Best Mental Health
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives. This is a masterful, philosophical and practical book that will give readers the wisdom to be able to do just that.” ( Ryan Holiday, New York Times bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy ). “Mark’s ability to dig deep and offer amazing, yet counter-intuitive, insight into the challenges of life makes him one of my favorite writers, and this book is his best work yet.” ( Matt Kepnes, New York Times bestselling author of Travel the World on $50 a Day: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter ). “An in-your-face guide to living with integrity and finding happiness in sometimes-painful places… This book, full of counterintuitive suggestions that often make great sense, is a pleasure to read and worthy of rereading.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As someone who has given far too many f***s about far too many things their entire life, this book was exactly the wake up call I needed. We have a limited emotional capacity, and we often squander it on reactions to mean-spirited people or unfortunate events, completely forgetting that, although we can't control the world around us, we can control ourselves. If you're the type of person who's struggled to keep their temper in line or if you're like me and you find yourself on an emotional roller-coaster because you take every event in the world and within your own life to heart, I strongly encourage you to read this book. If profanity is so much of a problem for you, that you can't tolerate reading the first half of this book (the last half is much less profane) you're probably too narrow-minded to have taken away any of the many philosophical benefits this book offers."
"If you don't have anything substantive to occupy your time, then it's trivial stuff that bothers you: "Your ex-boyfriend’s new Facebook picture, how quickly the batteries die in the TV remote, missing out on yet another two-for-one sale on hand sanitizer—chances are you don’t have much going on in your life..." Mark suggests just picking a few big things--values and people that reflect your values: "What I’m talking about here is essentially learning how to focus and prioritize your thoughts effectively—how to pick and choose what matters to you and what does not matter to you based on finely honed personal values." On a serious note, the author relates a horrific experience from his youth, when a drunken friend took a dare, jumped into a lake and drowned. This tragedy led to a determination to change the direction of his life, and figure out what is most important: "Oddly, it was someone else’s death that gave me permission to finally live. The author refers often to a book, "The Denial of Death," (which became a Pulitzer Prize winner.). In serious, heartfelt chapters, the author reflects on human existence, and our search for meaning in life."
"Some of the main themes are these: (1) Choosing what to care about; focusing on the things/problems that are actually meaningful/important (= "giving a f*** about the right things"). (2) Learning to be fine with some negative things; always aiming for positivity isn't practical, and is stressful in itself. (3) Taking responsibility of your own life; it's good for your self-esteem not to keep blaming the circumstances for your problems. (4) Understanding the importance of honesty and boundaries, especially in relationships. (5) Identity; it might a good idea not to commit strongly to any special identity such as "an undiscovered genius", because then any challenges will make you fear the potential loss of that identity you've clinged to. (6) Motivation; how to improve it by accepting failure and taking action. (7) Death; how learning to be more comfortable with one's own mortality can make it easier to live. The first 20% of this book were a little bit boring to read, but after that, the experience was very absorbing."
Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu traveled to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness's eightieth birthday and to create what they hoped would be a gift for others. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our time and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy. For over three decades the Dalai Lama has maintained an ongoing conversation and collaboration with scientists from a wide range of disciplines, especially through the Mind and Life Institute, an organization that he co-founded. The Dalai Lama travels extensively, promoting kindness and compassion, interfaith understanding, respect for the environment, and, above all, world peace. In 1994, Tutu was appointed chair of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission by Nelson Mandela, where he pioneered a new way for countries to move forward after experiencing civil conflict and oppression. He is the founder and president of Idea Architects, a creative book and media agency helping visionaries to create a wiser, healthier, and more just world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Book of Joy lives up to its title and goes much further."
"Both the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu have risen beyond their respective religions to reach out to all humans regardless of their location."
"The best book that I read in 2016."
"In these controversial times, how wonderful to be offered the chance to sit in on the respectful and insightful dialogue between these two spiritual leaders, who give us all hope that their messages will be spread far and wide."
"The Dalai Lama and Archbishop."
"The writing is primarily dialog and the Dalai Lama and Bishop Tutu are surprisingly informal and chummy."
"Many wonderful thoughts, gives unique perspectives , as well as reinforces many established perspectives."
"I have the audiobook that I got in Audible and I wanted to get the book so I can underline and write notes on it."
In The Four Agreements, bestselling author don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. She is the co-author, with don Miguel Ruiz, of six books in The Toltec Wisdom Series , creator of “The Four Agreements for a Better Life” online course, and editor of Deepak Chopra’s bestselling title, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am an undergrad student of philosophy and linguistics, a branch of the humanities. I also deeply love this series of books because of its obviousness and simplicity. There is a huge tradition of skepticism in linguistics, especially about how language is used in various cultures to create belief systems. A belief system is basically a set of instructions inside your brain based on language. These instructions help you navigate the stressful world around you so you can survive. We are psychologically wired to think our belief systems are accurate and experience deep stress if we find them to be inaccurate. You may not be surprised to find out that philosophy majors have not come up with answers to these questions because there is always a case where we are going to be wrong or have a counter argument. Much of the study of philosophy is the collection of vocabulary words to describe beliefs. They even have a mathematical component called propositional logic, where one takes sentences and reduces them to symbols and creates "proofs" but even prop-logic is under fire from academics for its complete inability to predict anything. I believe Miguel Ruiz must have taken a linguistics course as well--as his first agreement attests to the power of language. Both Saussure and Derrida (and many, many others) did work on how we form ideas in our heads based on language. The gist is this: we have something called a "symbol" in our brain which is composed of two parts: the word and the visual representation of the object (look up semiotics for further detail). These symbols are in our mind and work together to form meaning, then belief. If you really want a deeper understanding on how linguistics has saturated our belief systems I recommend reading some of their academic essays or get Rivkin and Ryan's literary theory books. To simplify: scientists and academics in the millions have tried and tried and tried to find "the true belief" for thousands, maybe tens of thousands of years and we have not yet arrived at any truth. The need to be right is so ingrained within us that we create a huge drama when someone contradicts our beliefs. - I take all gurus, religions, indictments and gossip with quite a high level of benevolent skepticism, which allows me to be free from the fear that goes along with these stories."
