The Amygdala: A Functional Analysis Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are interested in the amygdala, there are now many good books on the market, but this one is the best general overview I have found so far. It is both a good place to start in understanding what is currently known about the amygdala and a useful reference for more amygdala-experienced persons. It is too technical for the general reader, but understandable to anyone with a basic, college-level understanding of biopsychology and brain anatomy.
The book covers what is known about the circuitry of the amygdala itself and how it relates to the rest of the brain in both humans and primates. There are a lot of useful illustrations and tables that list the connections. Later chapters become more conceptual and discuss what these connections or their absense means for the function of the brain or the animal. Various disorders are discussed, including Alzheimer's disease.
There is a lot of emphasis on the issue of the amygdala processing emotions, especially fear and anger. There is discussion about emotionally-charged imagery and its effect on the brain through the processing by the amygdala. Unfortunately, the nature of creativity wasn't pursued more, but that is largely due to how far research has been able to go so far. Nonetheless, there are some interesting implications about how and why we experience visual art.
This is an excellent reference book, although I read it cover-to-cover, skimming over the more data-oriented text. It could easily be as useful to anyone studying mind states, philosophers, more science-oriented artists, or persons studying isses of perception as it would be to any number of scientists. I recommend it both as an excellent document and a great read.

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The amygdala is a central component of the limbic brain system and is known to be vital to understanding aspects of emotions, memory and social behavior. Dysfuction of the structure is also thought to contribute to a variety of disorders, including autism, Alzheimer's Disease and schizophrenia. The nature of its contribution to these fundamental aspects of behavior and cognition, and its relationship with other regions of the brain has remained elusive. However, since Aggleton's first book on the subject - The Amygdala: Neurobiological Aspects of Emotion, Memory, and Mental Dysfunction (1992) - there have been some major advances in our understanding of the processes involved and a dramatic rise in the volume of research. Scientists are now able to define its contribution in an increasingly precise manner. Leading experts from around the world have contributed chapters to this comprehensive and unique review, describing current thinking on the enigmatic brain structure. This book for all those with an interest in the neural basis of emotion and memory.

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Shorter Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry, Fifth Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)As a behavioral health specialist, I bought this book in 2007 to supplement my knowledge about psychiatric disorders and alcohol and drug abuse. In my view, the book is one of the best I have read in any academic discipline. All chapters are lucid, prudently organized, and superbly written; and the book has reinforced my expertise on this important subject. I strongly recommend resident psychiatrists in particular to purchase this book. I believe the book will help in molding competent psychiatrists, as the authors offer advice that can be indispensable.

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Widely recognised as the standard text for trainee psychiatrists, the 'Shorter Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry' stands head and shoulders above the competition. Written by three of the most experienced clinicians and researchers in European psychiatry and neuroscience, the text has been honed over five editions and displays a fluency, authority and insight which is not only rarely found but makes the process of assimilating information as smooth and enjoyable as possible. The book provides an introduction to all the clinical topics required by the trainee psychiatrist, including all the sub-specialties and major psychiatric conditions. Throughout, the authors emphasize the basic clinical skills required for the full assessment and understanding of the patient. Discussion of treatment includes not only scientific evidence, but also practical problems in the management of individual patients. The text emphasizes an evidence-based approach to practice and gives full attention to ethical and legal issues. Introductory chapters focus on recognition of signs and symptoms, classification and diagnosis, psychiatric assessment, and aetiology.Further chapters cover both pharmacological and psychological treatments in detail. A key feature is the equal prominence given to ICD and DSM classification - often with direct comparisons - which gives the book a universal appeal. Revised to include the latest evidence and guidelines using a team of expert advisors, the 'Shorter Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry' is the most up-to-date secondary level textbook of psychiatry available. The fifth edition also boasts a new modern design and greater use of summary boxes, tables, and lists than ever before. The extensive bibliography has been brought right up to date and there are targeted reading lists for each chapter. The 'Shorter Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry' fulfils all the study and revision needs of psychiatric trainees, but will also prove useful to medical students, GPs, qualified psychiatrists, and those in related fields who need to keep up to date with current psychiatric practice.

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The Practical Art of Suicide Assessment: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals and Substance Abuse Counselors Review

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(More customer reviews)Shawn Shea's The Practical Art of Suicide Assessment: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals and Substance Abuse Counselors is one of the most valuable professional texts I have read in the past decade. The book combines scholarship, practical guidelines and a literary quality that renders it a truly exceptional book in the field. I found the case examples used to illustrate clinical problems invaluable; these vignettes bring the theoretical material "alive" in a way that encourages clinicians from various disciplines and theoretical orientations to meaningfully incorporate the concepts. Shea elucidates such critical issues as risk factors and risk predictors in such a way as to make constructs that are often reifed once again meaningful. As part of my professional responsibilities, I am responsible for training/teaching mental health emergency clinicians aspects of clinical interviewing and suicide assessment. I have incorporated many of the principles in this book into these trainings. The CASE approach to suicidal assessment is perhaps the best approach to this complex task that I have found. The discussion on "contracting for safety/no suicide contracts" is relevant, congruent with current ethical and legal principles, and reflects the difficult reality of working with suicidal patients. I regularly recommend both this book and Shea's book on psychiatric interviewing to participants in the workshops.
In summary, I highly recommend this text for clinicians from all disciplines and at all phases of professional development. It is a rich text, full of clinical wisdom and scholarship, that both the novice and the seasoned clinician will find themselves reaching for repeatedly. Perhaps the best assessment of the book is the fact that I've tried to keep it on my bookshelf, but it keeps getting borrowed by my colleagues. I've resolved the problem by keeping a separate copy at home. THAT constitutes a valuable book!

