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Surviving Schizophrenia, 7th Edition: A Family Manual

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Updated throughout and filled with all the latest research, treatment plans, commonly asked questions and more, the bestselling resource on schizophrenia is back—now in its seventh edition.

“E. Fuller Torrey is a brilliant writer. There is no one writing on psychology today whom I would rather read.”— Los Angeles Times

Since its first publication in 1983, Surviving Schizophrenia has become the standard reference book on the disease that has helped thousands of patients, their families, and mental health professionals alike.

In clear language, this much-praised and important book describes the nature, causes, symptoms, treatment, and course of schizophrenia, and explores living with it from both the patient’s and the family’s point of view. This new, completely updated seventh edition includes the latest research findings on what causes the illness, as well as information about the newest drugs for treatment, and answers the questions most often asked by families, consumers, and providers.

An indispensable guide for those afflicted by schizophrenia as well as those who care for them, Surviving Schizophrenia covers every aspect of the condition and sheds new light on an often-misunderstood illness.

ISBN-13: 9780062880802

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Publication Date: 03-26-2019

Pages: 528

Product Dimensions: 5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.10(d)

E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., is a research psychiatrist specializing in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He is the executive director of the Stanley Medical Research Institute, the founder of the Treatment Advocacy Center, a professor of psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and the author of twenty books. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland.

Table of Contents

Photographs and Illustrations xvii

Preface to the Seventh Edition xix

Acknowledgments xxi

1 The Inner World of Madness: View from the Inside 1

Alterations of the Senses 4

Inability to Interpret and Respond 13

Delusions and Hallucinations 24

Altered Sense of Self 35

Changes in Emotions 37

Changes in Movements 42

Changes in Behavior 44

Decreased Awareness of Illness: Anosognosia 47

The Black-Red Disease 49

Recommended Further Reading 52

2 Defining Schizophrenia: View from the Outside 54

Official Criteria for Diagnosis 55

Subtypes of Schizophrenia 58

The Schizophrenia Spectrum: Do We All Have a Little? 60

Schizoaffective Disorder and Bipolar Disorder 64

Recommended Further Reading 69

3 Conditions Sometimes Confused with Schizophrenia 70

A "Split Personality" 70

Psychosis Caused by Street Drugs: Can Marijuana Use Cause Schizophrenia? 71

Psychosis Caused by Prescription Drugs 74

Psychosis Caused by Other Diseases 74

Psychosis Caused by Head Trauma 78

Psychosis with Mental Retardation 79

Infantile Autism 80

Antisocial Personality Disorders and Sexual Predators 82

Culturally Sanctioned Psychotic Behavior 83

Recommended Further Reading 83

4 Onset, Course, and Prognosis 85

Childhood Precursors 86

Onset and Early Symptoms 87

Childhood Schizophrenia 90

Postpartum Schizophrenia 91

Late-Onset Schizophrenia 92

Predictors of Outcome 93

Male-Female Differences 95

Possible Courses: Ten Years Later 96

Possible Courses: Thirty Years Later 101

Do People with Schizophrenia in Developing Countries Really Have a Better Outcome? 104

