Sara Tomczak has released a deeply personal book, Does God Exist? Diary of Schizophrenic, now available on Amazon. The Glasgow-based author opens her life to readers, charting her experiences with schizophrenia, faith, and resilience in the face of turmoil.
The book began as a journal during what Tomczak describes as the most difficult years of her life. Formerly working as an accountant, she recalls the first unsettling signs of her illness emerging in her early thirties. What followed was a series of events that dismantled her career, her engagement, and her sense of self. In her own words, she initially interpreted her symptoms as “demonic attacks”, only later confronting the reality of mental illness
In Does God Exist? Diary of Schizophrenic, Tomczak recounts episodes of paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions that shaped her perception of the world. Her writing interweaves these experiences with a steadfast turn toward faith, documenting her search for meaning through Catholic rituals, prayer, and encounters with religious figures. She reveals how she at times viewed her condition as spiritual warfare, even as medical professionals diagnosed her with paranoid schizophrenia.
Much of the narrative is framed as a daily diary, capturing not only the turbulence of psychosis but also the ordinary rhythms of family life, moments of joy, and the comfort she found in religious devotion. Her parents, brother, and friends are present throughout the account, offering both support and, at times, conflict as they struggled to understand the illness.
While the story is anchored in her personal struggle, Tomczak also reflects on broader themes of faith, resilience, and the fine line between spiritual experience and psychiatric symptoms. She candidly writes about attending Mass, seeking out exorcists, and attempting to reconcile her experiences with her Catholic upbringing. At the same time, she acknowledges the impact of hospitalisation and medication, documenting both resistance and eventual acceptance of medical treatment.
For Tomczak, publishing the book represents more than recounting her journey. It is, she says, a means of helping others. “Although writing a book took time I am faced with biggest challenge now, promoting it and I need your help,” she explained when announcing its release.
The book is also an act of gratitude. Early in its pages, she dedicates her work to her mother, father, brother, and the friends who stood by her during her darkest moments. Through them, and through her faith, she says she found the strength to endure.
As conversations around mental health continue to expand, Does God Exist? Diary of Schizophrenic offers an intimate perspective on what it is like to live with schizophrenia. It captures the destabilising nature of the illness while affirming the human desire for hope, meaning, and connection.
Tomczak’s story stands as a reminder that recovery and resilience take many forms. For her, faith provided a lifeline. Now, through her book, she hopes to reach others navigating their own battles and searching for answers.