Me, Myself, and Them

In college, Kurt Snyder became convinced that he would discover a fabulously important mathematical principle, losing hours daydreaming about numbers and symbols. In time, his thoughts took a darker turn. He became preoccupied with the idea that cars were following him, or that strangers wanted to harm him. Kurt's mind had been hijacked by schizophrenia. In Me, Myself, and Them, Snyder, now an adult, offers an unvarnished look at the challenges of recovering from severe mental illness. Yet his memoir is only half the story. With help from psychiatrist Raquel E. Gur, a leading authority on schizophrenia, and veteran science writer Linda Wasmer Andrews, Snyder offers practical advice on topics of particular interest to young people, such as managing the illness at home, school, and work, and in relationships with family and friends. In easy-to-understand language, the book also covers such topics as: The different types of schizophrenia, How a diagnosis is made, The psychotherapies and medications available to those with schizophrenia. A unique combination of memoir and guidebook, Me, Myself, and Them offers hope to young people struggling with schizophrenia, helping them to understand and manage the challenges of this illness and to go on to lead healthy and productive lives.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction, Mental Health. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.