The Recovery Model 105

Successful Schizophrenia 107

Causes of Death: Why Do People with Schizophrenia Die at a Younger Age? 110

Recommended Further Reading 113

5 The Causes of Schizophrenia 115

The Normal Brain 116

How Do We Know That Schizophrenia Is a Brain Disease? 118

Structural and Neuropathological Changes 118

Neuropsychological Deficits 119

Neurological Abnormalities 120

Electrical Abnormalities 121

Known Risk Factors 122

Brain Disease Deniers 125

What Parts of the Brain Are Affected? 127

When Does the Disease Process Begin? 128

Theories About the Causes of Schizophrenia 129

Genetic Theories 131

Inflammatory, Infectious, and Immunological Theories 133

Neurochemical Theories 135

Developmental Theories 136

Nutritional Theories 138

Endocrine Theories 139

Childhood Trauma and Stress Theories 140

Obsolete Theories 142

Recommended Further Reading 144

6 The Treatment of Schizophrenia: Getting Started 147

How to Find a Good Doctor 148

What Is an Adequate Diagnostic Workup? 153

Hospitalization: Voluntary and Involuntary 158

Alternatives to Hospitalization 167

Payment for Treatment, Insurance Parity, and Health Care Reform 168

Recommended Further Reading 170

7 The Treatment of Schizophrenia: Medication and Other 171

Do Antipsychotics Work? 172

Whose Information Can You Trust? 173

Which Antipsychotic Should You Use? 174

A Treatment Plan for First-Break Psychosis 181

Dose and Duration 184

Clozapine: The Most Effective Antipsychotic 186

Monitoring: Is the Person Taking the Antipsychotic? 188

Long-Acting Antipsychotic Injections 189

Medications to Try When All Else Fails 190

Drug Costs and the Use of Generics 193

Criticism of Antipsychotics 194

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) 196

Herbal Treatments 197

Psychotherapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy 198

RAISE and the Early Treatment of Schizophrenia 201

Recommended Further Reading 203

8 The Rehabilitation of Schizophrenia 205

Money and Food 206

Housing 210

Employment 214

Friendship and Social Skills Training 217

Medical and Dental Care 220

Exercise 221

Peer Support Groups but Not the Hearing Voices Network 221

Recommended Further Reading 223

9 What Good Services Should Look Like 225

Psychiatric Inpatient Beds 226

The Need for Asylum 227

Outpatient Services 229

Rehabilitation 234

Quality of Life Measures 235

Recommended Further Reading 236

10 Ten Major Problems 238

Cigarettes and Coffee 239

Alcohol and Street Drugs 242

Sex, Pregnancy, and AIDS 246

Victimization 252

Confidentiality 254

Medication Noncompliance 258

Assisted Treatment 264

Assaultive and Violent Behavior 273

Arrest and Jail 277

Suicide 279

Recommended Further Reading 282

11 How Can Patients and Families Survive Schizophrenia? 284

The Right Attitude 285

The Importance of Education 294

Survival Strategies for Patients 294

Survival Strategies for Families 297

Effects of Schizophrenia on Siblings, Children, and Spouses 308

Minimizing Relapses 312

Recommended Further Reading 315

12 Commonly Asked Questions 322

Does Schizophrenia Change the Underlying Personality? 322

Are People with Schizophrenia Responsible for Their Behavior? 324

Does Schizophrenia Affect the Person's IQ? 327

Should People with Schizophrenia Drive Vehicles? 328

How Do Religious Issues Affect People with Schizophrenia? 329

Should You Tell People That Von Have Schizophrenia? 331

Genetic Counseling: What Are the Chances of Getting Schizophrenia? 332

Why Do Some Adopted Children Develop Schizophrenia? 334

What Will Happen When the Parents Die? 335

Recommended Further Reading 337

13 Schizophrenia in the Public Eye 339

Schizophrenia in the Movies 340

Schizophrenia in Literature 348

Schizophrenia, Creativity, and Famous People 355

The Problem of Stigma 360

Recommended Further Reading 363

14 Dimensions of the Disaster 364

How Many People Have Schizophrenia in the United States? 369

Do Some Groups Have More Schizophrenia Than Others? 371

Is Schizophrenia Increasing or Decreasing? 375

Is Schizophrenia of Recent Origin? 376

Deinstitutionalization: A Cradle for Catastrophe 379

What Is the Cost of Schizophrenia? 385

Recommended Further Reading 389

15 Issues for Advocates 390

Advocacy Organizations 391

NIMH and SAMHSA 394

Educating the Public 396

Decreasing Stigma 398

How to Organize for Advocacy 399

Recommended Further Reading 401

Appendix A An Annotated List of the Best and the Worst Books on Schizophrenia 403

Appendix B Useful Online Resources on Schizophrenia (by D.J. Jaffe) 421

Notes 429

Index 461