Documentary: God Knows Where I Am: Did Anyone Watch?

GAQShopr53 · ‎07-27-2015

I watched this documentary on PBS tonight and literally was in tears by the end of the show. The story is about a woman name Linda Bishop who was mentally ill and homeless in New Hampshire. The documentary was produced around her journals detailing her journey in a vacant home and eventually leading to the discovery of found her body in that home.

Spoiler

A documentary film about Linda Bishop who became a prisoner of her own mind, a chilling account of mental illness and of our systemic failure to protect those.

CatsyCline · ‎07-24-2013

It was heartbreaking. I wasn't sure I would like it but found it sad, haunting yet fascinating. Linda just fell through the cracks, and the irony is she could easily have walked over to the neighbor and asked for help. She felt all alone in the world.

I actually googled to see if the journal had been released but i'm sure the family wants to keep the full content private except the exerpts shown in the film.

phoenixbrd · ‎03-27-2010

Our mentally challenged are falling through the cracks daily....so many sad stories. We need $$$ and the social consciousness to face this critical problem.

tockerman · ‎06-13-2010

yes mental illness is a big problem that is why we see so much gun shootings. and our congress wants laws. laws cannot save the people that need real help. God does care and is caring for his people right now. but we do not listen. We need to see it from Gods view not our own.

GAQShopr53 · ‎07-27-2015

@CatsyCline wrote:
It was heartbreaking. I wasn't sure I would like it but found it sad, haunting yet fascinating. Linda just fell through the cracks, and the irony is she could easily have walked over to the neighbor and asked for help. She felt all alone in the world.

I actually googled to see if the journal had been released but i'm sure the family wants to keep the full content private except the excerpts shown in the film.

@CatsyCline when the documentary started...I thought she was a victim of domestic violence and did not realize until the end it was about how she compared her treatment to that of domestic violence. It was sad and heartbreaking!

GAQShopr53 · ‎07-27-2015

@phoenixbrd wrote:
Our mentally challenged are falling through the cracks daily....so many sad stories. We need $$$ and the social consciousness to face this critical problem.

@phoenixbrd I agree the mentally challenged are falling through the cracks but this documentary also demonstrated how getting them the treatment they need can be difficult because of their rights to refuse to take the meds. Linda had a lawyer that fought for her and she believed she was not sick. It seems as if her sister did all she could do to get control and compel her to take her meds but her mind kept telling her that family was the enemy...all around there needs to be a better way.

GAQShopr53 · ‎07-27-2015

@tockerman wrote:
yes mental illness is a big problem that is why we see so much gun shootings. and our congress wants laws. laws cannot save the people that need real help. God does care and is caring for his people right now. but we do not listen. We need to see it from Gods view not our own.

@tockerman I agree and you have to watch the documentary to see how Linda kept writing in her journal and one of the entries was "God Knows Where I Am" and she wrote this because no one else knew she was hiding in that farm house. She was a captive in her own mind and was waiting on someone to come find her and that someone was a real person but would have never come to look for her. In her mind this person was her husband and when she realized he was not coming she would say that "God Knows Where I Am".

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

For those that missed it, you can watch the movie on the PBS website and/or on On Demand.

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

Really an incredibly wonderful insight into Linda Bishop's mind - and body, too. Yes, the story of her life is very sad, but the strength of her body as well as some parts of her mind also impressed me. Without her journal and without her will to live on, we'd never have known her.