hearing voices does not mean mental illness
589933
This is the best information I have received! 6 Hospitals full of doctors and mass medications later that did nothing to stop the voices for my son, this book is the foundation of why. I have been saying all along I think it is linked to trauma! not heredity.
This book helps to see the grand picture. in my opinion ALL medical personnel who have degrees or not can learn from this book if they have to deal or help those around them who hear voices.
Stop the pharmaceutical companies from making massive $ from over medicating of MD's who don't know what to do and learn how to help the core reason why those hearing voices do.
Many stop learning and just hold a money making title and gave up on helping others. This is the very best tool I have found yet. Yes the US is behind compared to the UK and Europe in mental health care.
4162429
It is obvious that Dr. Baker has never been an Alcoholic . The same thing applies to Psychiatrist who diagnose the symptoms of Schizophrenics they have no idea about what actually happens within the Mind within the Body or any other part of that which is known to be a Human Being even with all their technology & Brain scanners etc . I am & have been both as well as other Diagnosed Names given by professionals . Should the realities of such sufferers be revealed the ability to explain would be an impossibility as their is nothing known that can describe such experiences . If any want to know the truth they would need to experience for One's Own self and all will find that none have the same experience as all of the Human Race or Family of Man are Individuals & all have a different Journey with LIFE in TIME ...
900296
I have just begun to read this work.  In the beginning I was very interested to know that it is not intended to be a religious study or even ethical/morality.  But actually a mental health topic that could apply to almost anyone.
3778968
The author seems too eloquent and well-adjusted to be autistic, but seems to understand autistic minds well enough that he must have some ability to think autistically. He was clearly autistic as a child, but seems harder to classify now (he mentions people who think he's no longer autistic, and helps us understand why his personality doesn't fit into a standard stereotype).

He provides clear descriptions of how several minds that he studies differ from average minds and from each other. For examples, he describes how perceptual differences prevent one person from understanding ordinary instructions for how to identify a bus stop. Yet that person was quite capable of finding an alternate way to identify it after studying the problem enough. And his realization that people treat conversation as performance, with the entertainment value being more important than the information being exchanged.
92182
Bebe Moore Campbell's book addresses a few issue of mental illness. One being that it is often denied by family members.  Second our system of health care is not always conducive in supporting the families and those plagued by the beast of mental illness. Thirdly how law enforcement agencies have not found a way to address the problem of a mentally ill person during a psychotic episode without harming the individual.
Bebe Moore Campbell is clearly an advocate of mental illness.  Although she writes as if she has had some dealings in one shape or form of this illness, she does not specify.  Even though this is a fictional account, one can get a real sense of the desperations, frustrations and uncertainty of dealing with a love one that is plagued by this beast.

This is certainly a great read, for those who are curious and would like to learn how mental illness is addressed and for those who suffer from this illness.
gloria kaiser
(...)
1499048
This is not quite an entertainment, so those who look for "hot stories about crazy people" will probably be a little disappointed. The author does not display people in distress like they are in a human circus; he tells their stories in a compassionate manner with respect for who they are and where they came from. Those who look for serious discussions of particular disorders, or medications, or health care system will also be disappointed. This is not a textbook or a diagnostic manual.
Psych ER is a highly stressful environment with insanity pushed to its limits; patients represent a danger to self, or others, and to keep oneself not just calm and professional but respectful and sensitive to others' pain is a gift.
I like how Dr. Linde places the main focus on his patients and the hospital/city environment, not himself; this allows seeing unfolding dramatic stories in a context of a bigger picture of current medical/urban reality. At the same time, there is a strong author's presence in each story and his personality gradually reveals itself through little phrases, observations, and humor.
I enjoyed every story and I highly recommend this book to those who are in the process of becoming mental health professionals or just curious what it is like to be a psych doctor in ER.
701323
You all know autism isn't curable, don't you?  Instead of wasting money on this, why not seek out the voices of actually autistic people to properly find out about it. There are plenty of great resources out there but this isn't one of them.
2554945
A good read for family members or colleagues of someone that has had psychotic or schizophrenic break.  Unlike depression, people that suffer with this type of mental illness rarely ask or seek help.  In fact, they often refuse it and will not take prescribed drugs on a consistent basis.  It is hard to understand how they can believe they are normal and they challenge us to wonder what "normal" really is sometimes.  This book provides understanding and also strategies to help move a family member or colleague towards help and support.
3603289
I am a counselor myself, trained in Family Therapy. This is not the first book of Lowen's that I had read, but when I read it, I realized that I must practice from Lowen's point of view. Most depressed people (and I have been one) are told that their depression is a mental mistake and that they need to 'think better' to feel better. But as Lowen shows, thinking is not the problem. Sure, cognitive distortions arise, but they are the mind's best effort to understand very painful feelings that are real and that also are reflected in the state of the body. When a therapist identifies cognitive distortions as the origin of the problem, the depressed person just starts hiding them, because the 'distortions' are compelling, because they do 'make sense' as far as sensation goes.

