Shadow Syndromes: Recognizing and Coping with the Hidden Psychological Disorders That Can Influence Your Behavior and Silently Determine the Course of Your Life [Hardcover]

John J. Ratey M.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 4, 1997

The millions of people who attribute their daily life problems to bad parents, low self-esteem, or lack of will power may, in fact, be struggling with shadow syndromes.

Chronic sadness, obsessiveness, outbursts of anger, inability to finish tasks, disabling discomfort in social situations -- these and other problems are all mild forms of serious mental disorders that can affect the very courses of our lives. They are shadow syndromes.

Drs. John J. Ratey and Catherine Johnson challenge the prevalent idea that problems like these are brought on by aberrations in a person's upbringing and relationships, and then prolonged by his or her willful resistance to change. Instead, they assert that these behavior patterns originate in the inherent structure and chemistry of the individual brain, that they are distinctly identifiable, and that they respond to a range of approaches: from medication and psychotherapy to diet, meditation, and exercise.

Elucidating for the first time the biology behind personality, Shadow Syndromes provides the knowledge and learning we need to understand the real causes of the treacherous mood swings and behavior patterns that can hold us back from what we need to achieve.  It provides the guidance we need to emerge from the shadows that often determine the courses of our lives, enabling us to effect positive and lasting change in ourselves and those we love.  

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Freud once said that nobody is "normal," and after reading Shadow Syndromes, you may well be convinced of that. While more than 50 million Americans suffer from full-fledged mental illnesses such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, millions more suffer from milder forms--yet they likely don't realize it. From chronic sadness to low self-esteem to shopping addiction to intermittent rage disorder, compassionate authors John J. Ratey, M.D. and Catherine Johnson, Ph.D. chronicle the often-undiagnosed (yet definitely insidious) "shadow" disorders. One of the most eye-opening points the authors make is that men who "can't commit" to a relationship may in fact be suffering from an unrecognized adult form of attention deficit disorder.

Shadow Syndromes is thorough, but at the same time it simplifies the technical aspects of mental illnesses--no stacks of footnotes or complicated neurotransmitter charts here. The authors use plenty of anecdotes to illustrate how everyday people have recognized and overcome shadow syndromes. They also prevent the book from becoming one big bundle of bad news by stressing that these disorders are treatable with medications such as Prozac, which Johnson took to handle her mild depression. Specific lifestyle changes are also advised, including more sleep, changes in diet, and more exercise. The "Care and Feeding of the Brain" chapter compiles other empowering, healing approaches. This book will be valuable not only for those who believe they're suffering from a shadow syndrome, but for doctors and therapists as well. --Erica Jorgensen --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review

Identify the hidden timebombs in your personality...featuring proven treatments and strategies that can change your life.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 389 pages
• Publisher: Pantheon; 1 edition (February 4, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679439684
• ISBN-13: 978-0679439684
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,002,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Ratey, M.D. is a clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is the author of numerous bestselling and groundbreaking books, including Driven to Distraction and A User's Guide to the Brain. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he has a private practice. Eric Hagerman is a former editor of Popular Science and Outside. His work has been featured in The Best American Sports Writing 2004, Men's Journal, and PLAY.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ignore the skeptics...read this book, May 7, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Shadow Syndromes: The Mild Forms of Major Mental Disorders That Sabotage Us (Paperback)

What some cynics will have you believe is that everyone is a little quirky, and that you should just accept that. Personally, I think that's a laugh. It's true ignorance shining through. The unwillingness to have an open mind and truly accept that there just might be biological reasons for behavior.

I began reading about anxiety disorders years ago, because my wife was having true panic attacks. When my son was born 7 years ago, we knew we would have to keep an eye on him. Now, as a first grader, we're seeing signs of behavior that don't make sense. They aren't just as simple to brush off as saying "he's just being a boy". So I've been reading more about bipolar, ADHD, ADD, and other conditions.

In reading about some of the mental disorders, I was intrigued by the recent acknowledgement of adult ADD. I read the symptoms, and had to face the cold reality that they really fit me. I'm 41 years old with a BA, MS and I'm halfway through my MBA. I've done well in my career and I've been married for 13 years to the same person. By all rights, I'm pretty normal. But I have always been a terrible procrastinator. I've read books on the subject and tried...REALLY tried...to help myself get organized and on track. Nothing I've ever done has helped. As an example, I had a report to write for work last fall. The CEO wanted me to do this. I knew what needed to be done. I knew how to get the research. I knew what the final presentation should look like. I had 5 weeks to prepare. I would sit at my desk, tell myself I wasn't going to get up until I had a good chunk of it done...and then surf the internet. Or work on another project. Or enter addresses in my Palm Pilot. I was distracted by every noise, every conversation in the hallway...even though I had a financial stake in the outcome (my job!).

These things happen all the time, and they have for over 25 years. I've always said they're just part of my personality. A reviewer below wants you to believe that this book is worthless. I can tell you from first hand experience, this book has helped me understand that there may be a biological answer to what I thought was "just my personality". I believe, as one of the authors states, that it is my duty as a husband and father to explore the possibility that I have ADD in a mild form, and seek treatment. If that means I take a pill, so be it. I take a pill for my cholesterol, wear contacts for my eyes, so why wouldn't I treat this as I treat those other bio-conditions?

If you think, just maybe, that you have a hint of one of these conditions, spend the bucks and the hours and read this book. Those of us with "shadow symptoms" are less likely to get diagnosed, because we're not as obvious. We need to help ourselves a little. Ignore the skeptics and cynics...make the decision yourself.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shadow Syndromes explains so much!, March 28, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Fletcher, North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow Syndromes: The Mild Forms of Major Mental Disorders That Sabotage Us (Paperback)

I read this book because our child had just been diagnosed with one of the "Shadow Syndromes," Asperger Disorder. As so often happens with childhood-onset brain disorders, he has symptoms that are a mixture of various disorders -- major depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder. (These are hereditary disorders when appearing in one so young.) After reading this book, so many elements of our son's puzzling behavior, and the milder symptoms present in my husband and myself are more understandable. If you or your loved ones have mild forms of more serious brain disorders, this book is for you. I had an "aha" experience at every chapter. Our policy is not to buy any book unless we have already read a copy from the library and know that we will refer to it again and again -- that it is truly useful. This book fits that criterion. Read it.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book has been an incredible encouragement to me, October 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shadow Syndromes: The Mild Forms of Major Mental Disorders That Sabotage Us (Paperback)

I was diagnosed with one of the disorders discussed in this book. "Shadow Syndromes" has helped me realize that there ARE good things about these "disorders". There IS a purpose to all the suffering I and my family experienced before my diagnosis as well as the hard work that has been required since diagnosis.

I accept that my out of control biochemistry will require medication so long as I live in a modern world that has little ability to tolerate someone who lives out of step with the current drum. The need to be able to provide for my family in a time-clock world means I must conform to some degree. However, the knowledge that I have my own contributions to make helps me to hold on to those parts of me that have been enhanced by my "disorder".

I have much work ahead of me. While meds are not the only answer, they seem to buy me the time I need to work with a therapist on other strategies for coping.

This book has been an incredible ecouragement to my loved ones and to me.