The Second: A Memoir of Love and Commitment by Colleen Burns Durda

The Second: A Memoir of Love and Commitment by Colleen Burns Durda

“My split-second reaction told me I’d made a grave mistake…I’d taken a leap of faith and landed flat on my face.”

Reeling from the stress of caring for four small children and her marriage in crisis, a young woman impulsively dials the phone. On that hot summer night in 1989, the call sets off a series of emotional breakdowns, propelling her into the frightening realm of mental illness. This fast-paced memoir opens in the ER of a busy hospital, where the frazzled mother believes her healing mission will begin as The Second Coming.

Colleen Burns Durda details the events in her life leading up to the night of her initial decompensation and how the psychotic breaks recur many times in the intervening years. Discover how she learns to cope with an incurable, chronic illness while raising her family and advocating for herself as a patient in the mental healthcare system. is a hopeful book providing much-needed insight into an often misunderstood diagnosis.

Praise for The Second:

“Over the course of this vividly rendered book, Durda tells a courageously honest and harrowing story that features insightful coping techniques.” -Kirkus Reviews

“Beautifully written, poignant, and often very funny, this is a must-read story of courage and survival.” Mary, Amazon reader

“…A spellbinding account of living with bipolar disorder. The writing is vivid and the pacing spot on.” - Kristen,Goodreads reader

Colleen Burns Durda holds a BA degree in speech communications/public relations from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, MN and completed coursework through The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. She spent seven years as a volunteer peer facilitator for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) and strives to promote healthy attitudes toward mental illness. She lives with her husband in suburban Minneapolis.