The Sad Son: A true story about mental illness and a mother's love

This book is so well written! The author has an amazing sense of humor. Her book is written as if talking to a friend. I appreciate all of her words, especially those about finding help for the mentally ill in this country. Some parts of this book were difficult and heart wrenching to read. This author is the most mentally and emotionally strong woman and an amazing mother. She is an inspiration. I hope that this book helps to bring awareness, understanding, and positive change to the management of mental health issues in the world today.

This book was hard to put down. Claire you are a very brave and wonderful mother.I pray that Greyson continues to heal and lives a life that gives you some peace.God bless you and your amazing children.

So many people will probably relate to this mother’s struggles and she never gives up! She also includes humor to lighten the seriousness of her story and the challenges her son adapted to and overcame.

Great, sad, funny, read. All the feels in this. Thank you for sharing your story. I’m sure you have helped many others.

I read this book in only two days-because I couldn’t put it down. It’s the story of a Mother's struggle, raising a son with unfathomable mental health issues. It is a raw and brutally honest book, written by a Mom who was in the biggest battle of her life. She fought to raise her son the best that she could, with everything that she had. My heart broke for Claire and all that she went through. By reading this book you gain both insight and compassion for the mentally ill and for the challenges faced by their loved ones. This book was both funny and sad but in the end you know that nothing is stronger then a Mother’s love.

I loved her honesty. I admire her dedication. My son is the single caregiver for his 26 year old schizophrenic son. It's heartbreaking.

I’m not sure how I found this book or what pushed me to read, but from the first page, I couldn’t put it down. I’ve experienced mental illness from a distance and liked to think I understood it a bit, but BOY WAS I WRONG!!Claire has an amazing talent for humorously telling a heartbreaking story. If you ever looked at a mom with a tantrum-throwing child with judgement in your eyes or heart and this book doesn’t make you think twice next time, I have no words for you. This book reiterates what I’ve always known: you can’t judge a person until you’ve walked in their shoes. And really, you shouldn’t judge people at all, ever.If I could say just a couple things to Claire, it would be this:1- You are a real-life hero. I know, you were just being a good mom. But you’ve done more than that. You are the epitome of strength, determination, commitment, courage, integrity, patience and so many other examples of what an amazing mom are. Even having 2 of those things already surpasses half the parents I’ve come across in my 50+ years! But seriously, if no one has ever told you, you are amazing!2- You’ve shown your children, your family, your friends, and now the world, that mental illness is not something that happens to other people. It’s not always something that happens because of one’s poor choices. It’s not something one can avoid by being a good mom or living in good neighborhoods or having a good upbringing. It happens.And last, 3- thank you for being so brutally honest! Without singling out judgy people in certain positions, this is a sharp reminder for people to practice what they (WE) preach!! Thank you for sharing your story. Thank you for sharing Greyson. Thank you for going to places you probably would rather have buried in all those logs you kept, to bring awareness to an illness that gets far too little attention, explanation and understanding.I hope to one day read the next segment of Greyson’s story, and that life continues to move in a more peaceful direction for this family.

...an award for bravery!How she kept her sense of humor through the years of raising this young man is a testament to a mother's love for her child. Unfortunately, nobody will EVER love your child like you will, so even if you meet someone and they say, "I love him just like he's my own son," and you FEEL that it's true, the TRUTH is just the opposite. There is no way on this earth someone will ever love your child like you do.And don't try to convince yourself that you, as a step parent, can love your spouse's children the same as if they were your own either. You won't. EVER. It's nothing to be ashamed of. It's just how it is. And how it should be, really. That depth of love is reserved for our own children. It cannot be replaced, and shouldn't be. If Claire had to give even a small portion of the love she had for Grayson to a child that was not her own there's no way she'd have been able to do all she did for him...and that things would have turned out the way they did.I hope that anyone struggling with a child, no matter what age, will read this book and take some inspiration from it. No matter how hard it seems, don't lose your sense of humor, don't give up hope, turn to your friends when you need to (especially that one SUPER GOOD ONE that won't blame you for your child's behavior), DON'T ask anyone who doesn't have kids for parenting advice (DCFS is FULL of staff without children, which I find is a huge issue), stay away from judgmental people, ignore judgmental looks and stares (they don't know you or what you're going through), and eventually things WILL work out.Oh...and read this book!

Loved this book so much. I could totally relate on some level as I have a daughter on the Autism Spectrum. My mother also has mental illness. It was so refreshing to find a book about mental illness from a families point if view. So often we forget about what the families are going through as well. Well done Catherine on a fabulous book and thankyou for sharing your life experience.

This book made me cry lots, even after I had read it I was still had tears in my eyes.I have a 12 year old who has taken 6 years to get diagnosed with Autism. No body would listen,believe us or help.It has been so hard work, his new teacher helped within 2 weeks, finally we had a diagnosis.Hearing what you went through breaks my heart. We are constantly treading on egg shells. He constantly looses his temper, breaks things,is messy and not loving however gives good eye contact!I love how you are such a great mum, I feel I am but my son makes me feel the opposite.I am sorry about your marriage and hope your both good friends still.Please please write another book so we all know how your getting on and all your children.Thank you so much for writing this book and making me feel I am not the only one going through this.I wanted to jump in the pages and give you a hug and cry together and punch a few people in the process for you.I hope you are happy as you deserve to be, all the best xx

This was like reading about me. Some differences in that my special boy stop lives with me , and my husband who do not get on with each other at all. He is 20 now. He is a twin and my 5th child. My boy also has a line of diagnosed including spd, adhd, odd, bipolar. And I believe he has Autism too. He is partially dead with delusion and paranoia. Send I was a horrid teenager. But I have matured into a caring mum and man now and work for children's services.You are not a bad mum. We live lives no one but another special mum can understand. We are human and we have says where we have to put us first. Its important for us and for our mental health. Your memoirs are amazing. You have walked a perilous journey with your boy and other children. It affects every part of our being. I am saddened that you had so little support. I now work supporting others like us, I can be the judgemental listening support who can advocate support and give advice, something you so deserved.What an amazing story of strength and resilience. I really enjoyed reading your book.The book gives a true real life account of how our life is , how hard it can be and some days we need a hug. We don't need parenting advice and if we did we will ask for it.Reading this will open people's minds and hearts

If you read one book this year, read this one. I couldn't out it down. I am going through a similar situation with my daughter, not as extreme, perhaps but the last chapter gave me such hope. Hopefully she will also manage to find someone eventually even though she is refusing all help at the moment. Thanks Claire , I felt your love and fight for your son shine through every word. What an awesome woman you are. Thanks for sharing your story.

I wasn't sure if this was my type of book,once I got into it I really felt Claire's emotions and despair whilst still having a great sense of humour, it made me realise that so much of mental illness is not understood. I'm not sure how I would of handled having a son with so many diagnosed mental health issues, Claire you are THE bravest loving mother I have ever read about. I was so happy to read the last chapter and find that Greyson was getting the help he so desperately needed, what a heartbreaking story that you managed to find humour in ....I sincerely hope you have found some peace in your heart.