Do you want to find solace and meaning within the pain, the misery, and trauma of your mental illness? Do you want a deeper peace than you already have? Do you want to understand mental illness for the sake of family, friends, or just in general?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), research shows that mental illnesses are common in the United States, affecting tens of millions of people each year. Estimates suggest that only half of people with mental illnesses receive treatment. And this refers only to the United States. There are mentally ill people suffering similarly the world over.

I know firsthand the torment of mental illness. I have three different diagnoses. I have drunk very deep from the well of the agony of mental illness for over 35 years now.

And I have come to the point of acceptance, and of an ever-abiding joy that stays with me always and bubbles over, affecting the people in my life and giving joy to other people around me. People I meet feel it. And have no idea that major or clinical depression is one of my diagnoses.

And yet, I know that the pain of mental illness can lead to the ultimate act to escape the searing torture: Suicide. The NIMH gives us statistics:

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Reports, in 2019:

• There were nearly two and a half times as many suicides (47,511) in the United States as there were homicides (19,141).

That is horrifying. There is therefore no doubt that there is an urgency towards education on mental illness since it causes this amount of pain that is truly awful, and is many times beyond what is obvious.

A lot of people suffer without getting help. Many times because they don’t want to be judged or be stigmatized. Mental illness is also misunderstood by a lot of people who don’t have it. And it’s very difficult to explain to them. But I do it in this book, in the very best way possible.

• This book is a memoir. I write about my life and everything that brought me to this point, from my childhood till date.
• You will discover many things that will help you decide if you need to get help.
• I am an accountant and not a doctor.
• I overcame my "shame" about my mental illness because lives may depend on this.
• I have been asked by psychologists and my doctors and so many people I’ve met to write my story and help others immensely.
• You will also discover if you need to seek help for a family member or friend.
• As just a member of the public, this book will help educate and sensitize you about mental health.