Lowen's bio-energetic therapy has benefitted me enormously. It is not for dabblers. Lowen's approach to feeling better makes cognitive and family therapy appear very superficial indeed. Lowen does indeed talk about trends in society, but they are very relevant to depression, because depression is not random, it is the consequence of a state of living which is starved for real pleasure and satisfaction. Both some social and some family trends foist a joyless state of living onto children that carried forward, leads to a major depression.

The fix is not an instant or quick one. It is however, a surprisingly commonsense one-- getting back to the wisdom of sensation and emotion (with body work), protecting one's integrity with legitimate anger, and respecting the role that simple pleasures and satisfactions play in health.
766269
In the preface and in other places in the book, comes the reassuring information that if you have hallucinations you aren't necessarily bonkers. Whew! Mr. Sacks gives us another fascinating book about various aspects of the mind; in this case, hallucinations. The case studies that he has encountered as a neurologist, along with others gleaned from various colleagues and medical textbooks, provided a fascinating look into various types of hallucinations.  This book does not cover any hallucinations due to schizophrenia, since that area could warrant a book of its own.

Although he often uses medical terminology that the average person may not understand, you don't lose a bit of the story. I have a fairly good knowledge of medical terms, so I was on the lookout for cases where the terminology would prevent understanding the concepts, and there were none. For example, he assumes that you know that the DSM is the&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Diagnostic-and-Statistical-Manual-of-Mental-Disorders/dp/0890420254/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</a>, but if you didn't, no problem. Some of the topics include hallucinations caused by various medical conditions, isolation, and drugs (legal and otherwise). Chapters are devoted to hallucinations of smell, hearing, and several on visual. The book is peppered with fascinating case studies and copious footnotes. A thorough bibliography at the end provides a wealth of resources. One of the books he mentioned sounded so interesting. I hunted down a copy to buy. Another book I put on my Amazon "Wild Dreams" wish list (hint, hint).

One of the things I found fascinating, was that visual hallucinations activate the exact same areas in the brain that viewing actual physical items activate. So to the brain, hallucinations are just as real as something that is real.  He also covers delirium, a common but unfortunately under-diagnosed condition that often affects senior citizens that are hospitalized.
4897789
He is telling not to have a preconditioned mindset to look at any situation etc. However he is not understanding he himself is having his own pre-existing mindset and stereotyping and presenting others or telling "You are wrong, I am right". He is blinded to his own crooked mindset.
3076183
This book is one of a series of books by the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative founded by The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands. It's goal is to inform young people about the scientific research and treatment of common mental disorders including schizophrenia. Dr. Patrick Jamieson of the University of Pennsylvania states in the forward that the book is aimed at adolescents who are struggling.

Kurt Snyder, the author of this volume, tells his story of developing and recovering from schizophrenia and does so from multiple points of view. It is his story but he does not ignore the fact that there are millions of people in the US (and elsewhere) who are also faced with this challenge. Like many with schizophrenia, he initially refused to take his medications and mixes his personal account with the big picture. While hospitalization is a not too pleasant experience for anyone, he points out that there may be times when it is required and lists the positive benefits to be achieved from being in hospital.

