The Sorrows of Mental Illness

For some time now I have been meaning to muse about All My Puny Sorrows, another award-winning novel by Miriam Toews. As always with Toews it is well-written and honest and insightful. I "tabbed" a number of spots as I read because of the beauty of phrases or the thoughts expressed. Still, it took me weeks and weeks to read because the subject matter is so achingly sad. There are two suicides of loved ones in the book and this roughly parallels Toews life experience with her father and sister.

As I read I pondered circumstances with parishioners through the years as they felt helpless to make a difference with those they cared for so deeply. Those in the throes of mental illness have often been exceptionally gifted and bright and had "everything to live for" yet were tortured souls. As a pastor I sat with some of the individuals who took their own lives and realized early on that this is not about making logical arguments for living.

In Toews novel there is an indictment of a health care system which has a double standard, having expectations of active participation in the treatment process for mental health which are different than those for physical health. There is also strong frustration that family members who may know a person's patterns best, and who are expected to provide care once the family member is released from an institution are often shut out of the diagnosis, treatment, and return to the "real world."

Toews is not reluctant to portray religion as part of the problem rather than the solution. This can certainly be true, although I can say from experience that Christian communities I have been part of have provided loving and non-judgmental support for those affected by mental illness.

I would recommend All My Puny Sorrows but it is not for the faint of heart. To describe it as tragicomic, as one reviewer did, is painfully accurate.

Have you read this novel? Does it ring true with your experiences? Will you read it?