"Both are based on the philosophy of the Toltec, ancient people of southern Mexico who were known as women and men of knowledge. The author at times anticipates such problems on the part of the reader, and is indeed accurate in that regard. The Toltecs were not a race or tribe, or nation, but scientists and artists formed to explore and conserve the spiritual knowledge and practices of the “ancient ones”. The Toltec recognize that some 3000 years ago a human studying to be a medicine man woke to the realization that everything is made of light and that all that exists is one living being, and that light is the messenger of life because it is alive and contains all information. As children we believe what adults say, especially our parents, and our world becomes a dream, a reality built on symbols from others, not the silent feelings and observations that we experienced as infants. We live in a dream ruled by fear and filled with emotions of anger, jealousy, envy and hate. To escape our dream of hell, we must break the old agreements that are fear based and reclaim our personal power. The author suggests four basic agreements that you must make with yourself to reclaim your own power and find a heaven on earth, a life of joy and fulfillment. He feels that a sin is anything that goes against yourself, and being impeccable is not gong against yourself, taking responsibility for your actions, but not judging or blaming. He feels that gossip is the worst form of black magic, for it is judgmental language about others, even those we do not know. He gives the simple example of a child being told by her mother to shut up her singing because her voice was “ugly”. These are the type of agreements that we make in life that are harmful and destructive, that lead us into our dream of hell. And as you use such words, first by expressing love for yourself, you break all the many agreements that make you suffer, and begin to build your own dream of heaven on earth. Couldn’t someone’s anger be about us if our word was less than impeccable, but instead filled with the black magic mentioned by the author? I raise these questions in my mind because at times, as I read through this, it sounds as if one can “get a pass” for less than sterling behavior because he need not take others reactions personally. (True sadness from the passing of a child or similar “objective” tragedy is hard to relate to assumptions or taking things personally) I have found that people often assume my meaning, and sometimes take offense at something that was never intended to harm. I don’t know exactly why we are afraid to ask for clarification, maybe it roots back to those days when we were reluctant to ask questions in school. I think these two agreements about taking things personally and making assumptions are really part of a self centeredness that “it is all about me”. In fact it is really important to realize that it isn’t always about you, especially when the assumptions made generally do assume so and lead to taking things personally. Not making assumptions would seem to be one of the easier agreements to live up to, as it only involves a little bit of inquiry. I see his book as being primarily focused on reaching an internal contentment and happiness, not on navigating one’s way through the world at large. I just find a bit of a contrast between the focus of this work and something like “Falling Upward” by Richard Rohr where he acknowledges the need to survive in the competitive world as a means of gaining some level of confidence before, in the second half of life, we are able to discard much of the baggage of the first half and seek out a more personal and spiritual contentment. All see Western culture as imposing and espousing a very competitive, win/loose guilt ridden mentality. Such mentality may or may not be necessary for the struggles that we face, but, all my readings seem to agree that at some point our thoughts need to focus on attaining a more peaceful and inclusive level of spiritual contentment. By merely listening you show respect for the other person’s dream, for the reality he or she has created. The first Four Agreements taught us that out symbols are not the truth, and that many of these symbols–our entire symbology as he calls it- are lies that lead us to blame and shame and guilt, to a living hell. It is a war against that part of our mind that makes all the choices that guide us into our personal hell. It is that point where we come back to our real state, our divine self, where we fell a communion of love with everything in existence. We experience what he refers to as a resurrection, and it allows us to be wild and free like a child, except that we have freedom with wisdom instead of innocence. These books express a philosophy couched in rather mystical terms–in dreams and symbols, attention and awareness. I think he feels that a concept like goodness is also a truth that is intrinsically recognized and internal, and not a product of a value system that is imposed on us by others. But, at least to me, he doesn’t recognize such conditioning as being a necessary part of that portion of our lives when we must learn to cope in our world. The striking thing, as I read numerous books and other writings, and watch speeches, is the basic consistency in the message of oneness and the need to abandon, at least temporarily, much of what we have “learned” in order to open our minds, or perhaps clear our minds, so that we can receive the gift of interconnectedness."
"The Four Agreements are: - Be Impeccable With Your Words. - Don't Take Anything Personally. - Don't Make Assumptions. - Always Do Your Best. -When he says be Impeccable With Your Word, he means you should always speak,with integrity. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering. - when he says Don't Make Assumptions, he means you must find the the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want."
Best Anxiety Disorders
Furiously Happy is about depression and mental illness, but deep down it's about joy―and who doesn't want a bit more of that? Praise for Jenny Lawson:
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I like Jenny's POV, I just liked the first book a little more as it was more stories and this has a good bit more time spent in essays or like, motivational talks to the reader."
"A brave, talented woman lets us in to the mind of an intelligent, lovable person trapped in a world with quirky rules about what to spend her energy on that seem to wear her out while at the same time causing much amusement."
"Parts of this book made me laugh out loud."
"This was a fine read."
"Silly, funny, twisted, honest, heartbreaking... on top of struggling with mental illness which she is candid about, Lawson is a little nuts."
"This book is hilarious, sobering, thrilling and chilling all at once."
"Why isn’t shampoo good enough for all parts of the body; just let it drop and drip from the top of the head? A gall bladder emergency surgery can leave the digestive plumbing unpredictable. Lawson’s sharing her reality, in search of laughter and personhood, places each reader on the spectrum of mental illness."
"A few of the pieces are more serious when explaining the difficulties of her mental illness, but most are funny observations that are incapable of getting from point A to point B without going off on numerous odd tangents. Some of the topics she addresses are pockets for woman's pants, air travel, her gallbladder, a trip to Australia with a female friend, Twitter support groups, opossums galore, and a handful of silly arguments she has with her husband Victor. It takes a lot of courage to struggle with frequent depression and would help readers who do not understand the challenges of mental illness."
