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I read A Note of Madness a little while ago and absolutely loved it. Flynn is a great character, and the story of his struggles with mental health is just fantastic. There can never be too much awareness, especially in boys/men.

This book was even more... emotional for me. I don't want to go into too much detail, but Flynn really reminds me of my boyfriend. The ending of this novel - while fantastic and honest - was not very comforting at all.

Jennah and Flynn started dating after the first book, and so in this book we alternate between the two narratives. Hearing Jennah's thoughts on what's happening with Flynn was amazing. I related to a lot of it.

In case you haven't heard about A Note of Madness, it's about Flynn Laukonen, a young uni student in London. He struggles with mental health problems and is misdiagnosed at first, but eventually correctly diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He suffers from extreme manic episodes, followed by severe depression. Fitting his music - especially competitions - around these episodes is quite a feat.

As I mentioned earlier, the ending is great. It was extremely bittersweet. I think it's good to be honest about things like this, though, and not just throw together a stereotypical happy ending.

In this book, Flynn goes through a few treatment methods. Following attempted suicide (which may be hard for some people to read about, so be warned) he is sectioned and sent to a residential unit for a month. He also has some issues involving his medication and the side effects they cause.

The most noteworthy thing about Jennah's take on Flynn's illness is her admitting that Flynn can be horrible and can hurt her sometimes, and it's okay to recognise that. Just because he is ill does not mean he is excused for harmful and mean behaviour. This is so important for anyone to realise when dealing with a loved one with any kind of mental health problems.

A really good book, realistic and reassuring but really quite emotional. 4 stars.
  
American Horror Story  - Season 2
American Horror Story - Season 2
2012 | Horror
So much gorier and darker than the first series, Asylum chronicles the events of Bloody-face, the twisted fictional serial killer of the 1960s. This is the story underlying all events in the series, but there is so much more going on. We are treated to a glimpse into the abuse and disgust of people suffering mental health problems, and the supposed treatments being dreamt up to deal with their issues.
The series also has aspects of demonic possession, alien abduction and so much more.
While there were some aspects I felt were left open (the alien abduction for one), and others were not explored quite as much as it could have been, I feel this should be seen as more of an anthology series, where a number of stories of mental illness all intertwine to tell one thrilling story.
An exciting, but at times uncomfortable to watch series with some excellent acting and writing.
  
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Ross (3282 KP) Jan 15, 2019

Thanks. In true rock and roll fashion, I watch this when I am ironing (pausing when one of the kids comes in the room) so it will take me quite some time to get through it all. I love the idea behind it though, exploring fresh ideas each series but with a number of the same cast members so you instantly feel like you know some of them.

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Amy Christmas (170 KP) Jan 15, 2019

Completely agree. Love the premise of it all.

I See Red by Geowulf
I See Red by Geowulf
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Geowulf (Star Kendrick & Toma Banjanin) is an Australian duo based in London, England. Not too long ago, they released an introspective alternative tune, entitled, “I See Red”.

“‘I See Red’ was written after an argument with my sister. The song was a realization that you are only ever your most raw, horrible self when you’re with the people you love to death and who love you.” – Star Kendrick

‘I See Red’ tells an interesting tale of a young woman who attends therapy to learn how to control her anger and mental health issues.

Apparently, she makes the same emotional mistakes and realizes it’s going to take some time to change her raging behavior.

Later, she admits that she’s only human and wants to be a better person, lover, and friend. But sometimes, she gets lost, and before she knows it, she’s seeing red again.

“I have been very proactive over many years in going to therapy. Talking openly about mental health and have constantly taken steps to control emotions, moods, and even my temper. Having a family history of mental illness, this is something my siblings and I have had a lot of awareness about. This song is about that process and what I’ve learned. The ebbs and flows of trying to be the best version of yourself.” – Star Kendrick

‘I See Red’ can be utilized as the trigger to your spirited response to any of the stresses which weigh you down.

