Reviews (6)

A Real Disservice to Millions of Depressives!
I venture to saythat, so far, none of the reviewers, or the author himself, has ever suffered the agony of the disease of depression. Yes, anti-depression medications are overprescribed. Yes, the pharmaceutical companies, and their advocates, do have a huge stake in their sales results. Yes, isolated instances of unwanted consequences and abuses do exist. Yes, there is much that is still unknown about many aspects of the origins and cures of mental illness. But the author, well-intentioned though he may well be, throws out the baby with the bath water. Where has he been these past ten years, a decade during which medical doctors (which he is not) have progressed to the imaging of photos of the human brain which clearly show the changes in the brain for people before and after they have suffered from the effects of depression. To say that anti-depressant medications, when correctly prescribed, do more damage to people than they help would be like making the same claim about insulin as it relates to people who are suffering from the disease of diabetes. Trust me as one whose life has been vastly improved by the judicious use of modern medicine: don't be fooled by the central message of this book. The quality of your life may depend upon it.

SHOULD BE A PART OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS'BASIC EDUCATION
This book should be considered one of the basic readings for an education in medicine, psychology, social work, nursing and other related disciplines. Because of it's profound list of references, the book is an irreplaceable source for every researcher of depression and psychosis. I have been involved for more than 20 years in developing new approaches for psychotics and patients with other severe mental crises. In our practice in Finland we noted that people are best met in their homes as soon as the crisis begins and that their families should be invited to join in the process from the very beginning and all analysis and conclusions should be made in the open, not by professionals in closed rooms.Our results are almost the opposite of current evidenced-based medicine recommendations: If antipsychotics were not used in psychotic patients, we witness much better outcomes. In the entire program only 29% used antipsychotics during the five-year follow-up time and, of all patients, 85% had returned to full employment. In his book Dr. Scott gives convincing evidence of how the studies behind the main stream treatment recommendations are invalid as they are manipulated in many ways. Dr. Scott's book will help professionals bring changes to current practice approaches and will lead to better mental health care for patients. I really enjoyed reading Dr. Scott's bold book.
Drug companieswantDr. Scott to go away!
I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Scott on my radio health show. He is not only a very knowledgeable speaker but a fine researcher that truly understands clinical trials. Dr. Scott carefully unraveled the tricks of the trade drug companies use to get anti-depressants and anti-psychotics approved and on the market.
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Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Chemotherapy    3. Depression    4. Depression, Mental    5. Drug Guides    6. Industries - General    7. Medical    8. Medical misconceptions    9. Schizophrenia    10. Side effects   

Reviews (1)

If you work with schizophrenia then read this book
I work with people diagnosed schizophrenic and intensely dislike the hopelessness engendered by this label and by the medical model treatment of these individuals.I also feel frustrated at the way medication is accepted as the key intervention for this condition despite its poor record at bringing about recovery.
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Subjects:  1. Medical    2. Psychology    3. Psychopathology - Abnormal    4. Psychopathology - General    5. Reference    6. Schizophrenia    7. Schizophrenic Psychology    8. Social aspects    9. Other Branches of Medicine    10. Psychology & Psychiatry / Pathological Psychology   

Reviews (7)

grounding, hopeful introduction to schizophrenia
I was looking for books to help my my brother with his newly diagnosed son. After reading two recommended books, which were testaments to survival, but described such horrific experiences, I found this one. The family has been trying to read books and we have just been devastated chapter after chapter. This is a very down-to-earth book. It replaces some of the frightening images of schizophrenia with more hopeful images.The information is clear, presented by professionals with impressive credentials and interspersed by different patients offering their experiences (onset, fears, medication, family response, etc.) It addresses obvious concerns in such a matter-of fact way. I particularly like the emphasis on schizophrenia as a disease that the person has. The person is not a schizophrenic but has schizophrenia.They are still the same person they always were, just with a disease. One of the patients expresses feeling lucky that she has a treatable disease and not some fatal cancer. We can absorb this book, the patients are wonderful. Very helpful, very hopeful. Just what we all need to read at this point in our experience.First review I have written, only because I think this book might be great for many others at the same point in their experience.
Excellent for both patients and professionals
I read this book a while ago.At the time I was working with a patient with schizophrenia.I shared some of the stories with this patient.The patient and I both were amazed by the similarities between (the patient's) delusions and those of the clients in the book.It helped me to better understand the world of a person with schizophrenia.

