Monday, June 15, 2020

To Cry A Dry Tear: Bill MacPhee's Journey of Hope and Recovery with Schizophrenia


Bill MacPhee's journey of hope and recovery is short of amazing. He details his journey in his new book "To Cry a Dry Tear" Bill MacPhee's Journey of Hope and Recovery with Schizophrenia." This book is an amazing read and if you are or if know of someone battling schizophrenia, this is a must-read, especially if you are a parent of a child diagnosed with schizophrenia.




To Cry A Dry Tear: Bill MacPhee's Journey of Hope and Recovery with Schizophrenia Paperback – February 13, 2014

by Bill MacPhee  (Author)



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Bill's childhood passion for swimming lead him at the age of 19 to the South China Sea where he began a promising career as a commercial deep sea diver in Singapore. The future looked bright for Bill, already living his dream. Five years later, Bill was living a nightmare. Pacing a psychiatric ward, trapped in a world of illusions, delusions, paranoia and depression, he was 24 years old and diagnosed with schizophrenia. Bill was hospitalized 6 different times, lived in 3 group homes and had a suicide attempt. If you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of someone who is out of reality, this is the book that will give you a clear, vivid understanding of schizophrenia. Bill has shared many of his original nursing notes as well as his psychiatrist notes and treatment regimen. Today Bill is known as a recovery expert, and he defines recovery as when you would not want to be anyone other than who you are today. Bill has helped thousands of people through his work and publications and will help you understand what you need to know about recovery and life with schizophrenia.


Product details


·         Paperback: 102 pages

·         Publisher: iUniverse (February 13, 2014)

·         Language: English

·         ISBN-10: 1491722711

·         ISBN-13: 978-1491722718

·         Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches


Bill MacPhee

Facebook Group "Helping Parents of Mentally Ill Children"

Tell your readers a little about yourself, where you grew up, where you live now, where you went to school etc. Let them get to know the personal you.

I grew up in a small town near Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Fort Erie was at the mouth of Lake Erie and across the Niagara River from Buffalo, NY, in the USA. I grew up swimming in the Niagara River and was a lifeguard at Crystal Beach and became a Scuba Diver as a hobby but later went to school for Commercial Diving and worked for a year in the South China Sea based out of Singapore. I was working on a drillship for Sea Tech International who was subcontracted by Marathon Oil.

What inspired you to author this book?

I was diagnosed with Schizophrenia in 1987 and was hospitalized six times, lived in THEE group homes, and had a suicide attempt. I spent five years on my parents' couch dealing with a deep dark depression. At the time, I was living in hell but knew I had a story to tell, and almost from day one, I knew I was going to write a book and knew the name was going to be "To Cry A Dry Tear" from the beginning.


Where did you get the inspiration for your book's cover?

The book cover has what looks like a tear falling into the water. The fact is that with Schizophrenia, you can develop a blunted affect and a lack of joy or an emotional blandness. Because of this, I could not physically cry, however, I was crying on the inside. The tears were dry; therefore, the title "To Cry A Dry Tear" and the cover has a tear falling into the water, which played a big part of my life.

Who has been the most significant influence on you personally and as a writer?

My biggest influence was David Kendrick; he was a mentor of mine who shared his faith with me and walked side by side with me on my road to recovery. Dave and his family befriended me and became my family and support. My own dad was also amazing, he funded my idea to start a magazine and told me that he believed in me, which was truly sincere and the most uplifting thing that was ever said to me other than the love of my life who thanked me for being me.


What were your struggles or obstacles you had to overcome to get this book written?

This book was self-published, and it was difficult to write because I wanted it to be perfect, which I am sure is common with all writers. However, I really wanted to give people an accurate description of my story and illness. I have a gift of making complicated things simple and explaining things so people can understand them. My friend John would try to capture things like depression, and I would say no that is not good enough; for example, I was in a deep dark depression for five long years. And day after day dragged on with nothing to do except pace and exist. I would say to John we need to make the reader really feel how long five years of doing nothing really is. It feels like a lifetime. Such things like that were a challenge.


Tell your readers about your book.

I was hospitalized six different times, lived in three group homes, and had a suicide attempt. I spent five years on the couch dealing with a deep, deep dark depression. In 1987 I was diagnosed with Schizophrenia, and in 1994 I started a publication called SZ Magazine. I did that for 23 years, and my book is an inspiring unbelievable success story that holds nothing back. It is raw honesty, and nothing is sugar-coated.



Who is your target audience, and why?

The target audience are parents who have a son or daughter with a mental illness. It is something that they can relate to, and learn a great deal. It offers hope, education, and understanding. As well my current work with my Facebook group, "Helping Parents of Mentally Ill Children," can be a great resource as well.



What do you consider your greatest success in life?

My definition of success used to be when I was in the corporate world that success is when you can do what you want to do. However, today I would say that success is to have joy and peace and to know that all is right in the universe. I purposely try to keep my life simple and stress-free. Some of my favorite moments are looking across the river at the Buffalo Skyline and watching the finches at the finch feeder and the sparrows at the sparrow feeder and the hummingbirds at the hummingbird feeder.

What one unique thing sets you apart from other writers in your genre?

I am not so different than others; however, my book is unique in two ways that most books about mental illness do not have. My book has my Doctor's notes, and my nurse's notes word for word. So it is unique in that way. Everything is documented. I am working on a second book called, "Over the Edge and Back," about people who have attempted suicide but who love their life today. It will also have a cultural flavor to it.