The likable tune doubles as the first collaboration with Geowulf’s new writing partner, Justin Parker (Lana Del Rey, Bat For Lashes, Cloves).

https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/geowulf-i-see-red/
  
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Darren Fisher (2447 KP) rated Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007) in Movies

Dec 17, 2020 (Updated Jan 31, 2021)  
Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)
Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)
2007 | Comedy, Family
8
7.3 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Mr. Bean (0 more)
The tragic yet comical story about a man who suffers from acute mental health issues. After winning a camera and a trip to Cannes, socially awkward and mostly misunderstood, Bean is mistakenly accused of kidnapping a young boy. Little does Bean know that the young lad is the son of a pretentious, self-gratifying film director, who will stop at nothing to assure the safety and return of his son. Bean and boy head for Cannes on a deranged road-trip where each new incident strengthens the bond between them.
Although the films message is clear and isn't afraid to pull any punches, the interspersed comedy throughout is hilarious as it is touching (are we laughing because Bean is seemingly a fool? or are we laughing with Bean because these situations are actually funny?).
 It's sad to think that, even in todays times, that mental health is still misunderstood by many people and is upon reaction based on fear and a lack of understanding. The sons father takes on that role, whilst the son himself takes on the role of those that do not judge a person by their wellbeing alone. And, with all of Beans supposed misgivings, he does come through at the end. Thought provoking stuff to be sure...
Joking of course!
Great fun and a big improvement on the first film.
  
The Trouble with Goats and Sheep
The Trouble with Goats and Sheep
Joanna Cannon | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
6
8.2 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
A nice message but gets lost in confusion
The best part of this read was the author's afterword explaining how she wanted to highlight the stigma of mental health. Unfortunately it's hard to decipher that clearly in the book with a few wishy washy themes of religion and racism, and a heavy focus on gossipping neighbours.

The 10-year-old protagonist and her friend Tilly are heroes attempting to sleuth their way into finding the missing Mrs Creasey and as much as I wanted the entire book to be from their perspective, we were lost in the haze of irritating adults. A nice idea but not quite there.
  
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Sherryl Hancock-Author (1 KP) created a post

Jan 19, 2018  
Hi there everyone! I'm completely new here, so I'm still learning what to do and how to do it! I'm a writer of romance, I write both mainstream romance as well as lesbian romance. My books are published and can be found at Amazon.com under my name. I have three series out currently. My brand of romance is somewhat different from the classic romances, first of all there's action, I write mostly law enforcement, military or music industry related fiction. My characters deal with things like PTSD, mental health and violence against women. My female characters are ALWAYS strong women, I write them the way I want women to be perceived.
     
Turtles All The Way Down
Turtles All The Way Down
John Green | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.4 (60 Ratings)
Book Rating
Focuses on YA mental health (2 more)
Really well developed characters that you grow to care about
Great descriptions of the main characters and the thought processes behind their actions
A bit far fetched at times (0 more)
I absolutely adored this book. Ive read a few John Green books in the past but didn’t ‘get’ him the way others do. This is the first one of his books I have connected with. I really cared about what happened to the main character and her ‘boyfriend’. The book kept me riveted till the very end. I enjoyed the writing style and might now revisit Green’s other books and try them again.
  
I didn’t know what to expect from this book, especially after reading the beginning of the book that used a bit of profanity to get a point across. I am glad I didn’t stop and continued to read. The author shares with the reader her experience with health issues that made her re-evaluate her life; eating habits, stress, mental well-being, exercise, and habits. The approach is quite simple; listen to your body and your intuitions as it will let you know what you need to live a healthy life.

I was provided a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
  
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Bostonian916 (449 KP) rated Maniac in TV

Jul 10, 2020  
Maniac
Maniac
2018 | Comedy, Drama
This is truly one of the best, and most beautiful shows ever created. Jonah Hill and Emma Stone both step into roles outside of their respective "wheel houses" and completely nailed it in both cases.

Approaching mental health in film has proven a difficult task in the past, with some exception of course. But I've never seen it done so beautifully and with such a seeming of understanding.

I believe that this show is the best sci fi show Netflix has produced, possibly the best show it has produced overall. Please don't sleep on this one. It starts slow, but you won't be able to look away after a bit.
  
I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
2020 | Drama, Horror, Thriller
Acting, surrealism (0 more)
I thought about ending it...halfway through
Contains spoilers, click to show
It’s a month later, and I’m still wondering where this movie was going. Maybe I’m just not deep enough. Maybe my family was in the middle of a mental health crisis and I just couldn’t tolerate anything other than minimal plot and/or explosions. I liked the concept, but was disappointed in the end result. Summary: it was weird. By the time we got to the scene with the animated pig, I was pretty exasperated. I loved the music and the dance scene, however. So I just upgraded it from a 4 to a 6.