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23rd out of 25 books
—
9 voters
Madness Explained
Part of a Growing International Movement to Change the Face of Mental Illness.
Is madness purely a medical condition that can be treated with drugs? Is there really a clear dividing line between mental health and mental illness - or is it not so easy to classify who is sane and who is insane?
In Madness Explained leading clinical psychologist Richard Bentall shatters the mo...more
Is madness purely a medical condition that can be treated with drugs? Is there really a clear dividing line between mental health and mental illness - or is it not so easy to classify who is sane and who is insane?
In Madness Explained leading clinical psychologist Richard Bentall shatters the mo...more
Paperback, 656 pages
Published
December 28th 2005
by Penguin Global
(first published June 5th 2003)
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I would have given this book four and a half stars were I able.
In any case, I found Bentall's book very accessible from a non-specialist's point of view. Throughout, he argues that Emil Kraepelin's foundational schema for classifying madness (into manic depressive and dementia praecox) is fraught with a number of problems and should be abandoned. In its place, psychiatrists should take a symptom-oriented approach. Rather than diagnosing a patient with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, psychiatr...more
In any case, I found Bentall's book very accessible from a non-specialist's point of view. Throughout, he argues that Emil Kraepelin's foundational schema for classifying madness (into manic depressive and dementia praecox) is fraught with a number of problems and should be abandoned. In its place, psychiatrists should take a symptom-oriented approach. Rather than diagnosing a patient with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, psychiatr...more
I am going to enjoy this. From the start it exposes that the way out of the epistemological quagmire that surrounds discussions of mental health (or whatever you call it) is to agree to agree with the most rudimentary taxonomies and classification systems provided they have coherence, stability and reliability. Validity need never be in question in a world where pragmatic silencing (in all its meanings) is 'result' enough.
The huge weight of evidence that different psychiatrists using different s...more
The huge weight of evidence that different psychiatrists using different s...more
Jul 30, 2011
Rashad Raoufi
added it
he makes a very powerful arguement, the book is well wrritten and absorbing to anyone with an interest in mental health, although there is alot of information to comprehend, the simple style makes it very clear and easy to read and understand,thought provoking and stimulating read.
Bentall is a non-Christian psychologist who doesn't buy in to the medical model for the description and explanation of madness. A very good book for an explanation of the history of mental illness and another good explanation for the etiology of schizophrenia.
It's very academic, and 200 pages in I was becoming slightly tired with the repetition of the book. This study suggests this, this study suggests that etc. Read it if you work in this field or are just interested in psychosis in general.
Very clear and humane. I used it for building character and for a paper i was writing and it provided useful details for both.
Very well written and thought provoking.
A very good read!
this book examines the causes of many of the symptoms of madness in a humane and in-depth manner. There is some info as well about who ends up becoming mentally ill.
Enjoyed this book! An excellent introduction to the fundamentals of history and philosophy of psychology, paired with radically new approach to psychiatric issues.
Now I know me madness better!!!
May 20, 2013
Inez Garzaniti
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