Demystifying Psychiatry: A Resource for Patients and Families

Psychiatry is arguably the most misunderstood specialty in modern medicine and psychiatrists are often thought of as part physician, part confessor, part police officer, and part shaman. In Demystifying Psychiatry, two eminent psychiatrists offer an illuminating look at the entire field, offering a clear and informative portrait of a medical specialty often clouded in myth. Zorumski and Rubin range from a basic discussion of what psychiatry is, to the types of illnesses psychiatrists treat, the training of psychiatrists, the treatment of psychiatric disorders (covering medications, psychotherapy, lifestyle interventions, electroconvulsive therapy, and much more), and how families can help with treatment. They caution the consumer about practices that should raise red flags. The book also covers new trends in psychiatry and explores the future of the field, predicting that major advances in genetics and neuroscience will lead to rapid and amazing changes in psychiatry. The book concludes with extensive reference materials that will be valuable both to general readers and medical practitioners.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments 1: What Is Psychiatry? 2: What Illnesses Do Psychiatrists Treat? 3: Warning Signs 4: Who Are Psychiatrists and What Do They Actually Do? 5: Why Are Psychiatric Disorders So Common? 6: What Do We Know about the Mechanisms Underlying Psychiatric Disorders? 7: How Are Psychiatric Disorders Treated: Basic Principles 8: Medications 9: Psychotherapies and Lifestyle Interventions 10: Brain Stimulation Methods 11: How Can Patients and Families Help with Treatment? 12: Consumers Beware 13: Case Examples 14: Tretns in Psychiatry and Mental Health 15: The Future of Psychiatry: Reasons for Optimism Index

About the Author :
Charles F. Zorumski, MD, is Samuel B. Guze Professor & Head of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine. Eugene H. Rubin, MD, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry and Vice Chair for Education at Washington University School of Medicine.

Review :
"Zorumski and Rubin, faculty members at the Washington University School of Medicine, provide a nonmedical readership with a clear description of psychiatry...Verdict: If you believe that psychiatric problems are just character flaws, read this book. If you are a mental health provider a, read this book. If you have a friend or family member suffering from psychiatric problems, reading this book will help you get them appropriate care." -- Library Journal Xpress Reviews "In relatively clear but still high reading-level language, the authors define the field of psychiatry, describe the illnesses psychiatrists treat in extensive detail, including treatment options such as medication, psychotherapy, and brain stimulation; and conclude with current and future trends in the field....this book is recommended for public libraries and other consumer health collections."--Reviewed by Nicole S. Dettmar, MSIS, Education and Assessment Coordinator, National Network of Libraries of Medicine/Pacific Northwest Region, Seattle, WA for CAPHIS (Consumer and Patient Information Section). "...The intellectually diligent exploration undertaken by Zorumski and Rubin of the field of psychiatry is noteworthy for its overall instructiveness and informativeness." -- Metapsychology "Zorumski and Rubin provide an interesting perspective and considerable information concerning current practices and recent developments in approaches to psychiatric care. Interested members of the general public should find much that is interesting and helpful concerning the field of psychiatry." --PsycCRITIQUES AMWA's Medical Book Awards 2010 First Place Winner "Zorumski and Rubin provide a valuable perspective and considerable information concerning current practices and recent developments in approaches to psychiatric care. Interested members of the general public should find much that is interesting and helpful about the field of psychiatry." --PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES "Demystifying Psychiatry is a clearly organized book in 15 short chapters-with take-home messages and illustrative case studies-that support their mission...Demystifying Psychiatry nonetheless provides an invaluable and accessible overview of psychiatric care for the lay reader. The authors are realistic about how complex and challenging diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disease can be but optimistic about psychiatry's capacity to offer good outcomes for patients through validated treatments and integrated, multidisciplinary care." --AMWA Journal "Demystifying Psychiatry is an impressively fluent compilation, cleverly converting the specialist knowledge of two American professors into a succinct overview of the many dimensions of psychiatry. Zorumski and Rubin have successfully deployed a writing style that details both clinical and scientific concepts in a surprisingly accessible manner. They have endeavoured to strive away from producing yet another mundane patient resource and to embrace the realm of the 'expert-patient'; relevant, to the point and, most importantly, not patronising or overwhelming, Demystifying Psychiatry will not disappoint." -- The British Journal of Psychiatry "In this refreshingly straightforward text, Zorumski and Rubin break down every aspect of the field, from the training of psychiatrists, to the role of the family in a patient's treatment, to the complexities of cutting edge biological interventions. While covering an array of complex topics, the authors manage to remain both relevant and entertaining, with a user-friendly format that includes a summary of 'take home messages' at the end of each chapter...A valuable resource for patients and their families." -- Megan B. Schabbing MD, Missouri Psychiatry