An African Living with Depression in America

This book is the story of an exchange student from Ghana, West Africa, who returns to the United States to attend college. He sees his admission and scholarship as a very good opportunity and a special blessing. However, just about two weeks after entering college, he succumbs to mental illness. As devastating and stigmatic as this is, he does not allow his adversity stand in the way of getting an education and leading a good life. With several episodes of the illness that could have destroyed him, his faith in God, hope for a better life, love for life, strong will and sheer determination, he finishes college and graduate school. He has worked hard, married and has three children who have flourished even though relapses kept coming. Stephen's thirty-five-year journey with the illness has taken him to several asylums both in the United States and Africa. Through hard work, Stephen has built a nice home in Ghana, bought a house in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and has never had an encounter with the police or been arrested and is always saddened that some crimes are always blamed on mental illness. Actually there are many mentally sick who suffer silently through derogation and stigma. Mental illness can affect anybody whether you are prominent or not, but it can be treated and transcended as this book indicates.