Families need practical guidance, emotional steadiness, communication strategies, and the reassurance that they are not alone. The following books are offered as a starting point for mothers, caregivers, peer-support groups, and family advocates.
NSMoms does not sell these books and does not provide medical advice; this list is offered only as a supportive reading guide for families and caregivers.These books are generally available through major online booksellers, including Amazon.ca, although prices, editions, formats, and delivery times may change. Some titles may also be available through public libraries, used-book sellers, e-book platforms, or local bookstores.
Susan Inman's memoir describes her family's nine year journey to help her younger daughter recover from a catastrophic schizoaffective disorder. "Highly recommended" by Dr. E. Fuller Torrey author of Surviving Schizophrenia and described by him as "...one of the best accounts I have read of serious mental illness as told by a mother."
Susan Inman lives in Vancouver and is the best selling author of "After Her Brain Broke".
A widely respected family handbook explaining schizophrenia, treatment, relapse, medications, lack of insight, and the realities faced by families.
A practical guide for families whose loved one refuses treatment or does not believe they are ill. It introduces the LEAP approach.
A compassionate guide for families living with mental illness in someone they love, including communication, boundaries, and caregiver survival.
A narrative nonfiction account of one family’s experience with schizophrenia, family life, stigma, research, and resilience.
A mother-daughter memoir about bipolar disorder, told from both the caregiver’s perspective and the perspective of the person living with illness.