Best Attention Deficit & Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Groundbreaking and comprehensive, Driven to Distraction has been a lifeline to the approximately eighteen million Americans who are thought to have ADHD. Wise, practical, and reassuring.” —Jane M. Healy, Ph.D., author of Endangered Minds and Different Learners “The first comprehensive book on the subject for the lay reader.” — The Boston Globe.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The stories it pulls from other peoples experiences really helps you get an idea of how you fall into the spectrum."
"Truly excellent book for any person with ADD or with a family member with the condition."
"Well written and informative."
"Eye opening..... makes you feel somewhat normal to hear others stories."
"Makes you feel less crazy and all alone."
"This book is helping me realize how adult ADD has been detrimental to my growth and progress in every day life."
"Dr. Hallowell stresses in his book how dramatically the disorder can negatively affect one's life and how important treatment is — yet he presents vastly outdated information and pretends it's new, doing a great disservice to ADHD sufferers like myself who want to heal."
"Honestly there was nothing in this book that I didn’t already know."
Best Bipolar Disorder
National Bestseller. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography A New York Times Notable Book. Winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Film Prize for Excellence in Science Books. Does for botany what Oliver Sacks’s essays did for neurology, what Stephen Jay Gould’s writings did for paleontology.” — The New York Times. “Lab Girl made me look at trees differently. It compelled me to ponder the astonishing grace and gumption of a seed. Perhaps most importantly, it introduced me to a deeply inspiring woman—a scientist so passionate about her work I felt myself vividly with her on every page. This is a smart, enthralling, and winning debut.” —Cheryl Strayed. Powerful and disarming.” — The Washington Post “Clear, compelling and uncompromisingly honest . Hope Jahren is the voice that science has been waiting for.” — Nature. Moving.” — The New York Times Book Review “A powerful new memoir . Think Stephen Jay Gould or Oliver Sacks. But Hope Jahren is a woman in science, who speaks plainly to just how rugged that can be. Offers a lively glimpse into a scientifically inclined mind.” — The Wall Street Journal “Some people are great writers, while other people live lives of adventure and importance. She makes me wish I’d been a scientist.” —Ann Patchett, author of State of Wonder “ Lab Girl surprised, delighted, and moved me. I was drawn in from the start by the clarity and beauty of Jahren’s prose. With Lab Girl , Jahren joins those talented scientists who are able to reveal to us the miracle of this world in which we live.” —Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone “Revelatory. A veritable jungle of ideas and sensations.” — Slate “Warm, witty . Jahren’s singular gift is her ability to convey the everyday wonder of her work: exploring the strange, beautiful universe of living things that endure and evolve and bloom all around us, if we bother to look.” — Entertainment Weekly “Deeply affecting. A totally original work, both fierce and uplifting. A belletrist in the mold of Oliver Sacks, she is terrific at showing just how science is done. She’s an acute observer, prickly, and funny as hell.” — Elle “Magnificent. a scientist’s memoir of a quirky, gritty, fascinating life. Like Robert Sapolsky’s A Primate’s Memoir or Helen Macdonald’s H is for Hawk , it delivers the zing of a beautiful mind in nature.” — Seattle Times “Jahren's memoir [is] the beginning of a career along the lines of Annie Dillard or Diane Ackerman.” — Minneapolis Star Tribune “A scientific memoir that's beautifully human.” — Popular Science “Breathtakingly honest. At its core, Lab Girl is a book about seeing—with the eyes, but also the hands and the heart.” — American Scientist.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Yet this book, which might better be considered a platonic love story to Bill, her long time lab partner, rather than a book about the life of a scientist, was tainted by the gleeful disdain that Jahren and Bill show for many other people. One day, Jahren does not heed multiple warnings and directs the graduate student driver to go straight into a snow storm. The student driver, understandably shaken, asks to be dropped off at the airport so she can fly home, but Jahren and Bill yell at her and refuse, calling her a quitter. Jahren and Bill enjoy giving their students a repetitive, meaningless task, like labeling hundreds of bottles, and then telling them that, sorry, they won't be using their work after all."
"I appreciate the way she incorporated her struggles with mental illness, women in science and university funding (which will make any tuition paying parent give a HARD look at the college they are paying to educate their child at) within the book but never came off as whiny or complaining."
"I do us because us is what I know how to do.”. ~Hope Jahren, Lab Girl. This book is a love story to life, plants, science, best friends, spouses, and parenthood. I especially loved the relationship between her and her friend Bill and how she described the depth of their friendship: “That no matter what our future held, my first task would always be to kick a hole in the world and make a space for him where he could safely be his eccentric self.”. And how she spoke of the depth of motherhood. “Every kiss that I give my child heals one that I had ached for but was not given - indeed, it has turned out to be the only thing that ever could.”. I recommend this to anyone looking for some inspiration from a true story told in an interesting way and I happily give this book 4 stars."
"I got this book because our local library (where I volunteer) has a program going on that involves the book."
"Her mental illness and relationship with her lab assistant (who likely has autism, but is able to make her botany research possible with his amazing ability to construct lab equipment and assist her in her field work) are themes throughout the book."
Best Codependency
The healing touchstone of millions, this modern classic by one of America's best-loved and most inspirational authors holds the key to understanding codependency and to unlocking its stultifying hold on your life. In Newsweek magazine, Dr. Drew Pinsky named Melody Beattie's Codependent No More one of the four essential self-help books available today, calling it the "grandaddy of addiction tomes."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Very helpful for people who are dealing with an alcoholic or addicted person in their lives."
"Very informative and helpful."
"Great book."
Best Compulsive Behavior
At the time of Frankl's death in 1997, Man's Search for Meaning had sold more than 10 million copies in twenty-four languages. The book begins with a lengthy, austere, and deeply moving personal essay about Frankl's imprisonment in Auschwitz and other concentration camps for five years, and his struggle during this time to find reasons to live. The second part of the book, called "Logotherapy in a Nutshell," describes the psychotherapeutic method that Frankl pioneered as a result of his experiences in the concentration camps.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Read this book, read this book."
"Those that had developed purpose and meaning to the harsh conditions got out of bed every morning to face another unbearable day."
"I cried and became distressed as I listened to Viktor Frankl's personal journey."
"Profound insight."
