In the Name of Help: A Novel Exposing Psychiatric Abuse [Paperback]

Diane Klein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2000

Cathryn Silberg knew that her marriage was doomed. But as she seeks help, she finds herself betrayed by the very people who claim to have her best interests at heart. Trapped by the mental health system and the courts, she finds she is no longer struggling to save a marriage, -- now she must save her own life!

IN THE NAME OF HELP is a gripping story, chilling in its insight into the sinister motivations that can drive our social institutions. Before you, or anyone you know seek professional help, you must read this book!

IN THE NAME OF HELP is the startling story of a woman caught in the mindless, uncaring snarl of America's mental health and judicial systems, and how, with real help from two caring friends, she fights her way back to reclaim her dignity and self-respect, from an institutional insanity that cruelly only promised to do something for her. After you read this book, you'll pray that this never happens to you or anyone you love.

IN THE NAME OF HELP is about a once beautiful and intelligent woman, whose marriage evolves into a kind of fatal attraction, then she suffers years of abusive and ultimately destructive psychiatric treatment, finally becoming totally dependent on those around her for her safety and survival. This, in spite of enormous wealth that is due her.

Through a series of medical and judicial actions, which are revelatory of some startling sore spots in our current society, she finds herself at the mercy of uncaring strangers, despite efforts of her friends to remove her and prevent her from further damaging treatments, and manipulation for monetary gain. This is a story of intrigue, a battle between the forces of good and evil, and a strong tale of love. It is shocking and powerful.

Not since Ken Kesey's, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, in 1962, has a novel dealt such a formidable blow to the atrocities that exist in what we call our mental health system.

Not in the past three decades has a story dealt more straightforwardly with the criminal practices of administering electric shock treatments, which cause severe, irreversible brain damage, and treatment with psychotropic substances, which though they are called medications, alter brain chemistry, function and structure and can have devastating effects on the central nervous system.

These things are happening every day, especially to our children and our elderly; the practitioners and advocates of these actions are reaping enormous financial profits.

IN THE NAME OF HELP is one story of how these things can happen in our society, and what two decent people decided to do about these crimes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...has the loud ring of truth about psychiatric atrocities which are continuing today in virtually every 'mental health' facility... -- Don Weitz, Radio Producer and Co-editor of Shrink Resistant: The Struggle Against Psychiatry in Canada

...one of the most important stories of our time. It could have happened to anyone. -- Barbara Ayash, International Woman of the Year, International Freedom Medal Winner

Author Diane Klein has written a riveting first novel no 'sane' person could put down. -- James Clayton, American Entertainment Network

About the Author

Diane Klein grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and she attended the University of Illinois and Northwestern University on a four year Illinois State Scholarship. She majored in English and held high school teaching certificates in Illinois and Florida. Diane saw the advent of psychological programs in our schools, and the departure from teaching basics such as reading, writing, arithmetic and social studies, as confusing and ineffective. Despite a love of working with young teenagers, this troubled her, and in 1976, she stopped teaching and moved to Florida for three years.

Then Diane was offered a job in southern California in 1979 and she moved close to the Pacific Ocean, where she lived for almost twenty years. She later moved to the San Francisco area for a year with David, a software design engineer, and they were married in August of 1999 and returned to southern California, close to the Ocean. Diane has a son and two daughters, and four adored grandchildren. She tells that her children and husband have been woderfully supportive of all of her efforts to publish her heartfelt first novel, IN THE NAME OF HELP.

From the time Diane was eleven, she remembers always writing something: stories, descriptions, journals or articles for the Roosevelt high school paper. A few years ago, she won honorable mention in the Writers' Digest Contest with a non-fiction story about her younger daughter's incredible recovery from a serious car accident.

But she never felt compelled to write with the goal of publication, until she became motivated to tell the story, IN THE NAME OF HELP.

Diane feels strongly that there are things in our society that are wrong, incorrect and even evil. But these cannot be changed until we first become aware of them. Once we recognize that they are there and we become willing to take some responsibility for their existence, then we can become powerful once again and we can right the wrongs.

Diane enjoys novels from which she learns something, -- knowledge of another time or place, insight into a particular personality, or new awareness of an unknown issue, -- and that's what she hopes her readers will find in this book and in her future novels. Diane welcomes communication from her readers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Laguna Coast Books (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967855209
• ISBN-13: 978-0967855202
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,983,731 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

About the author...