Book for the newly diagnosed and their friends and family
This book describes the journey of thirty five young people, who suffer from schizophrenia, from the onset of the illness to getting back into work or college. Their views are given throughout the book, which gives the reader a real insight into how other people with the illness have coped.
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Subjects:  1. Case Studies    2. Mental Illness    3. Psychology    4. Psychopathology - Schizophrenia    5. Schizophrenia    6. Clinical psychology    7. Popular medicine    8. Psychiatry    9. Social Science / Social Work   

Reviews (9)

Insightful though vague
Dorman's book illuminates the inner world of a young girl with schizophrenia. Although there are no cut and dry explanations given for how she ended up the way she did, the book illustrates how life experiences can detour someone from the norm when they have never been exposed to a different social dynamic.
absolutely preposterous!
I wonder if schizophrenia is a correct diagnosis for this woman, it sounds more like a personality disorder. Schizophrenia is a REAL brain dysfunction that up to now, doesn't have a "cure" and medications help some symptoms but the illness doesn't go away. It is irresponsible of a physician to attribute his sessions "curative" powers without any clear methodology. Pharmacotherapy is not about drug companies, is about quality of life, I wonder who can wait 20 years and see someone 6 days a week to "improve". Again I doubt this person had schizophrenia.

Valued contribution to psychiatric medicine
Dante's Cure: A Journey Out Of Madness by Daniel Dorman (Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, School of Medicine University of California at Los Angeles) traces the history of Catherine, a woman suffering from severe schizophrenia in the 1970s and was admitting at a UCLA hospital as an adolescent anorexic who was suicidal and heard murderous voices in her head. Dr. Dorman describe's Catherine's condition, her background, and moments of interpretative breakthroughs, and his work with her in resistance to collegial pressures to medicate Catherine. Dr. Dorman set up in private practice and continued his sessions with Catherine. Gradually she was able to begin a recovery, live in an apartment, attend college, and eventually qualified as a psychiatric nurse. Of special interest is Dr. Dorman's epilogue setting out his rationale in opposition to the dominant psychiatric view of schizophrenia as a "brain disorder" requiring medication. He persuasively advocates a humanist, patient-doctor collaborationist approach as illustrated by his years of work with Catherine. Dante's Cure is a welcome and valued contribution to psychiatric medicine and a recommended addition to personal, professional, and Mental Health Studies library collections.
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Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Case Studies    3. General    4. Medical    5. Mental Illness    6. Mental health    7. Penney, Catherine Louise,    8. Psychotherapy    9. Schizophrenia    10. Specific Groups - General    11. Treatment    12. Psychology & Psychiatry / General   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Cross-cultural studies    4. Mental Illness    5. Schizophrenia    6. Social Science    7. Social aspects    8. Sociology    9. Subjectivity    10. Medical anthropology    11. Psychiatry    12. Psychology    13. Social & cultural anthropology    14. Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural   

Reviews (1)

A valuable resource.........
Dr. DeLisi's book consolidates a lot of meaningful information about schizophrenia in a user-friendly, readable way.It is an important guide for anyone who knows somebody with this devastating illness and is interested in learning more about it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Consumer Health    2. Diet / Health / Fitness    3. Diseases - Alzheimer's & Dementia    4. General    5. Popular Works    6. Psychology    7. Psychopathology - Schizophrenia    8. Questions & Answers    9. Schizophrenia    10. Health & Fitness / General    11. Medicine   

Reviews (2)

Best of the Best
Every part of this book shares valuable information inreal life easy to use with an easy to apply format.This book is a must for anyone to read who is trying to understand why, and knows howhelpless you feel. When itseems that no amount of money can fix things, start reading this book andyou will find the sound principales along with alot of LOVE can providemiricles for YOU TOO!It will take you step by step toward the BEST OF THEBEST, quality of life, possible for you and your family. It has for mine.Share It with someone you love. God Bless

extremely helpful strategies for coping with Schizophrenia
Extremely helpful strategies for coping with Schizophrenia in the family.As a Social Work student in Jerusalem doing an internship with a population suffering from Schizophrenia, I found this book provided excellentstrategies for the families who must cope with acute or cronic attacks ofSchizophrenia within their families.It also provides concise, up to dateinformation and research on causes and treatments of Schizophrenia. I wasalso impressed with the organization and clarity of the presentationproviding a wealth of information and coping strategies in a simple andeasy to understand way. I highly recommend this book for the therapist andlayman alike. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family    2. Family relationships    3. Mental Illness    4. Psychology    5. Psychopathology - General    6. Schizophrenia    7. Schizophrenics    8. Coping with illness   

