Unprotected (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Heather was a nineteen-year-old studying performing arts..." (more)
Key Phrases: campus health, college health, United States, American Psychological Association, Columbia University (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Here are important facts you must know about well-intentioned counselors who are more committed to political correctness than to students’ physical and psychological safety—written clearly and passionately by a dedicated psychiatrist. This book tells all. -- Nicholas A. Cummings, Ph.D., Sc.D., Former President, American Psychological Association; Distinguished Professor, University of Nevada, Reno; President, Cummings Foundation for Behavioral Health.

How could the so-called caring professions ostensibly dedicated to student welfare have collapsed so completely in the face of pressure from a particularly hurtful and wanton cultural fashion? This is surely one of the most important questions of our age, and it underlies this generous, tender, lively, angry book—written by a therapist who has fought her way through the dangerous pieties of her profession and whose newfound hope is everybody's hope as well. -- Midge Decter, author of Liberal Parents, Radical Children

This book is a thunderous call for a truly honest discussion in society, but more importantly, between college-bound students and their parents. It is one of the few books I have read that can be a light on the path to health for our society that is, in certain areas, the university in particular, very sick. It is an absolute must read. -- Joe S. McIlhaney, M.D.

This is a punch-in-the-gut powerhouse of a book by a very brave clinician. The message is provocative and profound. . . . I wish others had the guts to speak out in a similar fashion. -- Cal Colarusso, M.D., Training and Supervising Analyst, San Diego Psychoanalytic Institute --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“This (book) is an absolute must. . . . If you have any kids whatsoever, you have to read this book.”
—Dr. Laura Schlessinger

“Vivid and urgent.”
—Danielle Crittenden, The Wall Street Journal

“Unprotected is a hard slap at the sexual free-for-all that prevails on American campuses and throughout American life.... It’s sad that this book is so necessary, but all the more welcome for that. Buy it for yourself, for your sons, but especially for your daughters.”
—Mona Charen, syndicated columnist

“Finally, someone with authority dares to speak out . . . a bold and important book.”
—Jennifer Roback Morse, syndicated columnist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Sentinel Trade (August 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595230459
• ISBN-13: 978-1595230454
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,601 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #16 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Education > By Level > College
  #22 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Psychology & Counseling > Sexuality > Human
  #24 in	Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Political Science > Political Doctrines > Conservatism

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

262 of 282 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific discussion of how political correctness is endangering the health of our young adults., November 18, 2006

By	Craig Matteson (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Unprotected: A Campus Psychiatrist Reveals How Political Correctness in Her Profession Endangers Every Student (Hardcover)

The author of this book is a psychiatrist at a university health clinic. She has written the book anonymously because she is still working and what she has to say is politically unacceptable to the current mental health establishment. If she stated this openly she would risk her career. However, I am very glad this book has been printed and hope that the author can come out openly and speak on this important topic.

We are taken into the way a student clinic at a typical university runs and how their policies work against the values of students with religious faith and beliefs that run contrary to the politically correct environment of today's colleges and the mental health profession generally. The author shows us how the profession of psychology has become the promoter and enforcer of a certain belief system around sexuality that is antithetical to most mainstream religious faith. She even quotes one past president of the main professional organization saying that his profession needs to help rid people of their religious faith.

The basic idea of the book is that we teach young people to be very particular in what they eat, how they exercise, to be ridiculously frightened of the dangers of second hand smoke, and to flee in terror if a teaspoonful of elemental mercury is spilled in a classroom, yet we are not honest with them about the dangers of casual sexual practices and that safer sex is no such thing. We don't teach young women that sex is biologically, hormonally, and emotionally different for them than it is for men and they are more likely to end up with depression and anxiety issues than the men they have casual relationships with.

We don't teach them that even with condom use they are vulnerable to many kinds of STDs that are still easily transferred. That there are millions of new cases of STDs that can have a permanent effect on a woman's fertility because of the way they set up the woman's immune system to fight the disease it will also fight a newly conceived baby.

And we are not honest with them when we say that AIDS is an equal opportunity disease. HIV infection has more to do with the kinds of sexual practices engaged in and the use of IV drugs than anything else. We do not tell them that young people who postpone sex until marriage and are monogamous and avoid IV drugs or partners who use them that they will be most unlikely to become infected with HIV.

