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Sally, now aged 67, turned 35 before reaching a crisis point at which she was diagnosed as suffering from bipolar disorder. Having recognised as early as age 11 that 'something was wrong', she somehow managed to find strategies to hide the pain and loneliness of this illness all of her early life. She learnt survival techniques and found the strength to cope with its highs and lows until finally reaching the extremes of deep suicidal depression and hospitalisation. With diagnosis came a slow but gradual awareness of the real challenges of her symptoms and, with continuing professional help and medication, found the ability to live a fulfilling life. Having graduated from St Vincent's hospital in 1968, Sally worked as a registered nurse for the next 3 years. Married in 1971, she raised three children as a full-time mother before returning to nursing in 1991 for another 12 years. From 2007–2009 she worked with the Black Dog Institute's INSIGHT Program for secondary school students mental health awareness. She now enjoys her seven grandchildren, has discovered a talent for drawing and painting, and remains passionate about raising family and community awareness of mental illness and reducing the stigma associated with it.
Reviewed by Katelyn Hensel for Readers' Favorite
Pick Me Up: Words and Wisdom for Anxiety and Depression is a very easy read. When depressed, down, and lost, it's very hard to even find the motivation to get up in the morning, let alone to seek help. Sally Tracy's little words, phrases, and moments of wisdom are short and sweet. Each provides a quick punch of encouragement in order to spur those who might be depressed or anxious out of their shell and into reaching out for help. When I say short, I mean it, because some of these babies are one or two liners, but that doesn't stop them from being relevant, encouraging, and nice to read. Dealing with everything from medication to the doctors who help you, advice is overflowing in these pages. Hopefully this book will be a balm to someone in need, to someone who is at the end of their tether, and who will seek help and a way to get back on their feet.
One of the biggest fears you can have is to speak out and get help. Through the pages of her book, Sally Tracy encourages you not to be afraid to seek help if you need it and not to feel ashamed or guilty because of this need. Everyone needs a helping hand now and again, and this book serves as encouragement to find the help you need, whether that comes in the form of friends, family, a psychiatrist, etc. A quick read, but that is all that's needed in order to find yourself once more.
