a whole. It was the turning point that gave Bonnie a new purpose: to be a mental health advocate.
Sweet Freedom can be purchased online through SDP Publishing, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other retailers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR — Bonnie Twomey is a courageous woman. Despite many life challenges, she found the strength to endure and battle constant struggles due to a life-threatening diagnosis and mental illness. She suffered days filled with managing health issues and ineffective mental health providers – a painful process she had to fight alone. Due to the uncaring negligence of her caretakers, she lost everything. To recover and live a healthy life, she moved to Gloucester, MA, and claimed the better things in life she fought for and deserved.
Bonnie and her family participated in the award-winning and highly acclaimed documentary The Bonnie Tapes. The tapes discussed her recovery from mental illness and how her family bravely dealt with issues surrounding Bonnie’s illness.
Bonnie wishes to continue to reach out to share the message that recovery from life-long trauma is possible and to help others find a place in the world. To learn more about Bonnie, visit bonnietwomey.com.
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