Inside the Nutshell

This is a real-life story told by the central character in a ten-year journey into mental health. That journey commenced when Kim found her twenty-year-old son hanging in his clothes cupboard. He had taken his own life.

Over the next ten years, Kim was hospitalised five times with schizo-affective disorder, experienced five psychotic episodes, as well as having very realistic psychic experiences. Each time she was placed under an Involuntary Treatment Order (ITO) and had to appear before a Mental Health Tribunal for release from the ITO.

The co-authors, Kim and Allan, directly witnessed and experienced that journey. We know that every journey in mental health is individual and not the same. This is not a self-help book; it is not a scientific or academic report. It is simply a journal written by two ordinary people.

We wrote it to help others who are on a similar journey to know they are not alone, and support is available. Also, to help family members, friends, and carers of those similarly affected persons that they know, better understand, and empathise with them on their particular journey.

We thought it might also help those studying medicine or psychology to better understand and empathise with their clients or patients. Finally, it might help mental health practitioners and policy makers in their difficult task of preventing suicide and delivering better mental health outcomes.