"A little twist of ideas as to why some people survive the worst and why others don't survive medium bad."
"I am just now to the place he talks about how thinking of his wife and having mental conversations with her gave him strength to stay alive!"
"A nice read about the importance of finding meaning in your life."
"This is a great book from both the personal story aspect as well as for its philosophical aspects."
Best Dementia
Groundbreaking and timely, Grain Brain shows that the fate of your brain is not in your genes, it's in the food you eat. Modern wheat, in particular, is responsible for destroying more brains in this country than all the strokes, car accidents, and head trauma combined. Dr. Perlmutter makes a persuasive case for this wheat-free approach to preserve brain health and functioning, or to begin the process of reversal." "If you want to boost your brain power, keep your memory, and lift your mood and energy, as well as heal from a host of other common complaints, Dr. Perlmutter is your guide. "A provocative, eye-opening scientific account of how diet profoundly influences nerve health and brain function. Grain Brain explains how the American diet rich in gluten and inflammatory foods is linked to neurological conditions. "A galvanizing call to arms against a gluten-heavy diet....Perlmutter's credentials as a board-certified neurologist and American College of Nutrition Fellow make him a uniquely qualified voice in the debate about which foods are best for the brain and body." "Mind-blowing and disruptive to some long-standing beliefs about what our bodies require for optimal health...GRAIN BRAIN lays out an easy-to-understand roadmap packed with the latest science."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm never hungry, I get to eat all kinds of meats and cheeses and veggies, and I don't even bother counting calories. The supplements he recommends have made an almost instant difference - my nails are stronger and growing long, my skin is better, and my overall mood is vastly improved."
"One of the most successful many I ever met told me that, "the data talks"."
"It changed everything I thought I knew about food and its relationship to health. You just eat what’s good for you: Fat - lots of it, meats, vegetables, eggs, cheese, salads, nuts, seeds (my new favorite snack is Pepitas, which they have at Publix). I eat a lot less than I used to because I’m getting enough fat in my diet, and not stuffing myself with useless breads, crackers, chips, and pasta – which just make me hungrier and hungrier. What I’ve gained are increased energy, lots less brain fog, joints moving better (do not hurt all the time), less headaches – a LOT less, tummy troubles are now non-existent, and before, I was always gaseous or had diarrhea, or just was hurting in general. My labs were checked in February, after just two months, and my doc was blown away. I was no longer in the diabetic range and my liver functions had normalized. He also has a good website with a lot of articles to read: [...] If you want your health back, it’s time to read, Grain Brain!"
"Back on gluten free diet and has been seizure free for 4 months."
"An additional note -- anyone who already eats fairly consciously and still needs to lose pounds will still have to practice moderation, e.g., the license and reasons to consume "good" fats, for instance, are neurologically important, but the calories add up quickly if you don't track how much you eat vs. how active you are."
"It is a sobering read, but is a must read if you are interested in maintaining good brain health and avoiding diseases such as Type II Diabetes, as well as potentially significantly reducing the risk of developing dementia and other brain disease."
Best Depression
Furiously Happy is about depression and mental illness, but deep down it's about joy―and who doesn't want a bit more of that? Praise for Jenny Lawson:
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For once a book about living with mental illness from one who suffers with it."
"A brave, talented woman lets us in to the mind of an intelligent, lovable person trapped in a world with quirky rules about what to spend her energy on that seem to wear her out while at the same time causing much amusement."
"Jenny Lawson is a treasure for all of mankind."
"If you live with anxiety and depression you understand they are flip sides of the same coin."
"Really good for anyone who struggles with mental illness or any kind of chronic condition, actually."
"Whether we're struggling with mental illness or we feel insecure about ourselves in one way or another, there's comfort in knowing there are others who completely relate."
"I went through and read some of the negative reviews on this book. She is so honest and upfront about her mental illness that it's refreshing."
"Great book for highly functional people suffering from depression, anxiety, bipolar (and all their glorious comorbidities)."
Best Dissociative Disorders
Winner of the 2017 International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) Pierre Janet Writing Award. Although there are other training manuals that address the treatment of trauma, there is none that deal specifically with the subset of dissociative pathology. This book serves as a manual for therapists, a guide for trainers, and a workbook for dissociative disorder patients, delivering an up-to-date blend of the best clinical practices with recent advances in mindfulness therapy and cognitive behavioral approaches to pathological dissociation.”. - Frank W. Putnam, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. It offers a myriad of exercises and strategies to help clients challenge dissociative adaptations and replace them with other means of coping, so that they can develop a more integrated self and life, and ultimately regain control of their bodies and minds.”. - Christine A. Courtois, PhD, ABPP, author of Healing the Incest Wound: Adult Survivors in Therapy and Recollections of Sexual Abuse.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"the client I had in mind when I bought it has purchased a copy as well and is using it regularly."
"This book is a fabulous companion to therapy, but it is also written and laid -out so well that a person can follow it on their own."
"This book is a must if you treat dissociative clients."
"Good self help book for cliens or therapists just learning about DID."
"Would be helpful for therapist, a person with the diagnosis and family and friends of those with the diagnosis."
"One of the best resources I've encountered for working with patients with strong treatment resistant DID."
"While this may work to a certain degree over a very long period of time, I feel that it's missing the main point: trauma is essentially in the limbic system in the brain, and also held in the body."
Best Dreams
The Divinity Code to Understanding your Dreams and Visions is a Bible-based guide to dream interpretation that reveals the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Divinity Code to Understanding your Dreams and Visions contains: The most extensive Christian dream dictionary on the market (with Scripture support). "This is BY FAR the most thorough and exhaustive manual on dreams, visions, symbolism, and dream interpretaion that we have seen.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I really needed to read this book, I do need to re-read it to take more notes."
"This book will help you shed light on God's night language."
"The Divinity Code to Understanding Your Dreams and Visions teaches us that men of God in the bible days were taught through dreams; and they held their dreams in high regard. The authors have included many dreams and also interpretations to those dreams. There is also an indepth Metaphor Dictionary where you can look up key components of your own dreams to find a likely meaning. These are presented with Bible references to support their meanings. The names of people and places are key in understanding our dreams and there is an awesome Dictionary included for that aspect as well."