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Penned with a compelling elegance and charm, the "Practical Art of Suicide Assessment" is brimming with clinical wisdom, enlightening case illustrations and a vibrant sense of compassion. Viewed as one of the classics in the field of mental health, and acclaimed by both beginning students and experienced clinicians alike, it describes in a step-by-step fashion exactly how to make a sound suicide assessment. Dr. Shea explores the causes of suicidal ideation as well as the nuances of risk actors, protective factors, and the complexities of the clinical formulation of risk. He skillfully integrates all of this information for the reader by using real-life case examples and addressing daunting clinical challenges head-on such as assessing suicide risk with clients coping with borderline personality disorder or psychotic process.In addition Dr. Shea brings to life the highly acclaimed interview strategy for uncovering suicidal ideation, planning, behavior and intent the "Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (CASE Approach)". Dr. Shea, the originator of the CASE Approach, shows exactly how to creatively and flexibly use its innovative interviewing techniques to match the unique needs of every client. The CASE Approach has been described by the noted suicidologist and past President of the American Association of Suicidology, David Jobes, Ph.D. as follows: "The CASE Approach moves the clinician almost imperceptibly into the secret internal workings of the mind and soul of the patient tormented by suicidal ideation. I believe that the CASE Approach is a remarkable conceptual and clinical contribution to the field of suicidology. It should be taught to any front-line clinician. It has the power to meaningfully save lives." Dr. Shea concludes the book with a no-nonsense approach to documenting a suicide risk assessment that can both help to save a client's life as well as keep the clinician out of court. Respected across the globe, the Practical Art of Suicide Assessment has been translated into languages as diverse as French and Japanese. Mental Health Presses is pleased to re-issue this classic in contemporary suicide prevention (originally published in 2002).

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The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis Review

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(More customer reviews)I am 66, an RN, former psych nurse, didn't think I needed to know much about marijuana. Never used it before. With 3 chronic conditions, I've always looked for safer alternatives to pharmaceuticals. This book is eye-opening abt the twisted history of prohibition and the latest scientific research that can make life so much easier for those with autoimmune and neurological disorders, acute & chronic. The stigma that has been perpetuated by politicians, law enforcers - esp the DEA, the government are so easily refuted by science. Science continues to be hidden, but it is exploding.
Many people associate it with counter culture. It holds so much more promise beyond that. I am angry that I am this old and am in the field of medicine but only now am finding this information. I think of so many people who could have relief and better health. I am furious at the political machinations that have kept the truth from the public and apparently the president and people who make drug laws. There needs to be a paradigm shift where science reigns. Older people in particular have the most to benefit from its use because they are usually the ones with several chronic diseases and pain. I think AARP needs to make the information known to their members.
If you are a parent, you need to read this book to keep up and inform your kids, rather than having a knee jerk reaction. I've told my kids I wish I'd had this info when they were young. It is important to get perspective when our society is steeped in alcohol use that causes diseases and kills. All proceeds of the book go toward medical cannabis research.


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Leading experts on the science, history, politics, medicine, and potential of America's most popular recreational drug • With contributions by Andrew Weil, Michael Pollan, Lester Grinspoon, Allen St. Pierre (NORML), Tommy Chong, and others • Covers marijuana's physiological and psychological effects, its medicinal uses, the complex politics of cannabis law, pot and parenting, its role in creativity, business, and spirituality, and much more Exploring the role of cannabis in medicine, politics, history, and society, The Pot Book offers a compendium of the most up-to-date information and scientific research on marijuana from leading experts, including Lester Grinspoon, M.D., Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Allen St. Pierre (NORML), and Raphael Mechoulam. Also included are interviews with Michael Pollan, Andrew Weil, M.D., and Tommy Chong as well as a pot dealer and a farmer who grows for the U.S. Government. Encompassing the broad spectrum of marijuana knowledge from stoner customs to scientific research, this book investigates the top ten myths of marijuana; its physiological and psychological effects; its risks; why joints are better than water pipes and other harm-reduction tips for users; how humanity and cannabis have co-evolved for millennia; the brain's cannabis-based neurochemistry; the complex politics of cannabis law; its potential medicinal uses for cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and other illnesses; its role in creativity, business, and spirituality; and the complicated world of pot and parenting. As legalization becomes a reality, this book candidly offers necessary facts and authoritative opinions in a society full of marijuana myths, misconceptions, and stereotypes.

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Mind, Meaning, and Mental Disorder: The Nature of Causal Explanation in Psychology and Psychiatry (International Perspectives in Philosophy and Psychiatry) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book represents a significant leap in our understanding of mental disorder. If we existed in a world where society was guided by the latest efforts of sharp thinkers (rather than cost/benefit analysis) then we should be seeing major changes in the existing insitutions that provide care for people with 'mental health problems'. The book begins with the following thesis: Intentional (meaningful) mental states are causal as they can be used in the explanation / prediction of action. They attend to this thesis in the first part of the book. These mental states are not reducible to physical states, rather they are 'encoded' in physical states in the brain, something akin to how information for producing a particular phenotype is encoded in the DNA molecule. Their account solves the following problem: Ever since Karl Jaspers set the limits of understanding, 'true madness' has been excluded from the domain of meaning and relegated to that of biological dysfunction. Thoughout this book Bolton and Hill show how in biology as well as in psychology there are many possiblities for disorder in the absence of any physical dysruption. Disorder can be envisaged as occuring from the intentional stance only if intentional mental states can be construed as having causal power. Their account drives meaning back into previously 'meaningless' phenomena.

