Product Description

Stuart Sutherland's account of his experience of manic depressive illness was first published in 1976, and revised in 1987. This first edition was acclaimed for the remarkable candour and perceptiveness with which Sutherland describes his illness and its frequently bizarre consequences. As a psychologist who suffered a severe mental breakdown, Sutherland is ideally placed to provide a unique first-hand insight into the world of manic depression, and the pitfalls and benefits of the many methods of treatment available. Since Breakdown was first written, there have been some advances in our understanding of the nature and treatment of mental illness. Fashions in counselling and therapy have changed, and new drugs, such as Prozac, have been developed to try to tackle manic depression. In this new edition, Sutherland brings his discussion of therapy right up-to-date, including new chapters on the use of drugs, and their effects on the brain. He describes and critically assesses the various forms of psychotherapy available today to those suffering from manic depression. "This is a book unlike any other that I have read. It combines a searingly honest and terrifying detailed account of a mental breakdown with a professional's description of the reality of mental illness as it is treated in our society. It is unforgettable. This is what a breakdown is really like." Kingsley Amis, on Breakdown.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #909212 in Books
• Published on: 1998-06-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

Review
This is a book unlike any other I have read. It combines a searingly honest and terrifyingly detailed account of a mental breakdown with a professional's description of the reality of mental illness as is is treated in our society. It is unforgettable. This is what a breakdown is really like. Kingsley Amis on the first edition of Breakdown

About the Author
Stuart Sutherland is Professor in the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Sussex.

Customer Reviews

A brave and important book
While I can understand the opinion of the previous reviewer, this is not a difficult book for anyone who has done a little background reading. And it has a lot going for it. First, Sutherland was an original and insightful thinker who wrote very clearly and was a first class psychologist. Second, he wrote completely openly about his illness in a way that few people would be brave enough to do. The source of his depression, which was bought on by sexual jealousy, is confronted unflinchingly and the details of his symptoms are described without reserve.

The most valuable part of the book is his description of the often counterproductive treatment he received, especially under psychoanalysis. This is followed by an extremely valuable discussion of the abuses that were, and perhaps still are, practiced under the guise of what today would be called cognitive behavioral therapy. This is essential reading for students of clinical psychology from one of the field's foremost past practitioners. A classic of its type.

Not helpful for average person
I have to admit that I read an earlier version of this book. I found it to be very out-of-date. Up-to-date treatment consists of drug treatment. If hospitalised, patients receive drug treatment and have the choice of watching television or not watching television; there is nothing else to do. Psychologists do not appear to work in hospitals.
Drug treatment can cause permanent physical damage and render a person incapable of leading a normal life. However, the refusal of drug treatment means that a person is regarded as having disengaged themselves from medical services and hence ALL support (including financial support). Even if a person accepts drug treatment, it is very unlikely that he will ever see a psychologist or even a support worker. Unfortunately, people who are too ill to work are not usually able to afford any kind of private treatment.