Editorial Review

Hot on the heels of an optimistic film about Nobelist John Nash's schizophrenic journey comes medical journalist Robert Whitaker's disturbing exposé of the cruel and corrupt business of treating mental illness in America. Read more

Reviews (56)

If the author only knew what it means to have a sick family member
As a psychiatrist and person with mentally ill family members, I can only bemoan all of the misinformation contained in this book. The truth is that many of the mentally ill in America do not get the treatment they need precisely because they believe the things said in this book, on tv, etc. As someone who has lived outside of the US and in the developing world, I can tell you that their mental health treatment pales compared to what is available in the United States and is much more primitive and coercive. Although it is true that many psychiatric medications have serious side effects, the consequences of living with symptoms of a serious mental illness can only convince you of how devastating that can be to both the ill person and his or her family. Furthermore, as someone who is also experienced in administering ECT, I can personally attest to the wonderful success rate of this treatment for persons with severe depression who have failed all alternatives and who would rather be dead than live out their lives. (And many, unfortunately, do decide on death as a last resort).
The shocking secret history of psychology finally reviewed
A wonderful book. Like the history of religious atrocity, most people are not aware of the history of psychology. I encourage people to read this book and other honest tellings of the history of psychology. The fact is that people have been, and in fact are still being tortured in the secretive psychiatric institutions. Basic laws of right to trial and sentence are being routinely violated. The casual use of four-point restraints is a cruel and unusual punishment that gives, most of the time a nonviolent victim, less room to move than an animal cage and is forbidden for even the most violent offenders in the prisons of earth. Some people are locked in these hospitals for months without any hope of a trial, not charged with any kind of illegal crime, and people in the hospital refuse to give out information to people trying to locate loved-ones and family members claiming to be protecting their privacy.
Bad Science Is Worse Than No Science
"Mad In America" is a movingaccount of the treatment received by the seriously mentally ill inAmerica.A tragic tale of an archaic, self-serving, and highly ineffective medical model of mental illness.A model that continues to persist today as the basis for the collusion among big pharmaceuticals, organized psychiatry, and managed care to increase the bottom line at the expense of the life and integrity of the seriously mentally ill.Most readers of this book will find it amazing that over 150 years ago, the institutionalized mentally ill actually had a better treatment outcome than we have today.It is also shocking to learn that the mentally ill in poor, developing countries actually have a better chance of recovering from their mental illness than their counterparts in affluent, developed nations.
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Subjects:  1. Care    2. General    3. History    4. Mental Illness    5. Mentally ill    6. Psychology    7. Schizophrenia    8. Treatment    9. United States    10. History of medicine    11. Mental health services    12. Psychiatry    13. Social history    14. USA    15. Science   

Reviews (3)

I am autistic
This book is about the bravest modern work on the subject I have seen.It takes real courage to stand up against the organized scorn of angry mothers of autistic children.Those women will want to kill you if you suggest that autism might be triggered by mistakes in child rearing, and might therefore be curable--or at least alleviated--through psychotherapy.Like it or not, this is what Alvarez is implying.Some reviewers think Temple Grandin is Brave???What a joke.

inspiring creative book on child psychotherapy
this book is not about autism but about being human as a therapist and the humanity of very disturbed children..it is about how the author learned over time that the kind of psychoanalytic therapy she had originally triedwith an autistic boy was not helpful - and how what she learned from thatchanged her ways of working with all sorts of disturbed children.Alvarezisa remarkably creative and honest clinican and a wonderful writer.

If you want to know what autism is like - don't read this!
One study of different methods of treatment and education for children with autism established that they did worse in psychoanalysis than in any other form of treatment. High-functioning people with autism are usually provoked to laughter or fury by reading psychoanalytic "interpretations" of their behaviour. Anyone genuinely interested in understanding autism should read one of the excellent first-person accounts written by brave and brilliant individuals such as Temple Grandin. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Autism in children    2. Borderline personality disorde    3. Psychology    4. Psychotherapy - Child & Adolescent    5. Schizophrenia in adolescence    6. Schizophrenia in children    7. Treatment    8. Child & developmental psychology    9. Clinical psychology    10. Paediatric medicine    11. Psychoanalysis & psychoanalytical theory    12. Psychology & Psychiatry / Psychoanalysis   

Reviews (1)

Excellent for health providers and caregivers
Excellenct source of information on the basic principles in conducting the psychotherapy of MPD/DID and the tranference and countertransference in the overall treatment of MPD/DID. For both health providers and caregivers.Read more

Subjects:  1. Movements - Behaviorism    2. Multiple personality    3. Multiple-Personality Disorder    4. Neuropsychology    5. Psychiatry - General    6. Psychology    7. Psychopathology - General    8. Schizophrenia    9. therapy    10. Neurology & clinical neurophysiology    11. Psychiatry    12. The self, ego, identity, personality   

Reviews (6)

Schizophrenia
This book was an excellent review of schizophrenia and I recommend it to anyone interested in gaining general knowledge about this severe mental disorder.

