The Day The Voices Stopped: A Schizophrenic's Journey From Madness To Hope

Ken Steele · Claire Berman

Aug 2008 · Sold by Basic Books

About this ebook

For thirty-two years Ken Steele lived with the devastating symptoms of schizophrenia, tortured by inner voices commanding him to kill himself, ravaged by the delusions of paranoia, barely surviving on the ragged edges of society. In this powerful and inspiring story, Steele tells the story of his hard-won recovery from schizophrenia and how activism and advocacy helped him regain his sanity and go on to give hope and support to so many others like him. His recovery began with a small but intensely dramatic moment. One evening in the spring of 1995, shortly after starting on Risperdal, a new antipsychotic medicine, he realized that the voices that had tormented him for three decades had suddenly stopped. Terrified but also empowered by this new freedom, Steele rose to the challenge of creating a new life. Steele went on to become one of the most vocal advocates of the mentally ill, earning the respect not only of patients and families but also of professionals and policymakers all over America through his tireless devotion to a cause that transformed his life and that of countless others. The Day the Voices Stopped will endure as Ken Steele's testament for all who struggle with this heartbreaking disease.

Ratings and reviews

An inspiring true story of a man who suffered from the worst effects of schizophrenia and yet emerged after 32 years to become an eloquent, effective advocate for himself and for all who suffer from serious mental illness.

Great read! So inspiring

Very insightful and beautifully written.

About the author

Ken Steele was, until his death from heart failure in October 2000, the publisher of New York City Voices: A Consumer Journal for Mental Health Advocacy. He was also editor of the Reporter, the monthly newsletter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill/NYC-Metro chapter, and spokesperson for the National Mental Health Association's "Partners in Care."

Claire Berman is the author of several books on family relations, including Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Aging Parents (1996) and Making It as a Stepparent (1986). She lives in New York City.