Still Smiling, a memoir on surviving depression and suicide ideations

by Curlan Campbell

• Still Smiling is Mitchell’s lifelong journey and struggles with depression and sexual abuse
• Kindle version released 18 December 2022
• Paperback version released 27 December 2022

One of Grenada’s latest authors has published her new inspirational memoir, which aims to support individuals battling depression. It chronicles one woman’s 15-year battle with major depression and sheds light on how a few years of therapy saved her life.

Still Smiling, the 149-page book intimately tells the story of the life of 44-year-old Sorana Mitchell’s lifelong journey and struggles with depression and sexual abuse while acutely detailing her road to recovery and reclaiming her life from the powerful grip of mental illness and suicidal ideations.

“Still Smiling goes deep into my life experiences, and I did not want to lay it all out there as well. I did not want to unnecessarily hurt anyone, but I concluded that it was my story to tell,” said Mitchell. “[The book] takes you on a journey of my life from childhood in New Hampshire, St George, life after my father’s death, sexual abuse on vacation trips to Canada, dealing with suicide ideation thereafter, living illegally in the USA, marriage, mental illness and subsequent return to Grenada to start over.”

As a single mother, Mitchell who describes herself as a lover of music, avid reader and writer with a sense of humour experienced depressive symptoms as a teenager, but wasn’t officially diagnosed with depression until her late 20s. Since being diagnosed as bipolar in 2007, she has been on the antidepressant medication Aripiprazole, used to treat psychosis and depression. However, it was her experience of being traumatised after being sexually abused and the fallout that led her down that path of suicide ideation.

“Therapy was recommended after the diagnosis. The reality of trauma came out during therapy and I did a lot of solo work by reading and journalling and watching comedies, because laughter is medicine,” she said.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), depression is one of the leading mental illnesses while suicide is the second cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds.

“I was diagnosed with bipolar in 2007. I was not aware before. I want readers to know that though I live with a mental illness, I am a human being with feelings. It was a journey of acceptance of the diagnosis for me,” Mitchell said.

She recounted her anxiety when starting to write the book back in 2019, during which she considered discontinuing but slowly persevered until completing her memoir a year later. “It was tough being honest about everything. But I decided if I was writing a book, it has to represent me and what I stand for — truth,” said Mitchell. “Going through all I did, it’s easy to become cold, distant, cynical, angry etc., but I chose to build on the good and positive. I learned a long time ago from reading Reader’s Digest that laughter is medicine, so I chose that route.”

One of her inspiring moments to choose life was the day her daughter Sydney was born. She also credits her devotion to God as crucial in aiding her recovery. “I decided that it’s my life and that what I must do is heal and live it to the full. Also, when my daughter came along, I knew I couldn’t give up because without me she would have no one. At my lowest point, all I wanted was a chance to stand again and I told God, I will use all my gifts. I will not hide any. I made that promise, and so I’m doing that.”

Using her inspirational story, Mitchell uses her social media platform to inspire others through her Still Smiling Sessions. “I started Still Smiling Sessions which is geared towards getting my followers to ask and answer questions about themselves with the hope of getting help and living life to the full,” Mitchell said.

While the audio version of the book Still Smiling is still in the works, the Kindle version of Still Smiling, A Memoir by Sorana Mitchell was released officially on Amazon 18 December 2022, and the paperback on 27 December.

“I will announce it when it’s ready. Things take time. I have not released the audio version as yet so I have no feedback as yet. So far, bringing life to the book in an audio version is another form of therapy because I am bringing my trials to life. Certain parts are still emotional.”