Henry's Demons

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On a cold February day, two months after his twentieth birthday, Henry Cockburn nearly drowned in the Newhaven estuary, compelled by voices. Meanwhile, his father, journalist Patrick Cockburn, learned from his wife that Henry had suffered a breakdown and was hospitalized. Shortly after, Henry was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Narrated by both father and son, this extraordinary account details the eight years following Henry’s descent into mental illness, predominantly spent in hospitals, and the family's struggle for his recovery. Patrick candidly chronicles Henry’s transformation from art student to mental patient, highlighting the challenges of aiding his son. Recovery hinges on medication, but Henry, not believing he is ill, secretly stops taking it and often runs away. Periods of stability are followed by frightening disappearances and relapses, yet there is a glimmer of hope for improvement. In his own poignant chapters, Henry shares his experiences of psychosis, describing the voices urging him to wander, the isolation of hospital life, and his journey toward recovery. Their intertwined narratives explore the complexities of sanity, madness, and identity, as well as the impact of mental illness on family dynamics. Haunting and deeply moving, this account resonates with anyone affected by mental health issues.