Silent Heroes Explores the Plight of the Families of the Mentally Ill

Award-Winning Author Maureen Focht shares the personally poignant story of the 'loss' of her mother and the role that her father had forced upon him in her first book in Silent Heroes: Courageous Families Living with Depression and Mental Illness (ISBN 1-932279-18-0, $13.95, 224 pages). In this, her first work, she shares not only the story of her family, but the heartfelt stories of others who have elected to come forward with their stories in their efforts to help minimize the stigma attached to mental illness, which afflicts one in five Americans in some form.

El Dorado, CA (PRWEB) October 14, 2005 -- Award-Winning Author Maureen Focht shares the personally poignant story of the “loss” of her mother and the role that her father had forced upon him in her first book in Silent Heroes: Courageous Families Living with Depression and Mental Illness (ISBN 1-932279-18-0, $13.95, 224 pages).

In this, her first work, she shares not only the story of her family, but the heartfelt stories of others who have elected to come forward with their stories in their efforts to help minimize the stigma attached to mental illness, which afflicts one in five Americans in some form.

Silent Heroes, named a Finalist Award Winner from USA Book News-2005 in two categories--Psychology and Social Change--examines in a positive and sensitive manner the challenges faced by families dealing with mental illness.

From the age of 11, Focht began watching her mother become a paranoid schizophrenic—changing over a period of time from a loving, caring mother to a woman barely recognizable, even to her own family. And yet, her father’s commitment to her mother overcame both the stigma and the bias of the populace in dealing with Mental Illness. Love, indeed, earns its own reward. When others—even her children—could not communicate with her, Maureen’s Silent Hero—her father—developed an ability to enter her Mother’s world when simply no one else could

Many families have such stories—but simply have not shared stories of family members with Mental illness—they elect to remain “silent heroes.” Through the book, Focht emphasizes the importance of new and evolving educational resources available to families—especially children--to assist in understanding and contending with the challenges. Speaking to everyone when explaining the changes in family dynamics, she charts the evolution of the acceptance of treatment, and the need to recognize mental illness for what it is—a disease which, with treatment, can improve.

The book includes stories from families other than Focht’s—recognizing their own Silent Heroes or Heroines and the roles played in the journey of life. From defining the hero by his or her response--to defining the tasks at hand through persistence, resilience, compassion, fortitude and determination--Focht identifies the true gift that each Silent Hero offers the family unit, with both a look backward and credit where credit’s due: “At the end of the day, we may be thankful it is over, and grateful for the rest.”

Silent Heroes is available now online or at a bookstore near you, or may be ordered through www.thesilentheroes.com.

For additional information, or to schedule Maureen Focht for a speaking engagement or interview, call Alan Guinn, Publicist, at 1.917.224.6782.

###