What Do I Do Until My Medicine Works?:
Managing Your Mental Illness
by
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James R. was a client whom I was first introduced to in 1987, when I began working at a local community mental health clinic in Orlando, Florida. James believed that he was a major share holder in a large mega company, and he believed that he was very wealthy. He also believed that the United States Surgeon General placed him on a helicopter when he was very young, flew him to Washington D.C., and gave him a bionic operation, and tattooed his stock number on one of his bones. Incidentally, James lived with his parents in a very poor, run-down neighborhood, which sometimes seems to be a precursor to these types of wealth delusions. James was a personable young man, and was able to function in society. Occasionally, he would walk into a physician’s office, and request an x-ray of his left arm, but he soon learned that these requests were not received well, and usually resulted in a conversation with the local police force, and sometimes a 3 day hospitalization in a psych ward. Over the years, I lost touch with James, when I left the agency that had employed me. In 2009, our paths crossed again when he was coming out of a psychiatrist office after a routine follow-up visit. He had a prescription in his hand, and he looked the same as he did 12 years ago, aside from his hair being grey. When I saw him, my eyes must have lighted up, as I was jettisoned into the past. I called him by name, and told him who I was, and inquired about his welfare, to which he replied that he was well. Wanting to both, impress him with my memory for details and establish immediate therapeutic rapport, I recalled to him his bizarre delusions that he had had so many years ago. He looked at me, gave me a knowing smile, and said “Yep, and it’s all true.”
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About the Book
This book is a must read for anyone who has a desire to understand what it must be like to experience mental illness, and by increasing our understanding of what it is like as a family member or friend of someone suffering from the debilitating impairments that affect our every day life. The book cites real life stories from the author that span his years of experience; Perry Klein has a writing style that brings to light his years of first hand experiences in the field as a professional Mental Health Counselor, and he has the ability to break down very complicated issues and Mental Disorders into every day language that is at times even humorous. Mental illness has never been written about in this way before.
About the Author
Perry Klein, MC, LMHC, NCC, CCMHC has over 24 years experience in the field of mental health treatment and has worked Inpatient, Outpatient, Substance Abuse, Residential Treatment and Crisis Assessment. He holds a Specialization in the Assessment and Treatment of Mental Disorders. During his career he has supervised a Psychiatric Crisis System in Southeastern Arizona and supervised teams of therapists covering four counties. In addition he has supervised the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program for the seriously mental ill population in Central Florida. Perry spent 18 months in the Middle East teaching First Response to Psych Trauma. He is a U.S. Army Veteran who served during the Gulf War era as Unit Behavioral Science Specialist for U.S. Army Alcohol and Drug Control Office. Perry is Double Board Certified in General Counseling Practice and in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Central Florida in 1987 and his Masters of Counseling from the University of Phoenix in 1996. Perry Klein resides in Longwood, Florida. He is in Private Practice, and currently serves as the Assistant Clinical Services Manager of Pasadena Villa Network of Services in Orlando, Florida.