Voluntary Madness

Voluntary Madness (2008) by Norah Vincent. As a research project, Vincent had herself committed to three different mental health facilities over the course of a year. The first was a large public hospital, the second was a small private institution, and the third was a non-traditional private rehab facility. She paints an at-times-fascinating picture of what life was like inside each institution, what type of treatment regimen each adhered to, and how effective they were in helping her deal with her own (admittedly mild) mental illness. She also reveals the differences in cost between the facilities, and is frank in telling how she was able to pay. A very interesting book. Grade: B+