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Summary
Summary
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most recognizable structures to define a modern city. Yet, for author Kevin Hines the bridge is not merely a marker of a place or a time. Instead, the bridge marks the beginning of his remarkable story. At 19 years old, Kevin attempted to take his own life by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge - a distance which took four seconds to fall. Recently diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, Kevin had begun to hear voices telling him he had to die, and days before his attempt, he began to believe them.
The fall would break his body, but not his spirit. His story chronicles the extraordinary will of the author to live mentally well in the face of his mental illness: bipolar disorder with psychotic features. With each mental breakdown, however, the author's desire to live mentally well-- and to be a mental health advocate-- pulls him from the depths of his condition. Kevin's story is a remarkable testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder to us to love the life we have. His story also reminds us that living mentally well takes time, endurance, hard work, and support. With these disciplines in place, those living with even very difficult diagnoses can achieve better lives for themselves and those who help to support and care for them.
Author Notes
Kevin Hines is an award-winning international speaker, author, and mental health advocate.
Kevin has been featured in the critically acclaimed film "The Bridge," on Larry King Live, 20/20, Anderson Cooper 360, Good Morning America, and Ireland's famed Tonight with Vincent Browne. He has been featured in hundreds of radio, film, and television media outlets. Kevin has written countless articles about suicide awareness/prevention and 'The Art of Living Mentally Well.' His articles have appeared in the San Francisco Medical Magazine, The Santa Barbara Independent, New Voices at Bay, the National Council Magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle, Advancements in Psychiatric Treatment, as well as many others. He was most recently honored as a Lifetime Achievement Award Winner by The National Council for Community Behavioral Health.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
At age 19, Hines nearly became one of the more than 2,000 people who have jumped to their deaths from the Golden Gate Bridge since it was built in 1937. Fortunately, however, Hines become part of a much better statistic: he is the 26th person known to have survived the 220-foot fall. The first-time author also found a reason for living after years of suffering without help from "bipolar disorder 1 with psychotic features." Now a well-known mental-health advocate, Hines presents a vivid and moving memoir of how he descended into mental breakdown, fought to overcome his demons with the help of family and medical experts, and has made it his "life's work to educate people all over this great country, and around the globe, to prevent suicide and understand mental illness." Hines doesn't go easy on the reader-he harrowingly describes his extreme paranoia, deep depressions, manic highs, hallucinations, and panic attacks. But he delivers a heartfelt message to other people who have undergone-or are undergoing-similar mental-health problems: "always find hope, a future, and the epic beauty in life." Agent: Dana Newman, Dana Newman Literary. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
Skilled international public speaker and mental health advocate Hines encourages audiences with inspirational presentations on the topic of suicide awareness and prevention and has been honored as a Lifetime Achievement Award winner by the National Council for Community Behavioral Health. This retelling of his own suicide attempt and road to healing makes for a quick read but doesn't bring anything new to survival memoirs. Hines's tales of schoolyard bullying and dysfunctional family life are relatively commonplace, yet his account is brave in detailing his jump from the Golden Gate Bridge. While there are suspenseful moments and Hines's recovery is inspiring, what's lacking here is visceral, descriptive writing and, unfortunately, not enough surprises to keep this reviewer engaged. Verdict This should appeal to fans of popular psychology and Christian inspiration, also patients of attempted suicide and their loved ones, who will find the select bibliography combined with Hines's insight into the suicidal mind helpful.-Chrissy Spallone, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Lib. (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Table of Contents
| Foreword | p. xi |
| Acknowledgments | p. xv |
| Introduction | p. 1 |
| 1 The Beginning Daze | p. 5 |
| 2 Initial Meltdown | p. 32 |
| 3 The Night Before | p. 46 |
| 4 The Bridge | p. 55 |
| 5 The Miracle | p. 61 |
| 6 The First Hotel Stay | p. 72 |
| 7 The Great One | p. 77 |
| 8 Breakdown City-Locked Up Again | p. 86 |
| 9 Big Dreams, Little Stage, and Unrelenting Psychosis | p. 102 |
| 10 Lock Down-Third Time's a Charm | p. 106 |
| 11 The Epiphany and the Gift | p. 116 |
| 12 Five Years of Happiness | p. 122 |
| 13 Moving in Reverse | p. 137 |
| 14 Chronicles of Redemption and a Modicum of Success | p. 143 |
| 15 A Decade of Change | p. 158 |
| The Art of Living Mentally Well-Most Days | p. 167 |
| About the Author | p. 175 |
