Stay Alive
by Min Deng
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Non fiction: depression
and suicide
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB: In her brave and compassionate non-fiction book "Stay Alive," Min Deng explores the depths of depression and the ominous specter of suicide. She sheds light on the hidden struggles experienced by those suffering from this silent illness by drawing on personal experiences shaped by childhood mental and emotional abuse.
These pages are filled with moving stories about
people battling their own demons, struggling with thoughts of self-destruction,
or dealing with the grief of a loved one's tragic death. Min Deng bravely
breaks down the stigmas associated with mental health by exposing the invisible
chains that bind.
This succinct yet potent book illuminates the
complexities of depression with heartfelt honesty and unwavering empathy,
urging readers to understand the silent battles fought behind seemingly
unremarkable lives. It serves as a powerful reminder of compassion's
transformative power and that saving lives and healing broken souls requires
love, understanding, and empathy.
“Stay Alive” urges us all to work toward cultivating
mental health rather than ignoring it. It teaches us that by illuminating the
darkness, we can aid in dampening depression’s hold and giving those who are
suffering hope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:
Taylor came out
as trans to their parents on the Saturday following Thanksgiving in 2019 when
they’d just turned fifteen. They wished to take testosterone blockers and
estrogen right away, before their next birthday to maximize the chances that
their transition would be smooth and successful. Their parents were in complete
shock and disbelief.
In one of the
angry exchanges my husband and I witnessed between Taylor and their dad when we
visited them a few weeks later over Christmas, waving a kitchen knife defiantly
in Hector’s face, Taylor screamed in rage and condescension, “You want a son?!
Well, I’ll make sure you won’t have one!” The bitterness and resentment in
Taylor’s thundering voice scared me.
In the hallway
on the fifth floor of the psych ward, I finally released Taylor from my
embrace. It was time for me to say goodbye and exit the ward.
“Stay alive,
Taylor. Get well! Call me once you get your phone back. Stay alive!” I walked
away hurriedly and asked the front desk to buzz me out. Once I stepped out of
the hospital, I cried uncontrollably on the sidewalk, crouching next to the
brick edge of a flower bed, having a complete mental breakdown on the street in
Manhattan, keenly aware of the curious looks of passersby. But I didn’t care.
It would likely
be the last time I’d ever see Taylor. The eighteen-year-old teenager whom I’ve
known for their entire life, whom I’ve loved as my own child. The five-
year-old who clung onto me in terror, their sweaty small hand tightly holding
onto mine as their father screamed at them in rage, waving his big hand to
threaten to slap them on that hot, humid summer morning in Cozumel Mexico in
2009. I was no longer able to be the mental health advocate I wanted to be for
Taylor, to help them get the psychic care they desperately needed.
My heart
shattered in pieces; I felt utterly helpless and hopeless.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Dr. Min Deng was born and raised in Wuhan, China on September
11th, 1973. She earned a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2008.
As a developmental psychologist, she is interested in parenting,
child development, parent-child relationship, marital relationship, domestic
abuse, suicide prevention, gender and sexual identity, etc. This book on
raising awareness about suicide and its risks is her first of a series on
mental health she plans to write.
She is the founder and CEO of Mental Health CPR (MHCPR), a
non-profit organization that serves to improve quality of life by increasing
the accessibility to mental health resources. MHCPR does this through
education, advocacy, and the creation of mental health
resources available to all.
She lives with her husband and their beloved dog Coco in
Charleston, South Carolina. In her spare time, she loves walking on the beach,
learning to surf, hiking, traveling, listening to audio books, and fashion.
https://www.amazon.com/Stay-Alive-Min-Deng-ebook/dp/B0CJ5SQ8KY
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1144051363
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