"Awesome book."
"Great book."
"The authors remind you that to interpret scripture, use scripture within context."
Best Eating Disorder Self-Help
By working with four “Bright Lines”—clear, unambiguous, boundaries—Susan Peirce Thompson shows us how to heal our brain and shift it into a mode where it is ready to shed pounds, release cravings, and stop sabotaging our weight loss goals. Through the lens of Susan’s own moving story, and those of her Bright Lifers, you’ll discover firsthand why traditional diet and exercise plans have failed in the past. Dr. Thompson has illuminated the reasons why so many of us are so addicted to today’s food supply and why obesity is so common. This book is based not only on the personal experiences of thousands, but also backed up by solid brain science that has never been presented like this before. — Mark Hyman, M.D., director, Cleveland Center for Functional Medicine and #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Blood Sugar Solution.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am now 75 years old and two years ago I found Susan pierce Thompson program and finally the program that works for me."
"That was how I felt when I read the book “Bright Line Eating, the Science of Living Happy, Thin, and Free”!! After starting a Bright Line Eating boot camp a year ago TODAY, I have released 57 pounds and 35 inches overall! The way Dr. Thompson writes—it really is like she is sitting at the table with me like a good friend, telling me the science—the “why” I haven’t been able to keep the lost weight off. Has any other author told you what to do when you travel or when you are ill or how to get through a special occasion like birthdays, weddings, holidays?! “Bright Line Eating, the Science of Living Happy, Thin, and Free” isn’t just another “diet” book!"
"I started watching Susan's videos on you tube. I took the leap and joined the 14 day challenge. I had to be focused, organized and plan ahead. Did I crave sugary processed foods? Best thing about this plan. It works. I'm feel so much better. Energy level increased. Sleeping solid through the night. Losing weight. Decreased brain fog."
"Over the course of 35 years I tried Weight Watchers (MANY times), Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, South Beach Diet, Eat More Weigh Less, The Zone, Slim Fast, SparkPeople, Eat Right for Your Type, Dexatrim, Medifast, Atkins, Ornish, Mediterranean, Suzanne Somers, Susan Powter-Stop the Insanity, Jane Fonda Workouts, 6 Week Body Makeover, Protein Power, Shakeology, and the list goes on. Some diets lasted for days, others for weeks or months, but none of them clicked. My cheat day(s) or meals turned into cheat weeks over time, and slowly my books, food, pills, shakes or materials disappeared into the spare bedroom so I didn't see the reminder of yet another failed diet attempt. But after the first 2 weeks my energy returned, my brain fog disappeared, I was no longer distracted by thoughts of food, and I was losing weight. If you're anything like me and struggle with your weight, if you've tried everything and want to give up, if you want to get healthy and feel vibrant and amazing just about every day, this book is for you!"
Best Emotional Mental Health
Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization. Copublished with the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) The. Untethered Soul begins by walking you through your relationship with your thoughts and emotions, helping you uncover the source and fluctuations of your inner energy. The accuracy and simplicity of this work is a measure of its pure mastery.”. ― James O’Dea , past president of the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS). It may take more than one reading and many hours of introspection, but The Untethered Soul is a must-read for anyone in search of greater understanding of themselves and of the truth.”. ― Louis Chiavacci , senior vice-president of Merrill Lynch, ranked in Barron’s top fifteen US Investment Advisors. “This publication has released boundless joy for the hungry souls of the world.”. ― Ma Yoga Shakti Saraswati, founder of Yogashakti International Mission and recipient of Hinduism Today’s Hindu of the Year 2000 award. Singer bridges these two great traditions in a radiant treatise on how to succeed in life from our spiritual quest to our everyday tribulations. With great eloquence, wit, and compelling logic, Singer’s brilliant book completes this thought by showing them to be two poles of the same selfless devotion.”. — Ray Kurzweil , National Medal of Technology recipient and author of The Singularity Is Near. Singer takes the reader on a journey that begins with consciousness tethered to the ego and ends having taken us beyond our myopic, contained self-image to a state of inner freedom and liberation. Michael A. Singer’s book is a priceless gift to all who have futilely searched and yearned for a richer, more meaningful, creative life.”. — Yogi Amrit Desai , internationally recognized pioneer of modern yoga.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I read the audio version of this book multiple times, bought copies of it for clients, and shared it with friends. After reading Michael's book, I simply allowed irrelevant, erroneous, totally made up thoughts to just float on by without attaching my emotions to them. It means you're no longer an emotional puppet on the string of everyone else's behavior, attitudes, decisions, choices, etc. I LOVED the audio version of the book because the person who read it was perfect for the content. I've read TONS of other books on similar topics but the way Michael conveyed the material was unique and different and I really GOT IT!"
"Some of the points made in The Untethered Soul are: 1. Learn to relax and stay open no matter what. Do not identify with the experiences you are observing. Facing the fact of bodily death can help you to realize that all of the observed is temporary. Do not allow painful experiences from the past to influence the present. If you want a life full of joy and love you must make a commitment to having a life full of joy and love. Learn how to live from your heart, not from your ego. The Untethered Soul is my second most favorite book on the subject of how to transcend the ego and how to realize the true Self and directly experience that perfect infinite consciousness that has only joy and love and has no suffering. My most favorite book on that subject is THE SEVEN STEPS TO AWAKENING which is a collection of quotes by these seven authors: 1."
"I see life and the spiritual journey differently, and though I do believe we all should strive for a happier life and a more peaceful spirit, I don't believe it is desirable to live without some unhappiness, some worries, some fears. The author contradicts himself many times, but more importantly doesn't indicate any awareness that he has contradicted himself. Thus, while the author makes many statements throughout that I agree with, he also constantly is making other statements that contradict previous ones, giving me the impression that he is just writing a stream of consciousness of statements cherry-picked to resonate with a broad range of spiritual-enlightenment-seekers, without much regard to whether those statements gel together to form a cohesive whole. Structure. I would not want to take that away from anyone, but sadly, it is not the book for me."
