FiNDing Hope: The Mind-Body Connection and the Importance of Being Seen and Heard

by Jocelyn Bystrom

"A fantastic read"This is the remarkable story of Jocelyn Bystrom's seven-year struggle against a rare but growing, and largely undiagnosed, mental health condition known as Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), which triggered the author’s daily epileptic-like seizures, cognitive decline, thunderous headaches, and an inability to work, drive, or care properly for herself or her family.In a world where an estimated 26% of Americans ages 18 and older – or 1 in 4 adults – today suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder in any given year, millions of people worldwide may be struggling with undiagnosed FND. Indeed, experts who focus on this disorder estimate that the prevalence of FND may be more common than epilepsy.FND is an involuntary mental disorder that complicates the nervous system and interferes with the normal pathways by which the brain and body sends and receives messages. It includes a variety of physical symptoms. The disorder itself is triggered in diverse ways that include acute psychological trauma, physical injuries, and brain changes effected by other underlying physical or mental disorders. For Jocelyn, it was the sudden and egregious loss of a teaching job she loved and excelled at that led to a years-long cascade of debilitating health challenges.But that was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg – the roots of her FND onset ultimately sank deep into the soil of her childhood and drew on traumas relating both to her absent father and present, but emotionally unfulfilled, mother. FiNDing Hope is Jocelyn’s story of a descent into physical disability, childhood fears and courage, and of medical wanderings over seven years in trying to find doctors who could diagnose and effectively treat her disorder. It is also a story of faith and her emergence from this personal darkness toward a hopeful future.

369 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 19, 2023

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone who feels alone in their mental and physical health challenges!

This autobiographical tale reads both as a detailed look into what it is like to navigate an FND diagnosis, and an exciting mystery thriller as we follow Jocelyn through endless hurdles in the Canadian medical system.

Although FND is a rare diagnosis, I think the narrative in this book is relatable for anyone who is struggling with mental and physical health and feels alone or overwhelmed.

I also recommend this as a read for medical professionals and mental health practitioners of patients with complex histories. Jocelyn's descriptions of her experiences with lumbar puncture, psychiatric testing, and monitoring on the seizure intervention unit craft the perfect balance between analytical attention to detail and poetic imagery of what these experiences were like.

For anyone who grew up in British Columbia or Vancouver Island, there are also a lot of fun local references you will recognize!

[Jean Sautter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am another Hope seeker

The author brings readers along on a real life medical mystery.

Jocelyn is not alone in her struggle. I, too, left the Doctor's office with those 2 web sites hand written by the Neurologist I had waited months and traveled hours to see.

Sometimes I feel like I am a lab rat in someone's experiment. Sometimes I feel like a champion in bringing recognition of FND to the medical community. Other times I just miss the old me.

Thank you, Jocelyn.

[Terry Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read if you or anyone you know has mental health concerns, especially FND. I read this after my mom was diagnosed in 2017 with Conversion Disorder. She had very similar symptoms back in 1998 that went undiagnosed. Jocelyn’s remarkable and brave story really hit home.

[Sally Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book masterfully brings the reader into the powerful, sometimes terrifying true world of misunderstood trauma and how the author finds a path to healing.