Mind on the Run:A Bipolar Chronicle

''Read this book and learn about the chaos caused by untreated bipolar disorder. Despite the extraordinary and loving efforts of his family over thirteen years, Scott Baker's bipolar disorder ruined his life; his downward course was aided by a completely ineffective legal system that continually protected his right to be severely mentally ill... Dottie Pacharis, Scott's mother, vividly describes the frantic experiences of families who struggle to get the mental health care that their family members desperately need and too often fail to receive. This book should be read... by anyone wanting to understand one of the most misunderstood crises of our time.'' --Susan Inman, author of After Her Brain Broke, Helping My Daughter Recover Her Sanity

''Mental illness is a disease like any other, but stigma and conditions inherent to brain disease give it a special quality. As you read this account, you will likely recognize that something like this could befall or is happening to your family. But how many who have struggled for years to seek help for a loved one are willing to write a personal account. It is our duty to read this book and think hard about what more we can do as families and must do as a society.'' --James Pavle, Executive Director, the Treatment Advocacy Center

''This book is a MUST read for anyone with a family member who has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. It is also for those in the judicial system, for advocates, and for medical doctors. Scott Baker's life did not have to end. Like many who have bipolar disorder, Scott was not only a highly intelligent person, he had family members who loved him, supported him in his recovery, and advocated for him. Scott did at times, lack insight... Dottie Pacharis... courageously outlines her own experience in navigating our mental health system. Unfortunately, the map for Scott's recovery was full of dead ends and wrong turns. {But the book also] offers hope: Hope to change the future for the next Scott Baker.'' --Kathryn Leib Hunter, Executive Director, NAMI of Collier County, Florida

Dottie Pacharis' book Mind on the Run details the tragic tale that can sometimes follow an individual diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Scott Baker's adolescence was much like his fellow classmates in his northern Virginia high school. He held summer jobs to help pay for his hobby, he was entrepreneurial, he graduated high school and was voted by his high school class most likely to succeed and went on to graduate from college with academic honors.


After graduating and a few years working for accounting firm in Washington, D.C., Scott's behavior begins to dramatically change. Pacharis' book aptly chronicles the turbulent life many living with bipolar disorder face. A life once set out on a straight path is upturned when the symptoms of mental illness begin to reveal themselves. Five months after his marriage, Scott's demeanor changed without warning. He became out-of-control and manic. His young wife stayed with him for five months before she finally left, unable to accept a husband with mental illness. Losing his marriage, his job and ultimately his life, Scott battled with the emotional and psychological journey faced by others with bipolar disorder.


Scott and his family's story mirrors one experienced by others living with mental illness. While the mental health system protected Scott's civil right to refuse treatment, it prohibited his family from helping him. This powerful account can perhaps show us ways we can improve the system and help those living with mental illness, while still respecting their rights and wishes. Anyone who has ever had a loved one experience bipolar will find this read hits close to home with its vivid depiction of the struggle trying to help someone you love. --Brendan McLean, NAMI Advocate

''This book is a MUST read for anyone with a family member who has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. It is also for those in the judicial system, for advocates, and for medical doctors. Scott Baker's life did not have to end. Like many who have bipolar disorder, Scott was not only a highly intelligent person, he had family members who loved him, supported him in his recovery, and advocated for him. Scott did at times, lack insight... Dottie Pacharis... courageously outlines her own experience in navigating our mental health system. Unfortunately, the map for Scott's recovery was full of dead ends and wrong turns. {But the book also] offers hope: Hope to change the future for the next Scott Baker.'' --Kathryn Leib Hunter, Executive Director, NAMI of Collier County, Florida

Dottie Pacharis is retired from a law firm in Washington, DC, and lives with her husband, George, also retired. They divide their time between Fort Myers Beach, Florida, and West River, Maryland. Since her son s battle with bipolar disorder, she has become an advocate for the mentally ill and a volunteer in family support organizations.