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Philosophical ideas about the mind, brain, and behavior can seem theoretical and unimportant when placed alongside the urgent questions of mental distress and disorder. However, there is a need to give direction to attempts to answer these questions. On the one hand a substantial research effort in going into the investigation of brain processes and the development of drug treatments for psychiatric disorders, and on the other, a wide range of psychotherapies is becoming available to adults and children with mental health problems. These two strands reflect traditional distinctions between mind and body, and causal as opposed to meaningful explanations of behavior. In this book, which has been written for psychiatrists, psychologists, philosophers, and others in related fields, the authors propose a radical re-interpretation of these traditional distinctions. Throughout the discussions philosophical theories are brought to bear on the particular questions of the explanation of behaviors, the nature of mental causation, and eventually the origins of major disorders including depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and personality disorder.First published in 1996, this volume played an important role in bridging the gap between philosophy and psychiatry, and introducing those in psychiatry to philosophical ideas somewhat neglected in their field. Completely updated, the new edition of this acclaimed volume draws on the strengths of the first edition, and will be a central text in the burgeoning field of philosophy of psychiatry.

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Psychiatry (Oxford Medical Publications) Review

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(More customer reviews)For students of any mental health profession, this is an essential text. It is written, though, with practice in the U.K. predominantly in mind. Nevertheless, if you have ever come across Maurice Sainsbury's "Key to Psychiatry", found its approach direct, concise and waffle-free and longed for a more up-to-date text like it, this is it. It is linked throughout to the ICD-10 and DSM-IV (as every psychiatry text should!) The text doesn't spare a word, the language is rich and free of vague opinionating. Packed as it is with key facts and concise, clear explanations there is little room left for waxing lyrical! But if you like your text books to-the-point, with plenty of bullet-pointed tables elucidating concepts at-a-glance and set out under easy-to-find headings in bite-size chunks, this text does it without losing the rich detail needed. Get it!

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Psychiatry introduces medicine students to the subject in a concise, innovative and memorable way. Its patient-centred approach blends a discussion of the theoretical basis of different psychiatric disorders with an explanation of the management of these disorders in everyday clinical practice, using genuine case histories to place the content in a realistic context.Recognizing that having positive interactions with a patient is central to the provision of successful psychiatric care, the book includes guidance on history-taking and assessment, while also reflecting best practice as set out by current clinical guidelines.Having undergone an extensive revision for this fourth edition, and covering all the major psychiatric conditions in a logically-structured way, the book is an invaluable guide to all individuals who are likely to encounter those with psychiatric problems, including students of medicine, healthcare, and social work. Online Resource CentreThe Online Resource Centre to accompany Psychiatry features DT Figures and tables from the book in electronic formatDT Self-assessment materials for studentsDT Updates on the latest clinical guidelines

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Psychiatry an Evidence Based Text (A Hodder Arnold Publication) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book to revise a few basic concepts before applying for a liaison psychiatry post in Edinburgh. The interview panel will be chaired by Prof. Mike Sharpe who has a strong interest in Chronic Fatigue and other functional somatic complaints. I was therefore very, very pleased to find the chapter on ME/CFS in this book to be a real gem. Overall this is a superb book and I would recommend it to anyone studying for their MRCpsych exams. Indeed it is THE ONLY BOOK TO COVER THE ENTIRE SYLLABUS!!!

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A career in psychiatry is one of the most rewarding and challenging in medicine. The trainee requires an extremely broad knowledge base to succeed, and an authoritative yet approachable source of information is essential. This book brings together expert knowledge and skills from across all areas of psychiatry to present a thorough but user-friendly guide to success in psychiatric training, with a particular focus on the Royal College of Psychiatrists' MRCPsych examination. Chapters have been carefully selected and sequenced to reflect the structure of the syllabus and examination. Summaries of key points, suggestions for further reading and full color illustrations ensure that this single colume is the only textbook needed to guide you to examination success. Detailed coverage of basic sciences underpinning psychiatry provides an introductory framework and later chapters discuss pharmacological and psychological treatments in depth.

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Principles of Frontal Lobe Function Review

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(More customer reviews)Shortly after this book came out I took it with me to a conference. A fellow neurologist saw it and commented, "Great book, but you can't read it." Though there is a good deal of clinically relevant material here, the book is basically written from a cognitive neuroscience perspective and so some background in that discipline is necessary to comprehend the material. The book is a yeasty mix of theoretical and experimental work in these 34 chapters, often with overlapping but different, and sometimes conflicting, perspectives on the same phenomena, on what was once the terra incognita of the human brain. There is still a great deal of mystery and controversy over how the frontal lobes work, but we have come a long way since the story of Phineas Gage, and the contributors to this book have been amongst the pioneers. Definitely the premiere currently available book on the frontal lobes.