Best Happiness Self-Help
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives. This is a masterful, philosophical and practical book that will give readers the wisdom to be able to do just that.” ( Ryan Holiday, New York Times bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy ). “Mark’s ability to dig deep and offer amazing, yet counter-intuitive, insight into the challenges of life makes him one of my favorite writers, and this book is his best work yet.” ( Matt Kepnes, New York Times bestselling author of Travel the World on $50 a Day: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter ). “An in-your-face guide to living with integrity and finding happiness in sometimes-painful places… This book, full of counterintuitive suggestions that often make great sense, is a pleasure to read and worthy of rereading.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As someone who has given far too many f***s about far too many things their entire life, this book was exactly the wake up call I needed. We have a limited emotional capacity, and we often squander it on reactions to mean-spirited people or unfortunate events, completely forgetting that, although we can't control the world around us, we can control ourselves. If you're the type of person who's struggled to keep their temper in line or if you're like me and you find yourself on an emotional roller-coaster because you take every event in the world and within your own life to heart, I strongly encourage you to read this book. If profanity is so much of a problem for you, that you can't tolerate reading the first half of this book (the last half is much less profane) you're probably too narrow-minded to have taken away any of the many philosophical benefits this book offers."
"If you don't have anything substantive to occupy your time, then it's trivial stuff that bothers you: "Your ex-boyfriend’s new Facebook picture, how quickly the batteries die in the TV remote, missing out on yet another two-for-one sale on hand sanitizer—chances are you don’t have much going on in your life..." Mark suggests just picking a few big things--values and people that reflect your values: "What I’m talking about here is essentially learning how to focus and prioritize your thoughts effectively—how to pick and choose what matters to you and what does not matter to you based on finely honed personal values." On a serious note, the author relates a horrific experience from his youth, when a drunken friend took a dare, jumped into a lake and drowned. This tragedy led to a determination to change the direction of his life, and figure out what is most important: "Oddly, it was someone else’s death that gave me permission to finally live. The author refers often to a book, "The Denial of Death," (which became a Pulitzer Prize winner.). In serious, heartfelt chapters, the author reflects on human existence, and our search for meaning in life."
"Some of the main themes are these: (1) Choosing what to care about; focusing on the things/problems that are actually meaningful/important (= "giving a f*** about the right things"). (2) Learning to be fine with some negative things; always aiming for positivity isn't practical, and is stressful in itself. (3) Taking responsibility of your own life; it's good for your self-esteem not to keep blaming the circumstances for your problems. (4) Understanding the importance of honesty and boundaries, especially in relationships. (5) Identity; it might a good idea not to commit strongly to any special identity such as "an undiscovered genius", because then any challenges will make you fear the potential loss of that identity you've clinged to. (6) Motivation; how to improve it by accepting failure and taking action. (7) Death; how learning to be more comfortable with one's own mortality can make it easier to live. The first 20% of this book were a little bit boring to read, but after that, the experience was very absorbing."
Best Mood Disorders
you will learn about: • The early warning signs of abuse. • The nature of abusive thinking. • Myths about abusers. • Ten abusive personality types. • The role of drugs and alcohol. • What you can fix, and what you can’t. • And how to get out of an abusive relationship safely. Bancroft, a former codirector of Emerge, the first U.S. program for abusive men, and a 15-year veteran of work with abusive men, reminds readers that each year in this country, two to four million women are assaulted by their partners and that at least one out of three American women will be a victim of violence by a husband or boyfriend at some point in her life.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In short, I wasted 35 years of my life with this man, who distorted reality and everything I knew to be true and tried his best to make me feel small and unworthy. He moved out of the house last week (I bought him out) and I have to say ... it is sad, but I've never felt more at peace with the decision and I am ALREADY much, much happier. NO ONE should have to live with someone who treats you like a child, or curses you out "just because that's the way he's feeling," or will not respect you or your career, or refuses to stop drinking or drugging, or who physically harms or threatens you."
"This book will stop making you feel sorry for your abuser."
"So, with a title like "angry and controlling men," they are more likely to pick up the book, thinking, "Hey, this might apply to the confusing situation I am facing." He can routinely blame her for everything that goes wrong in his life, or he can constantly critique her and tear her down, or he can call her names that when I tried to put them in this review, got it banned from Amazon. Abuse is not a binary kind of behavior that is only invoked when the fists fly, but a deeply ingrained, unrepentant attitude of ownership, entitlement, contempt and resentment that a man displays, not toward most people in his life, but toward "his" woman (including past women). This confusion is created by the abuser himself, in his highly successful attempts to justify himself to himself, to his victim, and to the people around him. Bancroft did not did start out with this assumption, by the way, but came to it after years of working with abusers in mandatory counseling groups. When he started out, he believed what the abusers told him about how their behavior was caused by their wives' failings, their traumatic childhoods, their unemployment, or the hurts done them by past girlfriends; that they didn't know what they were doing; that they "lost control." The abuser, meanwhile, is functional in his life at large (except when it comes to treating his wife well), and appears to be a sane, trustworthy person. Small wonder, then, that the abused woman, her friends, and society at large cannot figure out what her problem is. If they start from the assumption that the abuser is a decent guy who means well, they will never figure out the situation. For example, in one chapter Bancroft examines in some detail a frustrating conversation between a whiny, controlling man and his wife, which ends with him insisting on walking home in the cold, even though she would be willing to drive him. Of course, his main motive is to maintain the role of victim, to keep himself in the right and his wife in the wrong, so that he can tell himself (and tell everyone else later) how she "left him" to walk home in the cold. There is a fascinating, counterintuitive warning (late in the book), that women in abusive situations should not seek couples' counseling. The reassuring presence of the counselor might get the wife to open up and say things to, or about, her husband that she would never otherwise dream of uttering."
"Anger management will not help these people; they need to be in an abuse program. Because most abusers never change, the abuse program needs to consider the victims as their real clients, because they are the ones who will benefit most by feeling supported and validated, and they are a necessary component of the program to keep the abuser accountable. Interesting that the day after I read this in the book, I saw it on Facebook as a meme."
