Brain on Fire is about the dramatic turn of events surrounding Susannah Cahalan and her unusual medical diagnosis. Cahalan was on the verge of great happiness and success in her life. She was establishing a serious relationship with a nice guy. Also, she began a rewarding career at a well-regarded newspaper publication in New York.
Yet at the young age of twenty-four, her life got flipped upside down when she learned she has a rare autoimmune disorder affecting her brain functioning. It started when she woke up in a hospital bed with no memory of how she got there. She was strapped to the bed without the ability to move or say anything. This was the result of problems with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, which caused her to have violent, psychotic episodes the previous month.
Before being correctly diagnosed, Cahalan was evaluated by multiple doctors who developed unhelpful theories about her failing health. Her autoimmune disease caused part of her brain to become inflamed, which inspired the title of this book. She eventually got the medical help she needed to recover and manage her disease, serving as an inspiration for many people.