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Principles of Frontal Lobe Function provides a comprehensive review of historical and current research on the functions of the frontal lobes and frontal systems of the brain.The content covers frontal lobe functions from birth to old age, from biochemistry and anatomy to rehabilitation, from normal to disrupted function.Two introductory chapters guide, in different ways, reading of subsequent chapters.Following are a number of chapters dealing with basic science- neuroanatomy and neurochemistry. The various theoretical positions proposed reflect the diversity of approaches to the same fundamental question about the role of the frontal lobes.Some chapters deal with broad, salient issues such as functional heterogeneity versus homogeneity, while others narrow their focus on specific functions like motor control, language, memory and attention, executive functioning, and emotional and social behavior.The book concludes with chapters on applied clinical research such as frontal lobe pathology in neurological diseases and disorders, stroke, and traumatic brain injury, as well as strategies for neurorehabilitation. This book is intended to be a standard reference work on the frontal lobes for researchers, clinicians, and students in the fields of neurology, neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, and health care.

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How Genes Influence Behavior Review

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(More customer reviews)One would expect an introductory textbook by these three scientists to be good, and it is. It covers behavioural and molecular methods, using examples from the authors' own work in psychiatric genetics. The field is put in historical context, with the false turnings explored, as well as the major breakthroughs. The authors take us on a journey through family, adoption and twin studies, on to the history of molecular psychiatric genetics, starting with the early, and usually unreplicated, linkage studies, through genome wide association studies and animal models using rodents and drosophila. Concepts are explained with a minimum of technical and statistical detail, making the book accessible to a wide readership. What sets this book apart from others on this topic are the personal and often witty accounts of doing research. Kendler's anecdote of a family study of schizophrenia in Ireland is particularly engaging, including an encounter with an elderly grandmother who expressed indignation that he should be driving around all over the place interviewing people to find out if mental illness ran in families. "'Why everybody knows that! Take the O'Donnells for example. They are as mad as can be and it goes back generations." (p. 12). One also gets a sense of the hard graft involved in doing research in this area: Kendler estimated that his study took 18 person years just to gather the data, and evidently required persistence and a willingness to work heroically antisocial hours by the research team.
Anyone contemplating a research career in molecular genetics would do well to read the paragraph on p 34-35 debunking popular assumptions about life in the laboratory: "A combination of intelligence and technology applied to taxing but interesting biological problems leads to ground-breaking discoveries that could cure disease or change our understanding of the universe." Well, no. The work is dull, repetitive, and usually unsuccessful. And if after years of work you do find something interesting, your laboratory head will ask: "Why is this finding wrong?". In fact, I suspect only really good laboratory heads do that - the bad ones rush gleefully into print, which is why the field is littered with nonreplicable findings. But as Flint et al point out, you need to ask it because it's embarrassing to publishing something that is wrong, your peers will do their best to find flaws in the work, and, most importantly, "it's only by publishing findings that are robust to any possible criticism that we'll make any progress". A refreshingly old-fashioned take on the scientific process that is all-too-often forgotten in the current climate where we're all encouraged to publish as much as we possibly can, and where a dramatic but non-replicable result may get you two papers in a high-impact journal: one for the original finding, and the other for the failure to replicate.


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How important are genetic influences on behavior?How many genes influence an individual behavior, and how much influence does a single gene have? How do genes interact with the environment to influence the development of behavioral traits?What are the differences between humans and 'simpler' organisms when it comes to the genetic control of behavior? How Genes Influence Behavior is a unique introduction to behavioral genetics, which combines conceptual rigor with accessibility to answer questions such as these--answers that carry important implications for the nature of who we are. Offering unparalleled insights into how behavioral genetics is probed through real-world research, it considers evidence from humans and the major model organisms of mouse, fruit-fly and nematode worm to demonstrate how much of our current understanding of the genetic basis of human behavior stems from our exploration of other animals. Further, it uses these studies to connect the key themes of the book--the nature of gene action, and the inter-relationship of genetic and environmental influences on behavior-across organisms, highlighting key commonalities and differences.The book also shows the major impact that neurobiology is having on our understanding of the field, to give a true depiction of behavioral genetics in the 21st century. However, care is taken throughout not to overwhelm the reader with scientific detail. Instead, the authors make the book fun to read without sacrificing accuracy or devaluing the complexity of the subject matter: they 'personalize' the science, mixing more standard narrative with biographical details to make the subject come alive. With the media filled with talk of the discovery of genes 'for' an array of human behaviors, there has never been a more pressing need for today's students--tomorrow's researchers--to be equipped with a clear, balanced view of the field. How Genes Influence Behavior is the perfect guide for all students, delivered in the words of three researchers who have witnessed first-hand the emergence of this fascinating field, and whose own investigations have been central to our current understanding of it.Online Resource CentreFor Instructors* Figures from the book, available to downloadFor students* Hyperlinks to primary literature cited in the text

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The Rise and Fall of the Biopsychosocial Model: Reconciling Art and Science in Psychiatry Review

