Nilesh Jasani's Reviews > Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us

In Strangers to Ourselves, Rachel Aviv explores the unique experiences and challenges faced by individuals struggling with mental illness.

One of the main lessons of the book is that each mental patient is distinctive, with a highly unique set of problems. Through a series of case studies, Aviv demonstrates the importance of personalized, individualized treatment, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

One of the book's strengths is the diversity of the six case studies, which showcase the breadth of issues faced by people with different mental illnesses over their decades of suffering. However, this same diversity also makes the book feel uneven, as it is difficult for readers to connect equally with every case study presented. Most importantly, the portfolio of the studies feels highly inadequate: the book could have covered more ground with at least four to five more examples.

Despite these limitations, Strangers to Ourselves is a valuable and thought-provoking read. Aviv writes with empathy and insight, and her depiction of the lives of the people she has handpicked is impactful. Overall, I hope that the debut author continues to explore these important themes in future work.