Patrick Cockburn

I read this book in a new edition (which does not show up here on Librarything) from ORBooks, in which Cockburn's 2005 memoir of catching polio as a small child in an epidemic in Cork, Ireland, is wrapped, or rather introduced, with his current musings on the COVID pandemic. He's a fine writer—I've read his political and war journalism in the London Review of Books and elsewhere. But I was surprised to find that most of this book is not so much a personal saga about growing up mobility-challenged as a polio survivor—who still managed to be a war correspondent—but a family history.

Quite an interesting family though, Anglo-Irish aristocrats, with many notable forbears. Although this particular branch of the family were mostly broke despite living in a grand (but decrepit) country house. Patrick's father was an important leftwing journalist in the UK, and his older brother Alexander ditto but here in the US for much of his career. Lots of recognizable literary characters show up (and lots of politifcal and aristocratic ones that I guess you'd have to be British to know of). I have a soft spot for Ireland and its history and ditto the UK, so I found it all entertaining, in a sort of Downton-Abbey-without-the-jewels-and-gowns way. But I was disappointed that it didn't really cut it as a memoir of living with polio. Maybe Patrick Cockburn is just too much the reticent (Irish-)Englishman.… (més)

Henry - (after years of hospitalizations) – “There is a tree I sit under in the garden in Lewisham which speaks to me and gives me hope.”

Patrick – (Henry’s father and well known war journalist/correspondent) – “His voices and visions may still call to him, but they are no longer sure of an answer.”

The story of Henry’s life with a schizophrenia diagnosis and subsequent hospitalizations and family turmoil is told from the point of view of both the father, Patrick Cockburn, and the son, Henry Cockburn.

The bulk of the plot development is provided by the father (about 80-85%), which makes sense….he’s a writer after all, and having battled his own ignorance and assumptions as to what a schizophrenia diagnoses meant, was better equipped to provide context and explanations. I also suspect that Henry’s writing at the time would have still been too disorganized (mimicking his mind) and/or prone to denial of reality, as his inner world felt so “real.”

There were some diary entries from the mother as well, that were heartbreaking in the depiction of the fatigue that goes alone with caring for a child, who is struggling.

Musings:

Cost - Henry was lucky he had family support and the British National Health Service (NHS) – Helping Henry was incredibly difficult even with the benefit of a public health system, supportive family, and a family with means - stark contrast to those who struggle with schizophrenia here in the US. Parents, often desperate to get help their adult children, bankrupt themselves emotionally, physically, and financially in the process.

Stigma – Many react as if schizophrenia is a death sentence, or have misconceptions that get in the way of providing assistance to families. It “IS” incredibly difficult to treat (medication non-compliance being the main culprit, but then add lack of resources and support, environmental community support deficits, drug use, etc. and the complexity increases), but some can stabilize with the right support system or in their 30s (by then, usually and sadly, too much has been lost). We fear them, yet it’s more likely someone struggling with schizophrenia will kill him/herself than kill someone else.

Spiritual awakenings – makes me wonder how many “visions” are a result of the brain just “hearing” our internal voices.

Interesting: The link between psychoactive component of marijuana and onset of schizophrenia for some – not a big deal for many, but if combined with a genetic predisposition and environmental factors, it can be a trigger for some. 🤔 Need to read more on this, as the book was published in 2011.

Opinions:

I found Patrick Cockburn’s description of auditory hallucinations very clear and straightforward (as his writing in general!)
I liked the book. However, to me it felt somewhat expiatory and descriptive. Don’t get me wrong…don’t envy these parents’ journey, but I wish I had heard more from Henry and how he viewed his illness and the world. Henry was never (may not still be) convinced that he was mentally ill, despite clear evidence that swimming in freezing water, sleeping under branches and bushes and waking up with debris, twigs and insects crawling on his body was not “sane.” Yet, I was fascinated and enthralled by Henry’s inner world where trees spoke to him and one-way communication commanded him to do things that were against his best interest. How disconcerting it must be when they no longer do….why would he “want” to be medicated and have that magic stop? Or was it more “If I accept hearing these voices is wrong then I’m truly mad” and that may have been too much for him to take.

Also….this “Henry” was not much of a danger (no matter how erratic and scary his behaviors and the anxiety and sadness it caused his family) to anyone but himself, but that is not the reality for many other families. You don’t want them to harm themselves but there is “risk” in harming others, even if not intended, when command hallucinations are present. It is a delicate balance. Unlike the Cockburn’s, who were able to “visit” with Henry, while Henry was institutionalized, (and this was harrowing enough!) many families have to “deal” with the outbursts, the self-neglect, the embarrassment and anger, the constant anxiety for their wellbeing, the police knocks on the door, the irrational behaviors, the inherent fears and worries when psychosis is induced and what does it mean at the moment, the aftermath in terms of depression, anxiety, anger, etc. This devastates families! The utter lack of support often leads to the choice of having to kick their son or daughter out because they need to protect the grandchildren from the parent’s onslaught of erratic and disorganized behaviors (or from child welfare agencies that could remove them) or because being in the same home can be impossible to manage.

Sadly, not much has changed in terms of community support or adequate facilities… (més)

I was expecting a more deeper analysis of the historical, socio-economical, and political roots of the current conflict, But this turned out to be a very short and superficial overview of the contemporary events surrounding the rise of the Islamic State. There is no historical insight here. This is more of a collection of detailed reports lacking cohesion. Patrick Cockburn, however is a good journalist and he manages to show how the US'S hypocritical policies had such devastating consequences in the midde east.… (més)