The son of Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Joan Kennedy, Patrick grew up in a high-pressure public arena which masked a world of private struggle. Many members of his family struggled throughout their lives with alcohol, in ways both known and unknown by the public.

Patrick has battled bipolar depression, alcoholism and drug addictions even as he won all 11 elections he ran, beginning at age 21 when he was elected to the Rhode Island state legislature. The stigma of “mental illness” meant that he could never publicly reveal any of his troubles, nor even speak of them with his parents.

Patrick was the youngest person in his entire family to win election to public office. He was elected to serve in the Rhode Island legislature in 1988 when he was a sophomore at Providence College. He served in the state House for six years until he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994.

Kennedy is writing the first truly revealing, intimate portrait of growing up a Kennedy, and coming clean about his own inner demons, as part of a major effort to de-stigmatize all diseases of the mind. After leaving Congress in January, he plans to launch a major endeavor to fight all neurological disorders, from addictions to PTSD to depression, among many others. Coming clean about his family and himself is an important first step in his initiative to help the millions of Americans who suffer from similar afflictions.

Commented Kennedy, “I realize that I have an enormous opportunity to turn my biggest liability — my illness, which includes addiction — into an asset to help countless numbers of Americans who quietly suffer and cannot afford treatment or risk telling their employers. That’s why I’m writing this book. I hope that by telling the real story of my own personal struggle, I can kick off my life-long mission: to de-stigmatize addiction and other neurological ailments, and break down the barriers between research and treatment of different types of brain disorders.”

Agent Philippa Brophy of Sterling Lord Literistic negotiated the North American rights deal with Bruce Nichols, Senior Vice President and Publisher at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The Company plans to publish in Fall, 2011.