TRACES OF MADNESS
Written & Illustrated by : Fernando Balius , Mario Pellejer Publisher : Graphic Mundi
A portrayal in graphic novel format of the author ’ s battle with auditory hallucinations , depicted as a monster , and his journey to understand and cope with his illness .
I want to share my story to understand what is happening to me .
Fernando Balius was a perfectly ordinary , if misunderstood , young adult — until he started hearing voices .
In Traces of Madness , Fernando describes what it feels like , both mentally and physically , to lose your grip on reality . His life spins out of control when the voices he hears inside his head , depicted in the narrative as a monster , work to destroy his self-esteem and , worse ,
ISBN : 9781637790700 On Sale : May 21 , 2024
Psychology / Psychopathology / Schizophrenia / Comics & Graphic Novels / Nonfiction / Biography & Memoir • Ages 16 +
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urge him to hurt himself . Various psychiatric diagnoses and prescribed medications do more harm than good , prompting Fernando to question whether stifling his voices is truly the right path for him . Throughout his experiences , he finds that his connections with others lend him the strength to survive .
Mario Pellejer ’ s moving illustrations bring Nando ’ s remarkable story to life . This raw and uniquely hopeful graphic memoir shows the power of community and understanding and encourages us all to push back in solidarity against the pervasive stigma surrounding mental illness .