Title: A MEDIC’S MIND
Author: MATTHEW HENEGHAN
Genre: NON-FICTION, BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS, MILITARIA, PTSD, MENTAL HEALTH, INSPIRATIONAL, CANADIAN NON-FICTION
Length: 258 PAGES
Publisher: WINTERTICKLE PRESS
Received From: THE AUTHOR
Release Date: OCTOBER 30, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-894813976
Price: $25.96 CDN
Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
.
.
DESCRIPTION:
Matthew Heneghan weaves an intricate web that is his life, in a style all his own. Once a medic in the Canadian Forces and a paramedic in the civilian world, he has a varied and traumatic past. Facing childhood abuse, addiction, suicide ideation, incredible loss, mental illness, he finds himself left rudderless, Matthew chronicles his journey towards a better way of coping.
If you have spent time in the military, paramedicine, or just love devouring an exquisitely written tale, this book is a must-have. Learning how Matthew transitions from the stereotypical position of “hero” to becoming the hero of his own life is nothing less than inspiring.
.
.
MY REVIEW:
“At a certain point, the very best of humans will finally break, with long-lasting implications.”
– Todd McGowan, Chief Warrant Officer (Retired), Canadian Armed Forces
.
.
Sitting on the edge of an overpass, haunted by the demons of trauma and loss, Matt is ready. Ready to end his life, and along with that would be an end to his pain and suffering. However, when an ambulance passes on the road below, he realizes that he doesn’t want the EMTs inside to be traumatized because of him. He can’t bear to be the cause of someone else’s suffering.
Thank goodness he didn’t go through with his planned suicide attempt, or A MEDIC’S MIND would not exist and that would be a terrible shame.
This book might just be the catalyst for others who are experiencing the symptoms of PTSD to seek treatment – thus saving their lives, or at the very least, helping to identify and possibly alleviate some of their symptoms.
A MEDIC’S MIND is a memoir written by an extraordinary man who has served our country and saved many lives. Although I am sure he would disagree, it is my opinion that he is the very definition of a “Hero.”
So, if he is a hero, and a distinguished retired member of the CAF (Canadian Armed Forces) then shouldn’t his life be perfect? Shouldn’t he be happy and healthy in the knowledge that without him, many more families, military and otherwise, would be mourning their losses?
You might think so, but that would be a very simplistic view of what happens inside the human brain.
I don’t believe anyone who hasn’t experienced the trauma of war has the ability to understand the emotional, physical, or psychological damage such experiences can cause.
After leaving the military, Matthew became a paramedic which further exposed him to more and more trauma. It has only been within the past few years that our society’s first responders have had their psychological health taken into account and that it has been acknowledged that PTSD is not limited only to soldiers.
Matthew Heneghan may have been a fantastic medic and EMT, but his true calling, in my opinion, is writing about his experiences. In A MEDIC’S MIND, he opens his mind and heart and lays everything bare. The bravery this takes is monumental. In a recent blog post, where he writes about the suicide of his close friend, Matthew states:
“Living with a fractured mind can be torturous. Living with a fractured mind and a broken heart… that’s torture of the rarest kind.”
Matthew, at one point in his life turned to alcohol to cope and to try to fill the pain he was feeling. He is now clean and sober and still damaged. He has learned a hard truth which he shares with the reader, that just because you kick an addiction, does not instantly mean you are “cured.” Life can, and does, kick you in the ass, but you have to hold on, even if, at times, it feels like you are only hanging on by the tips of your fingers.
I truly believe that A MEDIC’S MIND is an important memoir. This book needs to be widely read and distributed.
I have read many biographies and this one is one of the few that will stay with me for a very long time. I wholeheartedly believe A MEDIC’S MIND will become a book that anyone and everyone who wants to understand the psyche of a PTSD sufferer needs to read. This includes others suffering from trauma, their friends and families, as well as those who seek to understand and/or treat this disorder.
I rate A MEDIC’S MIND as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and I sincerely hope that the author continues to blog and podcast and to speak out his truth. I think he is an important advocate for informing people about PTSD and it’s ongoing effects.
.
****Thank you to the Author for providing me with a free copy of his book.****
.
.
.
.
.
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/my-therapy/episode-47-matt-heneghan-37J4KhXwHlN
.
.
.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born in England, Matthew and his family emigrated to Canada when he was five years old. He is now thirty-six years old. Everything written in his book and on his blog are true.
Matthew was an army medic for 6 years and after his time in the army was finished, he became a paramedic for a busy city ambulance service. Most of what he writes comes from these experiences. The Good, the Bad and the Tragic.
He was diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and major depressive disorder in 2017.
He started writing his blog because he thought he was going crazy. Wanting to shout but not knowing how to do so. Not knowing where to direct it. So, this place, his blog is “Droplets of blood from an aching mind.”
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
http://www.amedicsmind.com
MORE LINKS TO THE PODCAST:
A MEDIC’S MIND – THE PODCAST
VOICE FOR MENTAL HEALTH COLLECTIVE
.
.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE VOICE FOR MENTAL HEALTH COLLECTIVE, CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING LINKS:
FACEBOOK
.
Amie's Book Reviews 