The Price of Silence

Praise

Winner of The Books for a Better Life Award

“In this courageous, determined, radical book, Liza Long exposes the dearth of alternatives for parents of kids with mental illnesses, the shame that attends their perceived failures, and the hope that such families may find their collective voice and demand better options.  I hope her passionate cry is heard far and wide.”
—Andrew Solomon, PhD, author of The Noonday Demon and Far from the Tree
 
“Not only is Liza Long’s The Price of Silence an honest and inspiring memoir, but it’s an incisive indictment of what passes for a mental-health-care system in America—and what’s too often the result, mental illness leading to prison, not treatment. But The Price of Silence doesn’t only illuminate the crisis, it offers solutions—ones that can lead to healing.”
—David Sheff, author of Beautiful Boy
 
“Liza Long offers a lucid description of the myriad of problems that confound and perplex the average parent who struggles mightily to find answers and relief for their child. In the process, she charts a course that will provide an excellent guide for others on this difficult journey as they make their way through the maze of our current mental health care system.”
—Demitri Papolos, M.D., Co-Author, The Bipolar Child
 
“The most excruciatingly honest, portrayal of what it’s like to be the mom of a child with serious mental illness and how the mental “health” system gets in the way.”
—DJ Jaffe, Executive Director, Mental Illness Policy Org

“A parent can only be as happy as her unhappiest child. Liza Long’s heartfelt, brainy, and gutsy book eloquently describes the  great pain, but also the unexpected joys, of having a child who suffers from severe mental illness. I applaud her crusade against silence, stigma, and shunning.”–Allen Frances, M.D., author of Saving Normal

“Liza Long deals a powerful and devastating blow-by-blow indictment of how our mental health system has failed us.  Her courageous voice is an important call to action for a nation that has for too long ignored the true situation. A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the mental health crisis facing our nation.”
—Matthew Lysiak, author of Newtown
 
“The Price of Silence goes deep into the civil rights issues that parents face in getting appropriate care and education for their children. Liza’s ability to share the truth about her family’s experiences is changing history, making it possible for others to step out of the darkness of isolation. Courage personified, she is our Flawless heroine.”
—Janine Francolini, Founder and Board Chair of The Flawless Foundation: Seeing the Perfection in Every Child