David Shamszad

David Russell Shamszad spent more than decade battling untreated bipolar disorder and addiction to drugs and alcohol. Through treatment, radical personal changes, and support from his community, he found sobriety, self-belief, and success. He lives in the Bay Area with his wife and son and runs a real estate and investment company.

His harrowing memoir descends deep into the abscesses of spiritual emptiness—sometimes moment by moment in a visceral stream of consciousness—of a mind battling mental illness and addiction. I Am Someone You Know shows us that, even in the face of despair, we can always find hope, courage, and love.