Great read
This book is very informative.It presents the most recent medical insights into the disease including the neurodevelopmental, genetic, neurocognitive, and brain imaging.I am schizophrenic and found it very enlightening to learn that schizophrenics typically have smaller brains and experience neurocognive deficits even when not in stages of psychosis.It gave me a more modest appraisal of appropriate aspirations for schizophrenics.

well-written and informative
Schizoprenia Revealed is a well-written and informative book about this often misunderstood illness. Michael Foster Green gives us some insight into some possible causes, what's physically going on at the neuronal level, the social and functional issues, the various treatments over the last century and much more. The content flows well and should be able to be understood by laypersons and professionals alike. It is not filled with incomprehensible jargon but is descriptive enough to convey the science behind the illness, it's research and treatments etc. I recommend this book to anyone who suffers from Schizoprenia, patient's families and anyone who is interested in learning more about the illness. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Mental Illness    3. Psychiatry - General    4. Psychology    5. Psychopathology - Schizophrenia    6. Abnormal psychology    7. Neurology & clinical neurophysiology    8. Psychiatry   

Subjects:  1. Mental Illness    2. Object relations (Psychoanalys    3. Object relations (Psychoanalysis)    4. Philosophy    5. Psychology    6. Psychotherapy    7. Schizoid Personality Disorder    8. Schizophrenia    9. Treatment    10. Clinical psychology   

Subjects:  1. Cognitive Psychology    2. Mental Illness    3. Psychology    4. Schizophrenia    5. Will    6. Cognition & cognitive psychology    7. Psychology & Psychiatry / Cognitive Psychology   

Reviews (1)

Who's on First?
While I found Shaddock's book interesting and well-written what intrigued me more than the book itself was trying to figure out whether David Shaddock is David Shapiro in disguise.... Is this a psychoanalytic slight of hand? An intersubjectivity joke? A post-modern name game? Whatever might be going on here, if you're interested in Kohut' Self-psychology, intersubjectivity theory and how they might be applied in couples therapy this book should do you fine. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Character    2. General    3. Pathological Psychology    4. Philosophy Of Psychology    5. Psychology    6. Psychology, Pathological    7. Psychopathology - Compulsive Behavior    8. Psychopathology - General    9. Psychotherapy - Couples & Family    10. Schizophrenia    11. Temperament    12. Will   

Reviews (1)

Boston University Review
"..offer .. hope for the future..presents his views without bias.. chapters are thorough and informative without being technical.. segment on grief touched on all its stages from shock to denial, from bargaining to anger, from guilt to acceptance.That these schema affect 'just about everyone' is a fact - how their effects help to define mental illness is the facinating part.The author goes on to help the reader understand his/her schema in various ways..powerfully presents a first hand accountof his own process to not only understand his schema but also reducing the effects they played in his illness.Another important segment has to do with journaling..the details of each excercise and how it can be used on the road to recovery is very enlightening.Throughout the book he evokes moments of anger, sadness, love and a host of emotions on his road to recovery.The reader comes away with the feeling of wanting to know more about his life." From Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, published by Boston University, Vol. 28 No. 2Fall 2004 ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Medical    2. Medical / Nursing    3. Mental Health    4. Mental Illness    5. Coping with illness    6. Medical / Mental Health    7. Mental Illness: A Guide to Recovery,Bob Bennett,Trafford Publishing,04-1126,041126,1-4120-3299-7,1412032997,mental illness,schizophrenia,bipolar,depression,borderline,personality disorder,recovery,schemas,grief,alternative treatments,the brain,plea bargai    8. Psychiatry   

Subjects:  1. Cognition disorders    2. Medical    3. Medical / Nursing    4. Mental Illness    5. Psychiatry - General    6. Psychology    7. Schizophrenia    8. Abnormal psychology    9. Clinical psychology    10. Cognition & cognitive psychology    11. Medical / Psychiatry    12. Medicine | Psychiatry & Psychology    13. Psychiatry   

