Overview
A fresh, new-look film about how the mind can break, and how it can ultimately heal, BREAKING THE SILENCE is a profoundly personal story about psychosis and psychotic conditions. Devoid of the traditional cookie-cutter approach to tackling these difficult issues with a superficial brush, it will no doubt touch countless hearts and minds, no matter who you are or where you are in life.
"Author Dara Sanandaji delivers some truly powerful autobiographical writing in this heartfelt account of intense troubles that psychological disorders can cause us...Sanandaji portrays a fascinating and often highly emotional inner dialogue that resonates deeply on these wider themes, and I felt that the honesty of the author came through in these moments very profoundly. By the time you finish Breaking the Silence, it feels as if something very private and important has been shared with you. A highly recommended read."
"You simply cannot read Breaking the Silence without being transformed in a way. This refreshingly honest, highly detailed, and deeply instrospective memoir reached the deepest parts of my soul and left me significantly enriched with wisdom. Its deep questions, observations, and contemplations about life's contradictions and hurdles remind me of the most influential philosophers in history...Dara Sanandaji's story proves that nobody is beyond redemption, no matter how far gone they are...What a truly inspiring and educative experience!"
"It doesn't hold back in its intensity and coverage; it's what people need to read to understand the dynamics and what one person can go through mentally. It describes how the mind can crumble under pressure and circumstances, but it doesn't stop there--it shows how healing can take place...The general audience will find this book deep and informative, even those who don't deal with mental health issues on a daily basis. If you've ever felt on the edge of mentally breaking apart, or know someone who has, this book is for you and for them."
"Dara Sanandaji doesn't pull any punches in revealing the travails of his psychological burden to bring to the forefront the manifestation of his self-awareness. Sanndaji's grasp on the nature of his condition is both profound and enlightening...If man versus himself is one of the most powerful conflicts in fact and fiction, then Sanandaji's bout with his inner turmoil is one for the books...Breaking the Silence is an inspiring read, a confession of suffering with appropriate information for anyone to understand mental disturbance and the need to consider more perspectives."
Activities
Film Adaptation
film festivals
Description
At its heart, this film is an intense journey deep into the mind, how it can break, and how it can ultimately heal. The director and central subject, Dara Sanandaji, guides us through what it is like to experience psychosis from the perspective of lived experience, as well as through a sophisticated scientific discourse which features several esteemed and notable professionals in the worlds of psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, government, and anthropology. You will leave this film not only with newfound knowledge about psychosis, but it will also lead you to see those around you who suffer in a much more nuanced and compassionate light.
Additional Info
The film’s storyline tracks my own personal journey with a diagnosis of bipolar psychosis and includes notable figures from around the country and in the field, including Thomas Insel, former Director of the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health), Kay Redfield Jamison, one of the foremost experts on Bipolar Disorder in the world, Harvard, Stanford, University of Chicago, Northwestern, and Dartmouth professors, among other fascinating and incredibly knowledgeable individuals.
Reviews
“everyone in the world should see this film”; “I’m going to show this film to all my family, friends, and doctors so they’ll finally understand me–I can’t do it alone”; “I’m a nurse practitioner, and I’m showing this to all my patients–I now have a much better understanding of how these things work.”
