false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181402449m/1147490.jpg 1147490 1 Is the fight between cures worse than the disease? The fairly comfortable truce between psychotherapy and drug treatment for mental illness started eroding a few years ago, when the latter's bottom-line efficiency made it the preferred option for HMOs and many other health care providers. The often-sharp division between these two methods is highlighted in <I>Of Two Minds</I>, an insightful anthropological assessment of psychiatric training in America by University of California-San Diego's T.M. Luhrmann. She studied with psychiatrists in training, visited inpatient and outpatient facilities, and interviewed scores of doctors and patients to reveal the craft of a strange and misunderstood profession. Neither opponents nor defenders of the mental health establishment will find unqualified support from the author's careful evaluation. While she states from experience that she believes mental illness is real and in many cases of biological origin, she also despairs at the divide between research and treatment.<p> Luhrmann is strongly sympathetic with her subjects, whether physicians, patients, or instructors. She paints a portrait of harrowing training for young doctors and hellish experiences before, during, and after treatment for those seeking relief. She does find much to recommend both drug and talk therapies, though current research suggests that combining them is more effective for more patients than either one alone. In closing, Luhrmann warns that we are in danger of dehumanizing the mentally ill by emphasizing cost-effective pharmaceutical management of symptoms over interpersonal relationships. <I>Of Two Minds</I> has the depth and complexity necessary to match its subject and the warmth to reach its readers. It's essential reading for anyone involved or interested in mental health. <I>--Rob Lightner</I> 1134950 4 4 2000 Of Two Minds: The Growing Disorder in American Psychiatry total:3|5:0|4:2|3:1|2:0|1:0| 3 11 8 3 3 0 false false Tue Sep 08 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Aug 28 15:12:29 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 08 12:53:21 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Sep 15 10:33:51 -0700 2007 Sat Sep 15 10:38:26 -0700 2007 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Mar 29 11:13:47 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 10 11:50:07 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Mon Sep 01 17:18:06 -0700 2008 Mon Sep 01 17:18:06 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Wed Aug 27 17:18:53 -0700 2008 Wed Aug 27 17:18:53 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Tue Feb 05 10:53:32 -0800 2008 Tue Feb 05 10:53:32 -0800 2008 0 0 false false Tue May 13 20:23:22 -0700 2008 Mon Oct 01 05:51:30 -0700 2007 Tue May 13 20:23:22 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Sat Sep 15 10:39:28 -0700 2007 Sat Sep 15 10:39:28 -0700 2007 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=1147490