Surviving the Asylum

In this raw and poignant memoir, Michael recounts his harrowing journey through the psychiatric system and his struggle to find purpose after losing custody of his beloved autistic grandson.

After a suicide attempt lands him in a geriatric psychiatric ward for the third time in recent years, Michael finds himself cut off from the outside world and the grandson he raised for three decades. Facing abuse and isolation, he contemplates ending it all.

But a lifeline appears in the form of his vocal coach and support worker, who encourage him to channel his pain into art. As Michael discovers new passions in singing, painting, and poetry, he forges an unexpected friendship with a fellow patient that reignites his will to live.

This powerful story of resilience and reinvention shows how creativity and human connection can offer hope even in the darkest of times. Michael’s journey reminds us that it’s never too late to find a new voice and a reason to keep singing.

Born and brought-up the son of a chimneysweep on 1st October 1945 in ‘Auld-Reekie’ (Edinburgh). The smoky Lands of Fountainbridge in the two roomed top flat gas-lit near derelict tenement flat of his bedroom window view overlooking James Bonds, Mr ‘Big-Tam Sean Connery’s bedroom.

From first introduced to the roofs at four years of age then followed a failed education, exiting what was school at 14, no exams classified as illiterate.

At his 21st Birthday Michael McLenaghan was an accomplished chimneysweep, milk-boy, tank soldier and paratrooper. A qualified gasfitter, married and immigrant in the colonies, Australia then Canada again Australia, then New Zealand. Coupled with 30 odd years of unhealthy marriage and divorce, the next 30 years in the area of psychiatric care, Parkinson’s disease, manic depression, bi-polar, suicide, Lewy Body Dementia, Senile Dementia, strokes, vascular disease, vascular and Alzheimer’s Dementia, diabetes, frontal-lobe dementia and Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Years of inpatient hospitalisation, coshed-up with prescribed horrific drugs and finally, Morphine.

The author is now breathing, singing, painting, poetry and writing gigs, going to university and gyms. He is lecturing, researching on drugs, the brain and practising Psychiatry and Neuroplasticity. The author has already published two books Who Cares Who Wins and A History of Chimney Sweeping 1985. Surviving the Asylum is his third book and another one on its way and more.