Best Personality Disorders
Maude Julien's parents were fanatics who believed it was their sacred duty to turn her into the ultimate survivor--raising her in isolation, tyrannizing her childhood and subjecting her to endless drills designed to "eliminate weakness." "A harrowing yet achingly beautiful tale of a girl imprisoned by her brutal, fanatic family, but whose yearning for wonder and love ultimately drives her toward the improbable light of the world. The Only Girl in the World is a story of resilience unlike any I have ever read. The Only Girl in the World is the haunting story of a girl whose survivalist parents locked her away and subjected her to 'training' starting at the age of three. A tale of hope and profound courage, The Only Girl in the World illustrates how trusting ourselves and following our hearts can save us from the most oppressive and cruel conditions. "The year's most harrowing memoir...At times the book, in form, resembles the beginnings of Emma Donoghue's Room , but this text is necessarily more graphic and frightening...My multiple audible gasps while working through The Only Girl in the World were partly a result of its author's ability to so artfully capture the meaning and depth of her survival. You wonder how anyone who went through what she did could come out functioning on the other side...That The Only Girl in the World exists as it does is a most persuasive argument for Julien's remarkable willpower. "This story is never maudlin-it is so absorbing that you have to remind yourself to breathe from time to time. "A harrowing, gripping memoir of abuse and psychopathy...Julien approaches the past with fearless contemplation, veracity, and vivid portrayals of the brutality in her early life.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"When she was three years old, Maude’s father, Louis Didier liquidated his assets and bought a house near Cassel where he took his wife and daughter to live in virtual isolation from the world around them. Thereafter, Maude’s upbringing was strictly regimented, physically demanding and devoid of human love and affection, in accordance with her father’s grand plan to raise a superhuman being. A host of sinister noises, little animals moving around in the dark, scurrying, running, stopping, rummaging and scuttling off again. I also have to cope without any of life’s pleasures, starting with delights for the tastebuds, which are the surest route to weakness. As the reader progresses through Maude’s account of her childhood and adolescence, it becomes patently clear that her father is delusional, but still manages to wield great power over his wife and daughter, indoctrinating them both with his bizarre ideas. The text is flawlessly translated from French by Adriana Hunter, and the author’s note to her English readers forms an important endnote."
"I was privileged enough to receive an advanced reader's copy of this book, and I just need to say up front that if there has ever been a book I've wanted to write a good review for, it's this one. Such as the family I’ve been blessed with, and the relationships I’ve taken for granted, and how the mountains I had yesterday are really just molehills. And I kept having to put the book down, because my throat hurt too much. It’s a book about the beauty of the human spirit."
"The Only Girl in the World by Maude Julien is a highly recommended memoir about a woman's abusive childhood - and her escape. Maude Julien's parents were fanatics and the torture she experienced under their supervision was supposedly done to strengthen her. He designed the education and cruel tasks Maude had to do and his wife helped him carry his plans out. The abusive things Maude was forced to do in order to strengthen her character are painful to read about. There isn't a lot of reflection or analysis by Maude as she relates what she had to endure and at times it feels just too unflinching in the recounting of the horror. It is also satisfying to know that an outsider, a music teacher, assessed what was going on and put a plan into action that would eventually help Maude escape her insane, controlling father."
Best Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
“Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society.” —Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing in this New York Times Science bestseller Trauma is a fact of life. Praise for The Body Keeps the Score “In this inspirational work which seamlessly weaves keen clinical observation, neuroscience, historical analysis, the arts, and personal narrative, Dr. van der Kolk has created an authoritative guide to the effects of trauma, and pathways to recovery. A must read for mental health and other health care professionals, trauma survivors, their loved ones, and those who seek clinical, social, or political solutions to the cycle of trauma and violence in our society.” —Rachel Yehuda, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY “This is an absolutely fascinating and clearly written book by one of the nation’s most experienced physicians in the field of emotional trauma. “Breathtaking in its scope and breadth, The Body Keeps the Score is a seminal work by one of the preeminent pioneers in trauma research and treatment. Van der Kolk, the eminent impresario of trauma treatment, who has spent a career bringing together diverse trauma scientists and clinicians and their ideas, while making his own pivotal contributions, describes what is arguably the most important series of breakthroughs in mental health in the last thirty years. Here we see not only how psychological trauma also breaks connections within the brain, but also between mind and body, and learn about the exciting new approaches that allow people with the severest forms of trauma to put all the parts back together again.” —Norman Doidge, author of The Brain That Changes Itself. “ The Body Keeps the Score articulates new and better therapies for toxic stress based on a deep understanding of the effects of trauma on brain development and attachment systems. Bessel van der Kolk may focus on the body and trauma, but what a mind he must have to have written this book.”. Its deeply empathic, insightful, and compassionate perspective promises to further humanize the treatment of trauma victims, dramatically expand their repertoire of self-regulatory healing practices and therapeutic options, and also stimulate greater creative thinking and research on trauma and its effective treatment. The body does keep the score, and Van der Kolk’s ability to demonstrate this through compelling descriptions of the work of others, his own pioneering trajectory and experience as the field evolved and him along with it, and above all, his discovery of ways to work skillfully with people by bringing mindfulness to the body (as well as to their thoughts and emotions) through yoga, movement, and theater are a wonderful and welcome breath of fresh air and possibility in the therapy world.”. “In The Body Keeps the Score we share the author’s courageous journey into the parallel dissociative worlds of trauma victims and the medical and psychological disciplines that are meant to provide relief. “Bessel van der Kolk is unequaled in his ability to synthesize the stunning developments in the field of psychological trauma over the past few decades. —Ruth A. Lanius, MD, PhD, Harris-Woodman chair in Psyche and Soma, professor of psychiatry, and director PTSD research at the University of Western Ontario; author of The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease. Interspersed with that narrative are clear and understandable descriptions of the neurobiology of trauma; explanations of the ineffectiveness of traditional approaches to treating trauma; and introductions to the approaches that take patients beneath their cognitive minds to heal the parts of them that remained frozen in the past. “When it comes to understanding the impact of trauma and being able to continue to grow despite overwhelming life experiences, Bessel van der Kolk leads the way in his comprehensive knowledge, clinical courage, and creative strategies to help us heal. Dr. Van der Kolk offer a brilliant synthesis of clinical cases, neuroscience, powerful tools and caring humanity, offering a whole new level of healing for the traumas carried by so many.”. Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., is the founder and medical director of the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Frankly, nothing really worked until I discovered - and applied - the somatic (body) techniques espoused by van der Kolk, and other luminaries such as Peter Levine, Pat Ogden, and Eugene Gendlin. The only way to ‘communicate’ with this pre-verbal system is through the body, which can signal to the brain stem that it is OK to begin the process of unfreezing the emotional paralysis that has plagued us for decades. UPDATE 2018: One of the treatments that Bessel van der Kolk mentions in his book - MDMA - was recently granted ‘Breakthrough Therapy’ status by the FDA for phase 3 trials. This is because the phase 1 and 2 trials were so successful, that nearly 70% of participants no longer had PTSD after just 3 MDMA sessions (most of these participants had suffered PTSD for decades)."