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(More customer reviews)The Rise and Fall of the Biopsychosocial Model is Dr. Ghaemi's brave and impassioned attempt to meaningfully distinguish the Biopsychosocial (BPS) Model from the Perspectives on historic and philosophical grounds. After my own Hopkins psychiatry residency training, having read McHugh & Slavney's book, "The Perspectives" cover-to-cover at least six times, it still remained unclear how the two diagnostic approaches differed in theory and in practice. Ghaemi's book succeeds, much like a 17th Century Rembrandt group portraiture, to put all those distinguished historic characters, seated or standing, in period costume within the same shadowy-lit room. Accordingly, the philosophical leanings, ulterior motives, and professed intentions of key contributors of each model are sketched and colored by Ghaemi's detailed interpretation of their work captured in it's timeframe. Still after this skillful exercise in argumentation, this reader felt the author had somehow missed the central dilemma and, consequently, the direction towards meaningful resolution.
The reality of psychiatry today is that individuals trained in either of these approaches are not meaningfully different appearing from each other in practice. Competent psychiatric practitioners from both camps compassionately collect similar data regarding the individual's life story, family history, disease history, and descriptions of recent behavior. Following from this process, neither the Biopsychosocial Model or the Perspectives offer a firm and reproducible methodology for connecting the dots or assigning value to those connections derive the essential 'meaning' or reframe a patient's view of themselves in the world in a manner that leads to greater personal effectiveness. Debates of whether a particularly difficult case was bipolar I or a borderline personality, whether they are suffering from major depression or a dependent personality, would not be informed by either model, as practitioners were arguing by which factoids were deemed more consequential.
Only the few inspired practitioners can craft and communicate a view both persuasive and capable of durable healing, which most likely results in the modulation of the weighted connections within the cortical network of the patient. Institutions, like Johns Hopkins Hospital, despite having the Perspectives and entrance processes which guarantee a population of bright individuals, the residency process yields variable results regarding psychiatric skills. The immersion in "The Perspectives" does not guarantee that there will be some who remain more influenced by their own penchants and prejudices than by their connection with the patient. There is still much that is required to conceive of a good psychiatrist than whether they are of a biopsychosocial or `perspectives' orientation.
Regarding a psychiatrist's academic preparation, the author exalts the importance of a cultural literacy. Ghaemi celebrates his recollection of some obscure latin term raised to consciousness by both a patient's challenge and the author's own pride in a certain erudition. But psychiatry has a generous share of individuals whose skewed interpretation of literature, to their patient's disadvantage, is inappropriately applied. Oral histories or works of literature have an ephemeral capacity of capturing life's multidimensionality or wisdom. Spoken language, however, is linear with limited capability to depict accurately the relative valuation of objects within a particular frame of reference. Thus, whereas for one patient their tattoos are an aspect of their antisocial personality, for another tattoos might represent exactly the opposite, as the culture they belong to may see a tattoo as representing high social standing. Neither The Perspectives or the Biopsychosocial model is sufficiently detailed to provide direction as to how much data is sufficient to make meaningful conclusions or what to conclude through the process of giving each detail it's appropriate weight in the greater context.
Where literature may attempt to represent the relative valuation of nodes within a complex network of objects, mathematics can be the embodiment of a poetry of precision. Though the author makes short shrift of parallel processing, chaos, nonlinear [making mention in a single line of these milestones of modern thinking] it will be neuroscience and systems theory which will lead to improved models with greater consistency in conceptualization and treatment of our psychiatric patients.
Anyone reading this book will tire by the third chapter's end of hearing the author repetitiously dismiss the Biopsychosocial model as dogmatic and eclecticism. But you would have several chapters more to hear the chant repeated to what end but to inculcate it's value in the unwary. In practice, despite the glowing terms used for "the Perspectives" approach, the practitioner's interpretation of what is salient in the data can be just as dogmatic or reflective of eclecticism ... or elitism by either approach. For all this book's richness in recounting history, reciting from fundamental psychiatric tomes, and his philosophic argumentation, although the underlying intentions of the writers of each view may have differed, the ends in either BPS model or the Perspectives, seem as valuable and incomplete. Good psychiatry remains the marriage of science and art embodied in the practices of a talented few.

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This is the first book-length historical critique of psychiatry's mainstream ideology, the biopsychosocial (BPS) model. Developed in the twentieth century as an outgrowth of psychosomatic medicine, the biopsychosocial model is seen as an antidote to the constraints of the medical model of psychiatry. Nassir Ghaemi details the origins and evolution of the BPS model and explains how, where, and why it fails to live up to its promises. He analyzes the works of its founders, George Engel and Roy Grinker Sr., traces its rise in acceptance, and discusses its relation to the thought of William Osler and Karl Jaspers. In assessing the biopsychosocial model, Ghaemi provides a philosophically grounded evaluation of the concept of mental illness and the relation between evidence-based medicine and psychiatry. He argues that psychiatry's conceptual core is eclecticism, which in the face of too much freedom paradoxically leads many of its adherents to enact their own dogmas. Throughout, he makes the case for a new paradigm of medical humanism and method-based psychiatry that is consistent with modern science while incorporating humanistic aspects of the art of medicine.Ghaemi shows how the historical role of the BPS model as a reaction to biomedical reductionism is coming to an end and urges colleagues in the field to embrace other, less-eclectic perspectives. (May 2010)

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Stalking: Psychiatric Perspectives and Practical Approaches Review

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(More customer reviews)As one of the 17 co-authors of this text, it is appropriate for me to focus on how the text has been received by psychiatric peers.
This textbook has been highly praised by the psychiatric community. Among others, two comments that have been made about the text include:
"This is an exemplary review of what is known about stalking by a superb coterie of psychiatric scholars and clinicians." -- J. Reid Meloy, PhD, ABPP, Chairman, Forensis, Inc., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
and
"This comprehensive monograph covers a frightening topic from empirical research and classification to practical victim protective strategies, from risk assessment to courtroom tactics. Drawing on recognized authorities, this book will clearly become he most useful current treatise in the field." -- Thomas G. Gutheil, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Co-Founder, Program in Psychiatry and the Law, BIDMC, Harvard Medical School
The textbook was co-authored by 17 of the world's eminent forensic psychiatrists, including (in alphabetical order) Kenneth L. Apppelbaum, MD, Peter Ash, MD, John R. Cooke, MD, JD, Todd Elwyn, JD, MD, Deborah Giorgi-Guarnieri, JD, MD, Graham D. Glancy, MB, ChB, FRC Psych., FRCP (C), David J. Kapley, JD, MD, James Knoll, MD, Douglas Mossman, MD, Alan W. Newman, MD, Michael, A. Norko, MD, Robert T. M. Phillips, MD, PhD, DFAPA, Debra A. Pinals, MD, Mordecai N. Potash, MD, Phillip J. Resnick, MD, Charles L. Scott, MD, and John Tennison, MD.
The textbook contains the following 10 chapters:
1.Stalking: Introduction, Definition, and Epidemiology
2.Stalking: Classification and Typology
3.Stalking: Risk Assessment
4.Risk Management of Stalking
5.Stalking: Perspectives on Victims and Management
6.Trends in Anti-Stalking Legislation
7.Stalking, Competence to Stand Trial, and Criminal Responsibility
8.Juvenile Aspects of Stalking
9.Cyberstalking
10.Celebrity and Presidential Targets


