Freak: The True Story of an Insecurity Addict

I was once diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. Luckily, I had read Judith Herman's book (see below) and knew to look for a different psychiatrist.

Whatever your diagnosis, it's worth reading the following:
—The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk is a best-selling, compassionate book by one of the world's top experts in mental illness. The book describes the physiology of trauma, many case studies, and new non-pharmaceutical treatments. I've given copies to my family members and doctors. Note: the case studies involve some graphic descriptions of atrocities.

—Trauma and Recovery by Dr. Judith Herman, is a classic on the history of the treatment of mental illness, how Freud was pressured into retracting his discovery that his female patients were victims of childhood incest (resulting in the cruel psychoanalytic practice of blaming the victim), the use of borderline diagnosis as a pejorative substitute for PTSD, etc. Note: the Recovery section is out-of-date.

—The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness is a first-person account by Elyn Saks, PhD. She describes the dignity with which she was treated when institutionalization in the U.K. vs. the indignity of treatment in the U.S.

Good fiction reduces the need for medications by distracting us from our pain. Please vote on and/or add suggestions to this list of humorous, healing books: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Hey y'all,

I just started a new book club called "Damage" under groups that you can join if you'd like! It focuses on reading a book every other month that is about physical, mental, emotional, or intellectual differences. (And yes, I redefine how "damage" should be viewed in the group description!) Hope you join!