Reviews (5)

For allinterested in learning about schizophrenia, how to seek treatment and how to cope with it
I stumbled accidentally on this book. Running a search through the online database at a local library branch, the title popped up on the screen. I cross-referenced it with the opinions of other readers from Amazon.com and decided it'd be an interesting overview of this incredible disease - schizophrenia.
A must read for anyone who is sufferer/friend/family of schizophrenia
A must read for all friends, relatives and sufferers of what we term 'Mental Illness'. Richard has successfully given of his own experience with his struggle through schizophrenia in a unique and vivid manner. He draws upon his talent as an artist/musician and the resource of the internet chat lines for fellow sufferers points of view and comments on what it is like to experience a psychotic illness. His drawings express emotions and a state of mind which words can not.
Recovered, Not Cured
This book was an excellent tale of one individual's experience with schizophrenia. This book includes artwork from the author to help illustrate the kind of torment he experienced. I recommend this book to anyone interested in or experiencing schizophrenia. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Mental Illness    3. Psychology    4. Schizophrenia    5. Specific Groups - Special Needs    6. Psychology & Psychiatry / Mental Illness   

Reviews (7)

Yeah, right *rolls eyes*
12 case studies, into 12 paranoid people.However, it doesn't take the most critical of thinkers to realize that Siegel may be embellishing the facts a little.
A real page-turner. Not boring at all...
This book is so exciting that it is hard to believe it is non-fiction at times. The author covers many different cases with literary mastery usually reserved for fiction writers. There are stories of Hitler's brain in a jar, crazy cokehead hallucinations, psycho killers and more. This is not your standard acedemic (read boring) case study. I read this book from cover to cover in about a week, very hard to put down. It is written for the layman, but in a way that it is excessible to anyone (including professionals in the field). I would recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in abnormal psychology.

Notes From The Underground
Paranoia starts with a whisper on the other side of the door. You stop and you hear movement and whispers on the other side of the door. Your hair stands on end.Read more

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Mental Illness    3. Paranoia    4. Paranoid schizophrenia    5. Psychology    6. Popular psychology    7. Psychology & Psychiatry / General   

Reviews (4)

Should be a required textbook for ALL health professionals
I WISH this book were in the hands of not only all mental health professionals but also family doctors, couselors , etc . . Finally an alternative medicine book that is good
Before I bought this book, I had read some pretty horrible "natural" books dealing with mental illness. Therefore I did not have high expectations for reading this book. I was very pleasantly surprised. This is a great book, and the scientific references are not bad either (most natural remedy-based books have either no references or unreputable references). I especially liked her section on the role of histamine in mental disorders. Histamine plays a much larger role in mental illness than the conventional doctors currently think. For example, only 20-25% of Americans have allergies, yet 85% of depressed patients have allergies---a four-fold difference, and very statistically significant. Histamine may also contribute to anxiety and ADD. This is elaborated in my new book, The Failures of American Medicine.

The best book on orthomolecular (Nutrition based) medicine
This book focuses on how to fight mental illness with up to date advances in nutrition. In the medical field this area of treatment is called orthomolecular medicine. While this field emerged out of research of treating schizophrenia with niacin in 1960's, today orthomolecular medicine offers very effective and safe treatments for large range of mental health conditions. The book covers a broad range of treatments from Vitamin, mineral & herbal treatments to issues such as cerebral allergies (food allergies that effect the function of the brain) and sugar imbalances. Out of all the publications on orthomolecular medicine I have read to date, this one stands out as the very best. This publication combines exhausted in-depth research conveyed in an elegant and well-written fashion. The rich presentation of the book arms the layman reader with knowledge that is far beyond the quality of any professional books on the subject.If I had to change anything about this book, it would only be the title; I would call it "natural brain healing ", since I find it very valuable to all mental illness. It is a real shame that mainstream psychiatry ignores these monumental advances in their own area of science. To them I say, wake up, and smell what is right under your nose. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative treatment    2. Consumer Health    3. Diet / Health / Fitness    4. Diet therapy    5. General    6. Mental Illness    7. Nutritional aspects    8. Psychology    9. Schizophrenia   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Buffalo    5. Family relationships    6. General    7. Mental health    8. New York (State)    9. Patients    10. Pediatrics    11. Sail, Lincoln    12. Schizophrenia in children    13. Schizophrenics    14. Biography & Autobiography / General    15. Family    16. Swados, Elizabeth