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Over the last two decades, stalking has received increasingly widespread attention.The establishment of anti-stalking legislation has helped to spur interest in stalking research and the forensic assessment of stalkers.Popular representations of stalking have made the public more aware of this phenomenon. It has long been the responsibility of mental health professionals to provide assessments of and treatment for stalkers and their victims, and as criminal cases involving defendants charged with stalking become more common, it is now also the responsibility of legal professionals to be knowledgeable about psychiatric aspects of stalking behaviorand the risks that so often must be minimized through legal action or a combination of clinical and legal interventions. This volume provides a thorough overview of current scientific and clinical research about stalking, along with practical guidance and original commentary from the Psychiatry and the Law Committee of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, an organization recognized for its contributions to mental health literature.In addition to covering the most widely discussed scientific topics related to stalking, including classification of stalking behaviors, risk assessment and risk management of stalkers, and the stalking experience from the perspective of victims, this book examines celebrity and special target stalking, cyberstalking, forensic assessment, and juvenile and adolescent stalking. Stalking: Psychiatric Perspectives and Practical Approaches provides a novel and comprehensive contribution to a field in need of an up-to-date text, written from the vantage point of forensic psychiatrists who encounter stalkers and their victims in their distinct roles as treatment providers and forensic evaluators. The prism of stalking and the risks involved continue to fascinate and frighten. In pursuit of rounded coverage, the authors have incorporated findings from numerous studies and analyzed these findings from several theoretical perspectives. Every chapter has been written from the vantage point of a committee of nationally recognized forensic psychiatrists who offer their perspectives on this fascinating but complex topic.Mental health professionals, members of the judiciary, law enforcement professionals, media personnel, and the public will no doubt find this text to be an informative and useful resource.

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Psychiatric Diagnosis Review

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(More customer reviews)I love these authors. They explain psychiatric syndromes in a way that is very readable and easy to understand. I think this is a must for anyone who treats psychiatric patients.

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Updated throughout, this text provides a critical overview of the major psychiatric syndromes, with a minimum of theory and clinical judgment. Medical students and psychiatric residents should find it a useful guide to the field.

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Oxford American Handbook of Psychiatry (Oxford American Handbooks of Medicine (Quality Paperback)) Review

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(More customer reviews)On the 1200+ razor-thin pages of tiny text, this book has something to say about every topic in psychiatry. This is its greatest strength. Some significant shortcomings are there as well: a good portion of this information is too vague, not clinical, or outright irrelevant. A few important things are missing. Also, the book has so much information it is often difficult to find something.
To give its due credit, the book is best pocket guide to psychiatry for residents. However, I can only say that because the authors managed to squeeze an inordinate amount of information in the 1200+ pages, and no other guides are available for a fair comparison.
Closer inspection of the massive amounts of information reveals some shortcomings.
#1 The book is too vague and not clinically oriented. (For an example of what a clinical guide should look like, open Pocket Medicine from Mass General.) Here, a lot of ink is wasted on introductions, history lessons, and extensive epidemiology information (nothing against public health, but this guide goes overboard). A clinical psych reference does not need musings on stigma of psychiatry, history, and the future of the field. The books is trying to talk about everything, and, with this misplaced focus, it misses its target audience (presumably residents, attendings). For example, authors of Chapter 4 on EBM have made an extensive use of diagrams and visual aids to explain different types of clinical studies and trials, roles of participants, etc over many pages. How about a visual diagram on something more clinically relevant like the decision steps in pharmacological management of ADHD or depression. Too little text is devoted to that. Another example: the section on personality disorders does a fair job describing each one; however when it comes to management, all PDs are suddenly grouped as one condition; that's not particularly useful especially when it comes to treatment and behavioral management. The short paragraph on psychopharmacology of PDs is nauseatingly inadequate.
Also some information is duplicated adding to an unwieldy tome that stretches a white-coat pocket: (e.g. Anxiety section (Chapter 9) contains a glossary of phobias; Chapter 3 glossary of psychiatric terms also lists some phobias, but not all).
#2 Some information is missing: ER psychiatry section should contain information on managing TCA overdose - I could not find it anywhere in the book.
More likely than not, a psychiatric resident will witness a few seizures during her training. No word on how to manage them, let alone Vfib/Vtach protocol.

