LOSING DAD, Paranoid Schizophrenia: A Family's Search for Hope by Amanda LaPera

Silver award recipient of IBPA's prestigious Benjamin Franklin book award in the category of psychology, Losing Dad, Paranoid Schizophrenia: A Family's Search for Hope is a compelling true story.

“Stories of heartache and loss are plentiful, but a true tale which makes the reader feel like a friendly ear on the other side of the table…sticks to the ribs.” - Ellen Eldridge, Target Audience Magazine

No drugs. No alcohol. So, how does a fifty-three-year-old develop schizophrenia? That’s the question puzzling Joseph’s family. Joseph’s mind descends into madness, filled with grandiose delusions and paranoia. He traverses several continents as a self-proclaimed prophet of God. Then he disappears.

His wife and three kids race to find answers before he slips away forever. Their biggest fear—he will die a faceless stranger on the streets. Alone.

If only this true story were the only one… Severe mental illness affects one in seventeen and can develop inside any mind at any time.

Includes a foreword written by Xavier Amador, Ph.D., founder of the LEAP Institute and author of “I am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help!” which describes the neurological condition of anosognosia; an afterword that covers laws related to mental illness; resources; book club discussion questions; and letters to the reader from the family members.

The perspectives of his three children, his spouse, and his own distorted reality combine to offer readers a glimpse of a world that will either feel hauntingly familiar or dramatically eye-opening. Valuable for clinicians, lawmakers, and the public to better understand how mental illness (and homelessness) impacts more than just the individual.

Joseph’s mysterious condition “anosognosia” (a condition in which a person who suffers from a certain disability is unaware of the existence of that disability) is examined in greater detail.

A portion of author’s proceeds from sales of Losing Dad will go to NAMI-OC, an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a nonprofit dedicated to improving lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.