http://kimhodges.id.au/book daily 0.75 2021-05-24 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56300b82e4b0926a4a5ddf7d/t/564f8579e4b05717541c46a5/1448052090300/ Book 1 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56300b82e4b0926a4a5ddf7d/t/565147e3e4b03de1aca4ba56/1448167399635/kim-sig.png Book 1 http://kimhodges.id.au/new-page daily 0.75 2019-04-29 http://kimhodges.id.au/contact daily 0.75 2016-11-06 http://kimhodges.id.au/home daily 1.0 2019-04-29 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56300b82e4b0926a4a5ddf7d/t/56ab30781a5203d43356df36/1454059647534/Photos-kim1.png About Kim at 31 years of age Kim at 1 year of age https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56300b82e4b0926a4a5ddf7d/t/56a80f95cbced65a76486c02/1453854763709/kim-signature.png About https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56300b82e4b0926a4a5ddf7d/t/564ab523e4b03447e6253c31/1447736627048/ About https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56300b82e4b0926a4a5ddf7d/t/5812f10637c581f8dfa72dcc/1477636367021/ About Inverell Library, September 2016 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56300b82e4b0926a4a5ddf7d/t/56c0dc1001dbae152addfede/1455479859009/IMG_3952.JPG About Official Book Launch: 13 February 2016 at Sawtell Surf Club https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56300b82e4b0926a4a5ddf7d/t/564ab2b3e4b08784944f41ea/1447735993637/DSCF5200.JPG About http://kimhodges.id.au/new-page-1 daily 0.75 2021-05-24 http://kimhodges.id.au/book-2 daily 0.75 2019-04-29 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56300b82e4b0926a4a5ddf7d/t/5a667c0524a69492e7b578a0/1516665864144/Libraries-Image-+book+2.jpg Book 2 NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR (EXTRACT FROM BOOK) This book is dedicated to you, the reader, for seeking a greater understanding of mental illness. I have suffered significantly due to the severity of my illness over the past five years. In this book I lay no claims to being an expert, professional, clinician, practitioner or educator in the field of mental health. I have lived experiences of mental illness and an ability to put words into sentences. The content of my memoir is derived from: six lengthy hospital admissions at a clinic within a private hospital; Emergency Department presentations at a public hospital; engaging with health professionals; my informal research and own memories. Memoirs are subjective and may amplify and contract over time, dependent on the person and experience. Therefore family members, friends and health professionals’ memories of these events will vary slightly or significantly. My medical files were not released for my perusal as I had enough material to compose this memoir. Whilst juggling the balls of life I was debilitated by mental illness to the point that I could not function. This memoir captures: the denial, stigma and shame I have in my own mind about mental illness; the debilitating physical and mental agony of the illness; engagements with health professionals, and facing my own mortality. Sufferers from mental illness deserve excellent care regardless of the public versus private health debate, social status, income, gender, age, ethnicity, addictions or any other reasons. Mental illness was not in my life plan and I was unable to forecast or prevent it, nor do I deserve it. Mental illness does not discriminate. Therefore health professionals, family members, the media and everyone else should not discriminate against sufferers. No one deserves to endure what is written in my memoir. Only in retrospect can I gauge how unwell I am during an episode of severe depression as during episodes my irrational mind replaces my rational mind without warning or consent. My irrational mind coerces me to behave and think in irrational ways. This is the illness, not the real me. But ultimately I am responsible for my own behaviour whilst the illness has captured me. I hope whilst you read my memoir it strips you bare just as mental illness has stripped me bare. Nurture your mind. Writtten by Kim Hodges http://kimhodges.id.au/upcoming-events daily 0.75 2018-04-06 http://kimhodges.id.au/new-page-2 daily 0.75 2021-05-25