Growing up with schizophrenia, young Nicole Levesque thought it was natural. She thought symptoms like hallucinations, bizarre thoughts, and night terrors affected everyone. As a youngster, Nicole had certain compulsions she found difficult to ignore. She wanted to rock back and forth in a chair or walk round and round in circles, to calm down and feel safe. Her parents and teachers did not know how to deal with her. Her peers shied away from her and as a result, Nicole often ended up lonely and confused.Her problems continued into adulthood, when the depression and paranoia were almost too much to bear. It took many years of actively fighting her delusions before Nicole finally discovered the truth about her mental illness.Nicole is now an active member of a community that works toward better mental health. In Somewhere in the Dark Recesses, she shares her story and those of friends from Schizophrenics Anonymous, giving readers an even wider perspective of the highs and lows of living with mental illness. The journeys forward are inspiring, and Nicole hopes that anyone living with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other mental illnesses finds hope and comfort in her writing and the knowledge that you are not alone.
