Stop Paddling - About the book
The front cover hints at an inspirational and optimistic journey of discovery. It is this and more besides...
Text from the back cover... This book is unusual with its mix of story and logical advice. Parts of Roger's life are told as a short fantasy then expanded to reveal experiences, events and interactions in and out of mental health centres. He is diagnosed as suffering from Manic Depression (MD), which perhaps surprisingly allows him to make sense of his life. Roger utilises knowledge of memes together with self help tools to manage MD with respect to his career and family life. By omitting most detail of manic and depressive episodes the book is made compact and something that can be read repeatedly to fully appreciate that the world really can be seen in a very different way. Although primarily of interest to those involved with mental health issues, (sufferers, carers & health professionals) people with no direct connection with mental health have related with many of the book's ideas. |
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Stop Paddling / Start Sailing has been written for a much wider audience than those involved with a specific mental health challenge. The story and explanations will introduce for many a new way of looking at the world. The author's realisation that there was a different unseen driving force in all our lives was a turning point. This allowed him to dispel thoughts & feelings such as the stressful, "it all depends on me" and the other extreme "I can't do anything about it".
Roger Smith - About the author
Roger lives and works in central England. He has suffered from bipolar disorder (MD) since his teens, but went undiagnosed until 40 when severe episodes put him in hospital. His recovery involves understanding the illness and includes treating it by viewing the world from a different perspective. On this journey he has become a facilitator for self management training.
Extract from very beginning - before the story starts
Life is... How often have we heard a sentence start with these two words? Life is a minestrone, Life is a bowl of cherries, Life is a box of chocolates and so on. Sentences like this intrigue and may amuse but they do not seem to say a lot that helps us understand life.
At the other extreme biographies and autobiographies have been written that try to explain individual lives. They do just that, they tell us about an individual, but only a fraction of the book will be applicable to the reader’s life.
Another attempt at describing human life is the text book that tells us what the author has discovered by a combination of reading and living. For me the trouble with these text books is that they are usually too long and it can be difficult to apply this kind of science to real life.
An alternative to this is to put experiences and conclusions to date in the form of a short easy to read story and then where appropriate add explanations. I have read several books of this type and found they moved me. My intention is to tell my story in this style by putting my life initially in a fantasy world where unnecessary detail can be left out.
In telling my story I hope to better understand myself and have the reader, say, Yes, I see what he means. But as well as these obvious objectives I am also hoping my book will show those waiting to write a book about life that it is not necessarily difficult.
Extract from the start of Chapter 4 - after the main story
"If you have never:
- felt you had any problems with mental health and feel you have no risks in this area
- suffered from insomnia due to thoughts going around in your head
- doubted your beliefs, religious or otherwise
- had difficulty understanding why you do things.
- had difficulty understanding why other people do things
- wanted to understand why people do things
...then I guess this chapter is not for you, as you have no reason to change the way you look at the world."
Bipolar book ? You don't have to be bipolar to enjoy this book!
"I read it during one of my trips. I found it enlightening, understandable and enjoyable. I want to re-read it and give some fuller feedback. Now I am wondering about writing a book as well." Stuart R., Orleans, France
"This book is a window into Roger's thoughts. An inspiration in re-affirming that it is our own character, which will allow us to sail." Jance, Newcastle, England
"I found your book to be a very compelling read. I was able to sit down and read the entire book at one sitting which helped in understanding the meanings of the first two of the three stories. I have now passed the book onto my wife who has much less understanding of bipolar disorder than myself and it will be interesting for me to have her comments." G.P./Doctor, Lincolnshire, England
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