The Scar: A Personal History of Depression and Recovery by Mary CreganMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Mary Cregan is 27 years old and living in New York. She has a fulfilling career as a book designer and is happily married with her first baby on the way. When her daughter is born, she names her Anna, but almost immediately the newborn is diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. Anna dies two days later. The death of her baby causes Cregan to descend into a suicidal depression called melancholy.
This memoir is a personal history of the author's illness and recovery. Written years later, with the scar of her suicide attempt still visible, she chronicles the treatment she received for depression. As she weaves her narrative, she chronicles some of the history of mental illness treatment. Included are descriptions of asylums of the past, the advent of shock treatment, and how scientists have made advances in the study of mental illness.
I found this to be skillfully written and a hopeful story for anyone suffering from depression.
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