#3 It may be difficult to find what you are looking for. Quick example: Let's say you have an acutely psychotic patient, and you want to know how much Haldol to give him. Trying to find the answer you realize that haloperidol does not appear in the index! (neither is QT prolongation!!). Looking up psychosis in the index will not send you to the right page either. The ER section is silent on this. (The answer is in the middle of the section on schizophrenia, impossible to find, unless you have 20 minutes free to browse through the book).
The bottom line, in an attempt to write a comprehensive text, the authors brought together a lot of information with little regard for its clinical relevance. The book may help medical students learn about psychiatry and study for the shelf exam, but it won't help residents manage TCA overdose, and it does not have specific enough information for an attending to manage outpatient meds. With all it's shortcoming it is the best out there (no one else bothered to write a guide). But this book requires commitment to be useful. It will take time to learn the book's cryptic way of organizing information, and to find hidden clinical answers. And always carry epocrates, pocket DSM-IV and ACLS card for backup.

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Written by leading American practitioners, the Oxford American Handbooks in Medicine each offer a pocket-sized overview of an entire specialty, featuring instant access to guidance on the conditions that are most likely to be encountered. Precise and prescriptive, the handbooks offer up-to-date advice on examination, investigations, common procedures, and in-patient care. These books will be invaluable resources for residents and students, as well as a useful reference for practitioners.The Oxford American Handbook of Psychiatry is a flexi-covered, pocket clinical book, providing practical guidance in quick reference, note form. The series' reputation is built on including the best clinical information, complemented by hints, tips and advice from the authors. Thin and light, it uses concise, bulleted text, quick reference tabs, four-color presentation, and bookmark ribbons to help provide fast answers on the ward. This new handbook is ideal for students, residents and anyone wanting a succinct, comprehensive, and affordable volume in the proven format of the Oxford Handbook Series.Why choose the Oxford American Handbook of Psychiatry?The design....The Handbook uses a unique flexicover design that's durable and practical.Compact, light, and fits in your pocket!Also has quick reference tabs, four-color presentation, and bookmark ribbons to help provide fast answers.The interior layout....The Handbook is a quick reference in a small, innovative package.With one to two topics per page, it provides easy access and the emergency sections are in red to stand out.Icons throughout aid quick reference. The information....The Handbook succinctly covers all the essential topics in a one ortwo-page spread format with colored headings that break up the text and provide a logical structure for readers of all levels.Common clinical questions are answered clearly and extensively.The history....Oxford University Press is known around the world for excellence, tradition, and innovation.These handbooks are among the best selling in the world.The price....You get an extremely useful tool at a great value!

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The Comfort Garden: Tales from the Trauma Unit Review

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(More customer reviews)This book took me a long time to read, but it was well worth it. Laurie Barkin has written a memoir-type account of her work experience as a psychiatric nurse and woven her personal life throughout. The account read like a good novel, and the personal life experiences rounded this therapeutic story. Laurie's personality shone through her expertise as a nurse; her sensitive care of her patients made me wish there were more nurses like her. What we have lost in quality patient care has touched all aspects of society and has caused costs to skyrocket instead of decrease. Laurie mentions this issue throughout her chapters; she has direct insight from having worked in a hospital when managed care was just taking off. I related to the notion of vicarious trauma that some caregivers experience; this is probably more widespread than some of us want to admit. Although I did not work with such severe trauma cases as Laurie, I did work for a facility that ministered to special populations and after 5 years of working there, sought a career change.
One has to admire a person that loves her job and that loves helping people with traumatic histories. Laurie related these stories in a sensitive manner while making an impact on the reader. I found myself wanting to know more about them and how they had survived such conditions. She did admit that there were a few people she did not warm to, and this added to the book's credibility. I related to her worrying more about her loved ones and wondering if her luck would run out in her own life. It is impossible for many of us not to wonder if our relatively stable lives will all of a sudden be shattered as is the case for many. I am a worrier and I feel like I have to walk on glass sometimes so as not to disturb life's rhythm; although, I am much better as I age. I suppose there is less time left to worry.
Laurie seemed cautious as the book began, not going into too much detail on the first patient she described, but as the book unfolded, the descriptions of the patients and their histories made more of an impact. I especially liked the description of Mr. Livermore, the seemingly cold, inhuman patient who appeared near the end of the book. Then, there was Will Avery, who wondered why the doctors saved him; he felt worthless. I liked Mrs. Holloway, who had gotten a knife wound, from one of her neighbors, and the comical Jack Whitman, who joked about his injury.
Laurie balances the sad horror stories of her work with anecdotes of her home life, her last pregnancy, her husband, and three children. They live a good life, the reader watches Benny, her last child, grow; they take vacations and do normal family activities. Toward the end of the book, Laurie describes her pounding heart and her growing misgivings about her work situation. She finally reaches the breaking point, and as the book ends, she decides to take a break from work and worries about reinventing herself. Will her identity survive when she is no longer a nurse? This is an issue many of us grapple with when we make a career change. Will we succeed, or will we fail? It was therapeutic to share the author's feelings and thoughts throughout this book. Readers will find many issues to relate to and share in the ways that Laurie works through them. Is is obvious to me that she is a success; a book is a great accomplishment. In the acknowledgments, she says it took her nine years to write her book; the work she did is evident in the carefully written accounts of her career.
This book should be read by anyone thinking about going into the mental health profession, and it would be therapeutic for those already in it. It really describes the day-to-day struggles and triumphs in the helping professions.
The Comfort Garden: Tales from the Trauma Unit

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The Comfort Garden: Tales from the Trauma Unit by Laurie Barkin

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Introduction to Neuropsychopharmacology Review

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(More customer reviews)Wonderfully written. Very Informative and does not read like a text book for the amount of information packed within the chapters.