She also takes apart the ridiculous notion that abortion never causes a woman emotional difficulties afterwards. We are shown how something on the order of 20% of women have something akin to post traumatic stress syndrome from these abortions. That is 1 in 5. Can you imagine any other health issues that had such a high incidence that would be denied as occurring or admitted to as happening only very rarely? Given the ridiculous attention paid to second hand smoke (the notion that if you can smell a cigarette within 100 feet of you your health is being damaged) it cannot be that something with actual mental health implications could be missed in an honest and serious way. No, it is suppressed because of the politics of sexuality.

There is a lot of great information and illustrative anecdotes that make her points well. I particularly like these paragraphs in her concluding chapter:

"To our colleagues and Universities: Stop the normalization of behaviors that many therapists - not to mention parents of your students - consider depraved. Again, that this even needs to be said is indicative of the sad state we are in."

"Admit the trauma, to some women and some men, of abortion. Reach out to those for whom the experience has not been an opportunity for `growth and maturation'. Provide a support group; at the very least ask about it!"

"The exaggerated place of sexuality is grotesque and destructive. We are not defined by our urges - straight, gay, lesbian, or bi. What sort of message is that to our youth? We are defined by something more essential, uplifting, and transcendent. I fear this ideology that enshrines the body (health, appearance, physical please) and abandons the soul (meaning, self-sacrifice, family, church)."

"Recognize that for many students, faith may be a tool to promote mental health. In sorting out the dilemma of suicides on campus, consider if perhaps the soullessness and angst among secularism contributes. When patients struggle with suicide, discussion of ultimate issues like meaning, purpose and God are imperative. Acknowledge the benefits of self-restraint in areas other than diet, tobacco, and alcohol. Self-discipline exists outside the cafeteria and the gym."

Recommended strongly.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the cover lifted...much we don't want to see, August 28, 2007

By	none "Angus" (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews

I am a typical shaved head, weight-lifting, football-loving, jock. I try to keep life simple and not let much get to me; however, I am also a father of a beautiful daughter. Even though college is many years off, I felt I owed it to my daughter to read this book. I am so glad I did. This book is profoundly sad but necessary. I found that women need to understand their uniqueness because if they don't they face grave consequences.

It is sad that ideas have become more important that actual people but that is politics. What Dr. Grossman does very well is show how her profession has been handcuffed by public policy and the consequence is the health of young people becoming in jeapordy.

A few highlights, although there are many more than I list here:

I learned that oxytocin is brain chemical that is invovled in maternal attachment. However, it is show to be released during sexual activity. Therefore, females can have a very strong emotional bond to a man, even though initially they agreed to just be "friends with benefits". The protocol on college campuses is to promote "safer sex". As the book says, you may practice safe sex but there is no condom for the heart.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that medicine combine with the immune system seems to have overthrown. But, some women can develop scaring in the fallopian tubes that prevents their ability to become pregnant. Or, a woman's immune system can make antibodies to a protein called hsp when she gets chlamydia, to remove the foreign matter. However, years later, after she's tested postive for pregnancy, her own immune system can be responsible for attacking her embryo. In early embryo development, an hsp protein is created and the immune system thinks its foreign. On college campus student health facilities, STD like chlamydia is no big deal, almost a bag of honor, but, for a few women, especially if they want children, contracting the disease can be lifechanging.

Bottomline is people's sexual behavior has grave consequences. (The obivious one here I didn't mention but it is in the book is HIV.)

Remind women they have a limited window of time if they want children. There is a sad chapter showing very powerful career women who missed out on their own children because of age and declining ability to get pregent. As powerful and rich as these women were, their money and power couldn't turn back time. If they did get pregnant, their testimonies told stories of going through an emotional hell with processes like IVF.

I don't cry at movies. I usually only get emotional at football games. However, I truly felt saddened for these women in these tough situations. I think Dr. Grossman is a heroine for writing this book. I don't know what kind of backlash she may get but I would stand beside her and protect her if need be.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She speaks the truth, January 9, 2007

By	Jerri Sendach (Boca Raton) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Unprotected: A Campus Psychiatrist Reveals How Political Correctness in Her Profession Endangers Every Student (Hardcover)

As a clinical psychologist, I have nothing but praise for this book. Political correctness became more important than patients somewhere in the late 1980's and the truth hasn't been seen much of since. This is a must read for anybody who is in therapy as well as all psychotherapists. The author was meticulous in her research. She is one person I would recommend as a therapist. It's too bad she has to remain anonymous,which is a prudent choice because her peers would harshly criticize her for daring to question the liberal agendas of unrestrained sex, abortion on demand, and maintaining the illusion that women and men are psychologically the same.