Book excerpt: In the groundbreaking book, Clifford Beers tells what it was like to be institutionalized at a time when mental illness received little attention or respect. "A Mind that Found Itself" is Beers' own story, as one of five children who all suffered psychological distress and were all confined to mental institutions at one time or another. Beers, who wrote the book after his own confinement, gained the support of the medical profession and was a leader in the mental hygiene movement. "A Mind that Found Itself" has been an inspiration to many mental health professionals in their choice of a profession. It also did much to help the rest of the world see mental health issues as a serious disease. "A Mind that Found Itself" is an excellent read for anyone seeking to better understand, or treat, mental illness.