The Unholy Darkness

About the Book

“The Unholy Darkness is a true and wrenching look behind the mask of normalcy into the haunted heart of depression. Mental illness is not simply a disorder of the mind. It is an affliction of the spirit, the heart, and the body. This powerful book captures that. Rarely do we have a first hand account of the interacting and culminating forces that drive the relentless hold of depression over the course of a lifetime. Longitudinal in its scope, this account is both haunting and riveting. Told with keen insight, this is a chronicle of resilience despite the dark voices that discount both life and success.” Adrienne Barnwell, Ph.D., LP Lead Psychologist, Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare Clinical Psychology Faculty, University of Minnesota “With the riveting opening paragraphs of her book, Sheila Quinlan Williams draws us into the story of her life-long struggle with mental illness and her search for understanding of its roots. It is a moving, sometimes painful and shocking account told with intelligence, courage, and great honesty. Born into a world of privilege, of distinguished parentage with access to the best schools and society, she is nevertheless beset from childhood by nameless terrors. As a young adult, she experiences a complete mental collapse, leading to episodes of hospitalization and continuing psychological and psychiatric treatment. Her demons are never completely banished. The book is a dark portrait of disturbing family relationships, physical and mental torments. It is also a story of remarkable personal, academic, and professional achievements. The writing of the book is itself a testament to the author’s spirit and strength of will. Her first hand account is a significant contribution to the literature of mental illness.” Barbara Yancey, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate (ret), Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, California Institute of Technology

About the Author