"Psychiatrist, professor, world-class researcher, and traumatologist Bessel van der Kolk MD requires no introduction to trauma psychotherapists. Familiar with major reviews of PTSD psychotherapy outcomes research, I know that research support for body-oriented approaches to treating psychological trauma psychopathology is thin at best, and such treatment models simply do not have the research validation of either EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and PE (Prolonged Exposure), neither of which are especially body-focused. J. Interlandi's excellent article anticipating publication of this book - "A Revolutionary Approach to Treating PTSD" (New York Times Magazine, 2014.05.22 - available online) - initially supported my fears that for some inexplicable reason van der Kolk was now promoting some treatment model for which we have little confirming research. Yet the account of van der Kolk's therapy work in Interlandi's article is gripping. (I've been here before, reading van der Kolk's own accounts of his work.). Van der Kolk's critique of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy - a general class of therapies) and PE (E. Foa's exposure therapy model) is withering and correct: neither really work. Because as a trauma treatment professional I'm well aware of what the trauma treatment outcomes research actually says. Van der Kolk's new book has many virtues. Parts One and Two (102 pp) provide a substantial review of the neuropsychology of trauma's impact on a person. I've long thought that much writing on treating psychological trauma seems to miss the point: trauma memory is what causes the problem. As he does throughout the book, van der Kolk offers fine stories about clients who have experienced exactly what I've seen happen in my clients, making excellent use of what cognitive research tells us: people understand things best through narratives. Psychological trauma therapy is complex, but we are now well prepared to launch into the book's core content - Part Five (154 pp), "Paths to Recovery". Van der Kolk tells an amusing and self-deprecating story about his advanced training experience, in which Puk was able to provide a strong corrective to his approach to clients. Van der Kolk's thoughts on self-empowerment for those in recovery from psychological trauma will be invaluable to any trauma psychotherapy client. Van der Kolk shows us how. Organization -. * 6 pp: prefatory praise by peers and related luminaries (interesting comments from some important people in the field); * 2 pp: Table of Contents; * 356 pp: actual text; * 4 pp: Appendix: Consensus proposed criteria for developmental trauma disorder. * 3 pp: Resources. * 4 pp: Further reading. * 51 pp: Notes. * 21 pp: Index."
Best Postpartum Depression
More than one out of 10 new mothers experience post-partum depression (PPD), yet few women seek help. Marie Osmond is an international star and was the youngest female country artist in history to debut with a #1 record.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Marie went through many traumatic experiences - from sexual abuse, perfection issues, body and eating disorders - and she discusses them candidly and honestly while still keeping a sense of humor which most assuredly helped her not completely lose her mind."
"There isn't a more perfect book for each and every pregnant/new mom, new dad, or couple to read."
"Reading Marie's account and comments were as if I were talking to me daughter."
"Marie Osmond will pluck your heartstrings with this boldly honest overview of her life and the factors contributing to her postpartum depression experience."
"Marie gave a very honest and candid revelation about her nightmare with PPD."
"Can't wait to get started on her latest book "The Key Is Love"! I've always loved the Osmond Family so reading her books are pure joy!"
"Marie Osmond provides sufficient examples of the ups and downs associated with the life of a working mother,who didn't develop appropriate boundaries, and found herself depleted and emotions unattended."
"More staining that I had expected."
Best Schizophrenia
Elyn R. Saks is an esteemed professor, lawyer, and psychiatrist and is the Orrin B. Evans Professor of Law, Psychology, Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern California Law School, yet she has suffered from schizophrenia for most of her life, and still has ongoing major episodes of the illness. Her personal experience of a world in which she is both frightened and frightening is graphically drawn and leads directly to her advocacy of mental patients' civil rights as they confront compulsory medication, civil commitment, the abuse of restraints and the absurdities of the mental care system.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I wanted to understand schizophrenia and aspects related to this mental disorder; this book delivers that and much more."
"This was a very interesting book about schizophrenia - how it presents itself, how it differs from other mental illnesses, and how it's treated with medication."
"I have never read such a descriptive book on mental illness."
"I can't say enough good things about this book: The bravery and ability to write about one's own schizophrenia."
"The author's constant and consistently present idea that staying on medication (even though it kept her sane) indicated that she was a failure makes the book a bit monotonous. Elyn has some stress in life, becomes psychotic, gets medication that helps, then refuses to take it because that would make her a failure. Also, I found the author to be a tad self-congratulatory for my taste, though I understand how proud she must have been to be accomplishing what she was, despite having such a debilitating mental illness. I have noticed many people's negative reviews surround Elyn's privileged status. I see this same kind of classist vitriol (of the reviewers) in another book I enjoy in this genre Prozac Nation."
"She shows how a high functioning life can be fabricated with the help of support, talk therapy and medication."
"As Ms. Saks brings the reader into the the experiences of confusion, fear, and chaos she has lived through having schizophrenia, she imparts the vital part trusted friends can play in comforting and guiding a psychotic friend to the help they need when an episode occurs."
"Brilliant woman, prodigiously educated and schizophrenic."