Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #431265 in Books
• Published on: 2001-05-17
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 544 pages

Synopsis
Since its first publication in 1983, Surviving Schizophrenia has become the standard reference book on the disease and has helped thousands of patients, their families, and mental health professionals. In clear language, this much-praised and important book describes the nature, causes, symptoms, treatment, and course of schizophrenia. It also explores living with the disease from both the patient and the families point of view. This new, completely updated fourth edition includes the latest findings on causes of the disease; information about the newest drugs for treatment; and answers to the questions most often asked by families, consumers, and providers. Surviving Schizophrenia has sold more than 250,000 copies.

Customer Reviews

Not sure about this...
I'm not sure what to make of this book - the anecdotes where certainly interesting, but I wasn't sure how typical they were. The main body of the text is not an easy read but the information boxes were very helpful. I work in a school for schizophrenic children and am not sure that the experiences of the author match mine, however it did provide me with a basic understanding of the disease and what to expect.

Potentially harmful book of schizophrenia
Another example of a book that espouses the biological myth of schizophrenia. While I appreciate mental health providers are "on the same side", I can not agree that schizophrenia is a biological disorder. I read this book while working in a group home with schizophrenic adults. We dispensed a great deal of medications to our residents. Their delusions, hallucinations and paranoia were only mildly reduced. The only instance of improvement I saw was when a resident underwent psychodynamic psychotherapy. The only body of literature that discusses full recovery from schizophrenia is produced by those who have worked with schizophrenics using psychotherapy. Torrey does not explain why delusions are grandiose. Why do some schizophrenics think they're God, Napoleon, or Satan? If it's biological, why not McDonalds workers or librarians or other regular folks. Because they do not suffer from a biological disorder. Why do their voices make terrible, vulgar statements? If it were a biological disorder it should not matter. I never hear a schizophrenic person say they hear positive, happy voices. Dr. Torrey's criticism of other therapies (namely psychodynamic) only proves his denial of the truth and unwillingness to be a true scientist and examine all sources of data. Despite Dr.Torrey's ridicule of Freud, Sullivan and others, the fact remains that an entire body of psychologists, social workers and some MDs have cured people with schizophrenia. Freud did not work with psychotic people, but he was the pioneer. Pioneers cannot discover everything in their one, short lifetime. Since Freud, there have been several authors of schizophrenia: Anna Freud, Melanie Klein, H.Guntrip, DW Winnicot, HS Sullivan, B Karon, Mme Sechaheye(sp?), etc.. Belief in Dr. Torry's book will only further the suffering of Schizophrenics and their families by denying the truth.

A "Must Have" book from an expect on the subject.
I am a mother of a schizophrenic. Reading this book helped our family understand what was going on. We learned what was 'normal' behavior, what we could expect in the future, and how to lessen the stress this illiness created in our lives. I wish it was updated to include the wonderful results that some of the newest medicines can achieve. I need a new copy; I loaned out the other one to a nurse and never got it back!