BOOK: A Lethal Inheritance: A Mother Uncovers The Science Behind Three Generations of Mental Illness
AUTHOR: Victoria Costello
GRADE: A-
In this fascinating page-turner, Victoria Costello is forced to act as both memoirist and detective after her oldest son spirals into paranoid schizophrenia and ruins the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy her family has employed for decades.
In Costello’s family, mental illness was always there – but hidden always under a different name. Suicides were labeled as accidents. Alcoholism and drug addiction simply weren’t discussed. Everything in between was swept under the rug with only the most cursory explanation given. Even her own depression was labeled “the blues” and promptly ignored by her. However, once her eldest son has a complete breakdown – resulting in psychiatric institutionalization – Costello is required to search under these rugs for the biological factors that make up her (and her son’s) psychiatric history. This need is only further amplified when her youngest (and previously perfect) son suffers a meltdown and is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. In the end, all have lovely recoveries. But the secrets she unearths are unsettling to say the least.
Backed with solid research and groundbreaking studies; Costello’s story is moving and informative. She makes a solid and compelling case for knowing your family’s medical history – both physical and psychiatric. After learning what I’ve learned here, I know I’ll dig a little deeper into my own history. A must read for anyone struggling with mental illness or struggling to come to terms with a family member’s mental illness.
I can't wait to read this book. As the mother of a son who suffered from severe OCD, I often wonder about my family history. Sadly, all those who could possibly enlighten me are no longer here.
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