From One Encounter to the Next

Book excerpt: Despite scientific studies and years of research, mental illness still carries a heavy stigma. People dont like to talk about it or acknowledge mental illness as a real disease that requires treatment. Author Susan Cane has suffered from mental illness most of her life. She is no stranger to the judgments of others, but she believes it is time for things to change. In From One Encounter to the Next, she presents a collection of poetry and short stories exploring the day-to-day struggles of a person suffering from mental illness. Many of Canes pieces were written in the midst of her battle, while others were written in hindsight. Each piece strives to honestly communicate Canes road to recovery. Some of her words are sad and wrought with difficulty, while others strive for comic relief and inspiration. Mental illness is a constant state of hills and valleys; Cane can attest to that from personal experience. Mental illness is also an epidemic that needs to be confrontedwithout judgment, without stigma, and with patience, love, and hope.