New Release: Sophie Blau's book "Greetings from the Psychiatric Ward

New Release: Sophie Blau's book "Greetings from the Psychiatric Ward

A little over a year ago, we spoke with Sophie Blau on the famPlus podcast. The blogger and today's book author has experienced firsthand what it means to be confronted with the diagnosis of "burn-out" and to live with the corresponding symptoms.

In her online blog, she has been writing about burnout since 2015. Now her book titled "Greetings from the Psychiatric Ward" has been published. Here, she shares her personal story. Openly and honestly. For those affected and their relatives, this can be an important companion to feel less alone. And that's why we take a closer look!

Sophie Blau knows what it is like to be confronted with burnout.

In the famPlus podcast "amPULS - imPULS," we talked with Sophie Blau in June 2021 about what it feels like to be truly burned out, what the consequences are, and what can help to find a healthy daily routine again. Why can Sophie Blau tell us something relevant about the topic? Not because she comes from a medical background. No. Sophie herself suffered from a full-blown burnout and experienced depression as well as anxiety disorders, including panic attacks. She has made her story public. What began as writing for self-help now assists many readers with their own problems on the subject.

Burn-out: still an underestimated illness

Your perspective is particularly valuable for those affected. Because burnout, the diagnosed exhaustion, is now a recognized condition, but it is defined as a Z-diagnosis in the ICD catalog (the international statistical classification of diseases and related health problems). This means it is a syndrome that appears in addition to a dominant illness. According to the WHO definition, burnout symptoms also exist exclusively in a professional context when assessing one's own performance. The fact that burnout often exhibits holistic dimensions that equally affect private life remains officially in the blind spot. This makes personal stories like Sophie Blau's all the more important when it comes to illustrating and acknowledging the effects of burnout.

Greetings from Psychiatry" as Inspiration

Sophie's experience report, with her completely subjective and unfiltered descriptions, is an important anchor for people going through similar experiences. Her new book "Greetings from the Psychiatric Ward" can become a true source of courage, and maybe even an inspiration. But let's start from the beginning: Let's take another look at Sophie's story.

The Story of Sophie Blau

In 2015, Sophie fell ill with severe exhaustion depression and anxiety disorders. After living life in the fast lane, being very successful both privately and professionally, and always claiming to have more energy rather than too little, her world suddenly collapsed like a house of cards. At that time, she was 27 – and suddenly incapable of doing anything at all. Even turning on her computer seemed impossible from one day to the next. She knew immediately that something was wrong. But she couldn't say exactly what it was.

On the advice of her family and friends, she decided to admit herself to a psychiatric clinic. Diagnosis: Burnout. What does something like that feel like? "Like a whirlwind in your head with thoughts, to-dos, and fears all swirling around you. And so fast that your head collapses," Sophie said back then in the interview.

The consequences included jumpiness, loss of appetite, concentration difficulties, attachment issues, lethargy, fears about the future, and physical complaints like hip pain. What helped her on her journey was primarily therapeutic support. But also a lot of peace and quiet. And ultimately, learning methods to make her everyday life more mindful and bearable.

In Sophie's case, writing was a very important tool that freed her from acute stress and panic situations, like a form of self-help. By writing, she completely transferred her thoughts from her head to paper for a short time and always felt a break from the draining whirlwind of all her thoughts when she did exactly that. This led to the creation of her online blog. Today, she is no longer just a blogger but also published her first book, "Greetings from the Psychiatric Ward – Burnout Comes in the Alphabet Before Happiness," in May 2022. Her autobiography.

This is what readers of Sophie's book can expect.

The book describes over 374 pages Sophie's three-month story in psychiatry from her own narrative perspective and includes profound thoughts, depictions, wishes, hopes, and ultimately also: glimmers of hope. In her book, Sophie delves deep into the world of the psyche and takes her readers on a journey in search of her own identity.

This is not only exciting for everyone interested in the topic, but especially for those affected. Because it helps to know that others are going through similar experiences. That this state of exhaustion does not stem from a personal deficiency that, according to still universal stigmas, is only attributed to "weak" and "incompetent" people. Rather, that burnout can happen to anyone, truly anyone. No matter what an apparently functioning life looked like before and no matter in which symptoms the burnout manifests itself individually.

That's why it's worth reading this book and getting to know the story of Sophie Blau better. Her autobiography is an important contribution that makes the topic of "burnout" more transparent and accessible.

Sophie's lifestyle as the best example of recovery and healing

Sophie has made a life change today. She no longer works as she once did in a PR agency with tight deadlines and multitasking expectations, but rather as a physiotherapist. She places great importance on a daily life that allows her to live mindfully, in the moment, and at a slower pace. She has learned to listen to her intuition and respond accordingly. And she finally says, "That's why my burnout is the best thing that ever happened to me.

Order the book online, for example from the BoD Bookshop or at your bookstore, and read the exciting story of Sophie Blue.

(last updated on 09/26/22)

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