What he does emphasize on P 89 is that schizophrenia is a very treatable disease. The fact that Kurt was on medication for six years at the time of writing and was able to put his life back together again, should serve as a positive example for adolescents or anyone struggling with this issue. What is also important is that he reports that side effects of prescribed drugs have been infrequent. That is often one reason that people refuse to take what is prescribed.

My only complaint is that the title is too close to the film Me, Myself and Irene which presents the old myth about schizophrenia as being multiple personalities. A companion piece to this book might be the DVD&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Cutting-For-Stone/dp/B001FWY09Y/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Cutting For Stone</a>&nbsp;which presents a realistic view of an adolescent's descent into schizophrenia and its impact on him and his family.

Marvin Ross
Author of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Schizophrenia-Medicine-s-Mystery-Society-s-Shame/dp/0981003702/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Schizophrenia: Medicine's Mystery - Society's Shame</a>
2810231
Working around mentally ill for many years, I expected this to be interesting and reaffirming, but little more. Instead I found it enlightening and educational. Without wanting to restate the book, I'll say that I wasn't surprised at the obstacles the family ran into during their experience. What I was surprised at and encouraged by were the successes they experienced from the system and the community along the way. How refreshing to hear an open and loving account of an illness that has too long been hidden for no good reason.
2247860
Listening to this book one thing becomes very clear, it's all about confidence. But the author seems determined to interpret any lack of confidence or social aptitude as a sign of dishonesty. Introverts and those afflicted with anxiety-related conditions can look forward to a very difficult life if this book was taken seriously.

True there are a fact switcheroo's here that could prove prior knowledge of a situation and hence guilt. However, the behavioral observations offered only indicate anxiety and no necessarily guilt or dishonesty.

What the book really seems to convey is an attitude that if it's true for me, than it's true for everyone. Einstein once said, "Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." This book reflect perhaps the worst kind of "common sense" assumption... the assumption that those who are different are those who are guilty.

There is a simple solution to this, which is to discuss developing an individual base line for each person you are trying to evaluate. However, developing such a base line would mean admitting the sweeping conclusions that this book and shows like "Lie To Me" make do not apply nearly as often as the consuming public would like to believe... and a more honest title, "You can read some people, some of the time," would probably sell less books.
1746656
Read it. Doing so will expand your view of the experience of disability from the perspective of marginalized disabled people in their own voices. What is sad about this is the idea that these voices are not part of the complete autism conversation but must step up and continue to publish anthologies to be heard. It is our responsibility to amplify their voices and understand them. That is the only way transformative change will happen.
271025
Unlike so many other books of this type, this one resonates with the voice of experience and the sharing of fruitful inquiry. Not smarmy, not New Age, these authors have obviously spent decades researching and testing treatments for debilitating psychological problems; they have transformed their life work into a book which reflects this. It is a relief to read a book on this topic which does not require the suspension of disbelief or any exhausting exercises to achieve the goal of greater peace of mind.
4546625
As Christians we often view mental illness incorrectly and either dismiss medicine completely, or forget the faith that plays such an integral part in our lives. Some people feel that taking medications for a mental illness is of the devil, while others take or advise taking the medicine blindly without any regard as to the side effects, reasons for needing the drugs, etc. The author has taken a Biblical approach to show both the benefits and downsides of both approaches. His desire in writing the book was to give Christians a look at both perspectives with a hope that the reader can see the middle line and choose something that will fit them and their Christian lifestyle.

As a person suffering from a mental illness myself, I was intrigued with how the author would conclude his perspective. I've had Christians on both sides of this "counsel" me and I was looking forward to seeing his conclusions.

The book is very thin (98 pages), so will make for a quick read. I was surprised at how technical the writing was. If you aren't very medical, it will be very easy to get bogged down in the first few chapters. The author uses several stories to help tell what he is talking about so this does lighten up the depth a little. He concluded with the idea that there isn't a right or wrong, but rather a mixture of the two with regards to every single patient being different and therefore needing different things. The concept is great, but I finished with the feeling that I wasn't really helped in any way. And that the author's real feelings on the matter were that the ultimate goal was to not have to take any medication if at all possible. So while the theory was probably correct, this book didn't really help me at all. I think this book would be better suited for a person who works with mental illness and not a patient in search of the correct balance.

I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity. All thoughts expressed are my own.