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Introduction to Neuropsychopharmacology expands on the molecular and cellular foundations of the classic Biochemical Basis of Neuropharmacology, Eighth Edition (Cooper, Bloom, and Roth) by now including the behavioral methods used to study psychoactive drugs in experimental animals and in humans. Authored by four founders of modern neuroscience, this concise and comprehensive text covers the current series of medications used to treat diseases of the brain and nervous system--both psychiatric and neurologic--as well as legal and illegal recreational drugs and the neuroscientific information that explains how these medications act on the brain from the molecular to the clinical level. The text ranges from drugs that affect the mood and behavior to hypnotics, narcotics, anticonvulsants, and analgesics.

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Oxford Textbook of Psychotherapy Review

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(More customer reviews)The font size is a joke!? It's the smallest print letter I've ever seen! What's the point of editing an interesting and complete book, if the reader's gonna end up with a headache after 5 minutes of reading? If I had known, I'd definitely wouldn't have bought it.

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With the publication of this book psychotherapy finally arrives at the mainstream of mental health practice. This volume is an essential companion for every practising psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, psychotherapy counsellor, mental health nurse, psychotherapist, and mental health practitioner. It is integrative in spirit, with chapters written by an international panel of experts who combine theory and research with practical treatment guidelines and illustrative case examples to produce an invaluable book. Part One gives a comprehensive account of all the major psychotherapeutic approaches. Parts Two and Three systematically describe psychotherapeutic approaches to the major psychiatric disorders and personality disorders. Many chapters are multi-authored and describe the psychodynamic, cognitive behavioural and other approaches for treating these illnesses. Part Four examines applications and modifications of psychotherapy across the lifecycle. Part Five describes psychotherapy with specific populations such as medical patients and those where gender is an issue, and finally Part Six tackles some of the special topics of concern to psychotherapists including ethics, legal issues, and psychotherapy and neuroscience. The first of its kind, this is a 'must have' volume for all trainee and practising psychological therapists, whatever their background - psychiatry, psychology, social work, or nursing.

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The Loss of Sadness: How Psychiatry Transformed Normal Sorrow into Depressive Disorder Review

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(More customer reviews)To say I enjoyed this book might be a stretch. There were parts that were laborious because it was like reading a very long journal article on the topic. My effort to get through the book were paid off by how I conceptualize two things - the role of context in classification and the art of criticism without destructive criticism. I will detail both below.
Context: The authors make it clear from the beginning that depression is inappropriately diagnosed these days. Typical behavioral responses to sadness are probably misconstrued as depression. I found that part of the thesis quite compelling. Even more compelling was the fact that the evidence seems to favor their perspective. The point is driven home by anecdotes, data, and theory. I liked the combination because it kept the reader (me) thinking throughout the book.
Criticism: Where I think the authors deserve the most praise is for their delicate and precise criticism of the DSM. They do a remarkable job of detailing the merits of clinical diagnosis while also describing the warts. Unlike most DSM critics who want to throw all classification out, they recognize the importance of mental illness types. I was reminded of Paul Meehl's critique of the antinosological critics (in "Why I don't attend case conferences") while reading this book. These authors did not fall into Meehl's trap. Instead, they offered both sides of the situation and made it clear that their omission of context did nothing to denigrate the DSM specifically. Perhaps they were cautious of the criteria and the application of DSM diagnostic criteria without considering the context and history of the patient.
If you find either point worth reading then buy this book. I plan to make all my graduate students read parts of this book for both points above.


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Depression has become the single most commonly treated mental disorder, amid claims that one out of ten Americans suffer from this disorder every year and 25% succumb at some point in their lives. Warnings that depressive disorder is a leading cause of worldwide disability have been accompanied by a massive upsurge in the consumption of antidepressant medication, widespread screening for depression in clinics and schools,and a push to diagnose depression early, on the basis of just a few symptoms, in order to prevent more severe conditions from developing. In The Loss of Sadness, Allan V. Horwitz and Jerome C. Wakefield argue that, while depressive disorder certainly exists and can be a devastating condition warranting medical attention, the apparent epidemic in fact reflects the way the psychiatric profession has understood and reclassified normal human sadness as largely an abnormal experience. With the 1980 publication of the landmark third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III), mental health professionals began diagnosing depression based on symptoms--such as depressed mood, loss of appetite, and fatigue--that lasted for at least two weeks. This system is fundamentally flawed, the authors maintain, because it fails to take into account the context in which the symptoms occur. They stress the importance of distinguishing between abnormal reactions due to internal dysfunction and normal sadness brought on by external circumstances. Under the current DSM classification system, however, this distinction is impossible to make, so the expected emotional distress caused by upsetting events-for example, the loss of a job or the end of a relationship- could lead to a mistaken diagnosis of depressive disorder. Indeed, it is this very mistake that lies at the root of the presumed epidemic of major depression in our midst. In telling the story behind this phenomenon, the authors draw on the 2,500-year history of writing about depression, including studies in both the medical and social sciences, to demonstrate why the DSM's diagnosis is so flawed.They also explore why it has achieved almost unshakable currency despite its limitations. Framed within an evolutionary account of human health and disease, The Loss of Sadness presents a fascinating dissection of depression as both a normal and disordered human emotion and a sweeping critique of current psychiatric diagnostic practices. The result is a potent challenge to the diagnostic revolution that began almost thirty years ago in psychiatry and a provocative analysis of one of the most significant mental health issues today.

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