Welcome, Silence: My Triumph Over Schizophrenia

This book is an autobiographical account of a woman's struggle with schizophrenia that she has had since childhood. It is also about her striving to become a physician and her miraculous cure through renal dialysis. Carol North vividly describes her hallucinations (auditory and visual), her delusional systems of the different realities and her being on the 'cusp'. The book shows her courageous attempts to make sense out of what is happening to her - hearing dogs bark through stethoscopes, seeing 'interference patterns' juxtaposed on her field of vision and being responsive to environmental noises. She talks about thought control, catatonia, self-medication as well as the tortuous side effects she had to endure as a result of neuroleptic medications. Most vivid is her determination and will to go on in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Even after being barred from her medical school classes after being cured (stigma, we assume) she tenaciously seeks and finds another medical school. She's currently a professor of psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine and has been symptom-free for 12 years. This is a very honest and eye-opening book of a first-hand experience with schizophrenia.

I've heard her speak, have attended meetings with her, and have interacted with her on a daily basis. I've also read her papers as well as this book. She is a brilliant, focused and remarkably authentic person. I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

I've always been torn over what I want to do with my education, but after reading this book I'm positve. Med school. On to psychiatry I go, and I have this book to thank for helping me make up my mind. The story of Carol North is gripping, you feel for her, and you don't really think of her as 'insane' as you read. I recommend this book. Don't just check it out from the library, buy it.

While it has been some time since I read "Welcome Silence", I have to admire Dr. North's intestinal fortitude in presenting her experience with an illness that may have been many sided. The biochemistry of other illnesses that are mistaken for schizophrenia have been elucidated recently. The observation that dialysis was curative in this case suggests a circulating toxin, which certainly could have been the case. As some people have said, "If you don't have the disease now, you never did." Wouldn't be the first time would be my guess, but I think Carol North MD was one of the first brave souls to put her experience in writing. The differential diagnosis of schizophrenia in this day and age must also include scams, in as much as there are people who say they can pay individuals to make someone schizophrenic. Rather a sad state of affairs, I should think. Joseph W. Arabasz MD Past Division Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology and Past Medical Director Respiratory Therapy, Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Ill. Diplomat, American Board of Anesthesiology

Anyone with a relative with mental illness will find understanding and hope in this work. It especially important to those of us with siblings who suffer with Schizophrenia.