Eric R. Fraser

Living with Shadows Eric R. Fraser

In a society intrigued by what is out there, as reflected in Star Trek's opening line, "To boldly go where no man has gone before . . . " A shift in focus has occurred from what is "out there" to what lies within us. In the early days of our knowledge of mental illness, our discomfort with it was showcased by asking, "Who is responsible for causing mental illness" We accept the fact that mental illness does exist, but what does living with a mental illness, such as schizophrenia, look like from the inside facing out? Living with Shadows steps into the world that someone with mental illness inhabits every day to offer a no-holds-barred portrait of living with schizophrenia. This memoir of author Eric Fraser explores both the times when the disease wins-immersing him in the realities of hallucination and delusion-to sweet moments of victory, allowing him the clarity to live a full life with a family and a career. No mask and gown is required to come on this journey into the inner world of schizophrenia. Fraser valiantly struggles to prove that he is not his disease and that it does not define him. Living with Shadows considers how to live a full life with this disease once and for all.