I grew up in Chicago, Illinois and attended the University of Illinois and Northwestern University on a four year State Scholarship. I majored in English and held high school teaching certificates in Illinois and Florida. I saw the advent of psychological programs in our schools, and the departure from teaching basics such as reading, writing, arithmetic and social studies, as confusing and ineffective. Despite a love of working with young teenagers, this troubled me and I stopped teaching and moved to Florida for three years.

After being offered a job in southern California, I moved close to the Pacific Ocean where I've lived for over twenty-seven years. I'm married to David, a software consultant and I have a son and two daughters, all married and living in southern California with five adored grandchildren. My children and husband have been wonderfully supportive of all of my efforts to publish my heartfelt first novel, In the Name of Help, and all believe it should be a feature film.

From the time I was eleven I was always writing something: stories, descriptions, journals or articles for my high school paper. I received literary agent interest in a non-fiction piece and I won honorable mention in a Writers' Digest Contest with a non-fiction story about my younger daughter's incredible recovery from a serious car accident.

But I never felt compelled to write with the goal of publication, until I became motivated to tell the story, In the Name of Help, which has been said to deal the most formidable blow to the atrocities that exist in what we call our mental health system since Cuckoo's Nest.

I enjoy novels and films which offer entertainment and from which I may even learn something: knowledge of another time or place, insight into a particular personality or new awareness of an unknown issue. That's what I hope my readers will find in this book and in my future novels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Media is just now catching up to the horrid truths this book reveals in compelling detail, January 5, 2012

By 

Deke Rivers - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Name of Help: A Novel Exposing Psychiatric Abuse (Paperback)

A wonderful book giving details in a specific and personal way of the terrible psychiatric abuse that is rampant in society today. (The country of Italy has caught on and closed down all psychiatric facilities, Russia has banned all psychiatric drug imports, the USA FBI is raiding and closing psych facilities one after the other and the main stream media is finally catching on with expose's of over drugging of foster children for profit motives etc.) This book exposes in a very personal way the terrible crimes committed by psychiatrists in the name of help. Excellent reading.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mass Market edition is NOT THE SAME as the trade book edition, January 27, 2012

By 

Pete in the Bay Area "Pete in the Bay Area" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Name of Help (Mass Market Paperback)

First, I think the story is excellent and is well worth reading. However, the mass market edition was actually published before the trade book edition -- and it suffers from having a much lower level of editing that the later edition. (The physical book is also less attractive.) Since used copies of the trade book edition sell for about the same price as this edition, there's little point in purchasing this version. Get the trade book edition -- you'll appreciate the story more.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Novel! Everyone Should Read It!, January 4, 2012

By 

LUCY - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Name of Help: A Novel Exposing Psychiatric Abuse (Paperback)

I have long had an interest in the mental health system, and psychiatric issues. Having a close family member who was hospitalized twice, given electric shock and medications, I had a good idea of what the mental health system can be like. This relative later went on to work in mental health field in order to help others who were going through similar issues, and was appalled at what went on. The rotating door, of patients coming in, being over-medicated and thrown out when the insurance ran out only to withdraw from those drugs on the streets, weeks later coming in again worse than when they began. The lack of empathy from over-worked staff, the red-tape, but especially the drugs. The over-drugging. The labeling, and drugging again. The attempted suicides by patients who obviously were not being helped. The zombies who were so out of their minds that they didn't even know their name or what day it was. This is real, and this book nailed it. This happens, this IS happening. The fact that some of the reviewers on here are so bigoted and caught up in what religion the author is instead of focusing on what the issue is, is appalling. Why are they not more outraged at our mental health system? Someone mentioned that they thought she was stuck back in the 50's ... WRONG! This goes on NOW. Some hospitals still administer electric shock treatment, including one in my own hometown. In fact things are worse. Everything has a label, kids are being put on drugs that are causing them to become more depressed, shoot up schools, commit suicide. We are a over-diagnosed, over-medicated society. There are people lost in the system without a voice. I applaud Ms. Klein for standing up and being a voice for some of those people. This is a good book. I could not put it down. It speaks the truth, and I would highly recommend it.