Can Anybody Hear Us? One Family’s Story of Being Shattered by Mental Illness

by Casella, Sandy

• ISBN13: 9781989819111
• ISBN10: 1989819117
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2022-01-28
• Publisher: Golden Brick Road Publishing House

Summary

Can Anybody Hear Us? is the story of a family facing major obstacles when one of the family members suddenly suffers a psychotic break, and they look for help––without luck––within the mental health system. The story follows a ten-year period beginning with subtle odd conspiracy conversations that suddenly turn into bizarre daily practices to avoid the government from listening in on the family. Both parents are self-employed without insurance or disability coverage to fall back on, and one of them has a major mental illness––the other parent makes some tough choices. When the sound parent, Sandy Casella, reaches for help from the medical industry, she realizes that mental illness is not treated like other illnesses, and finds how extremely difficult it is to navigate the system. Adding in the stigma of mental illness further complicates the story as Sandy finds that there are very few people she feels comfortable sharing her family’s journey-through-hell with. At several points, she begins to feel that she is also losing touch with reality but without a financial or medical safety net, and a husband not coping with reality, she must keep going for her children. Tough choices such as whether to buy expensive medication, groceries, or pay the utilities complicate matters. At her darkest point, with no end in sight and unrelenting pressure from her husbands conspiracy theories, she considers suicide but can’t bear to leave her children in an impossible situation, so she keeps fighting. After he is forcibly hospitalized because things are getting out of control, the tide starts to turn. However, other members of the family realize that this has had a profound effect on their own mental health and begin to seek help to fight their demons.

Author Biography

Sandy Casella is a mother, grandmother, entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist who strongly believes in being environmentally conscious. Growing up in a loving yet dysfunctional home, Sandy left high school at sixteen to begin working. She has spent her life surrounded by family members who have struggled with mental illness and addiction, sharing her story is her way of reaching out to help others who are on this journey now or who are living with the fallout. Sandy believes that we are here to serve others in whatever way we are capable.