Violent Attachments [Paperback]

Reid J. Meloy (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0765700611 | ISBN-13: 978-0765700612 | Publication Date: February 1, 1997 | Edition: 2

This book is written for psychotherapists, psychologists, psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, and social workers in clinical or forensic practice. Biological foci include concepts about the deep limbic structures of the brain and the biochemistry that inhibits or disinhibits such violence. Psychological patterns include both psychoanalytic constructs and the specific psychological test data from the case studies that support such constructs. Social factors include the behavior of the victim and, in the case of assassination, the political acts that contribute to predatory violence. Dr. Meloy emphasizes the crucial need for mental health professionals to go beyond descriptive diagnoses and find the motivation and meaning of such acts. The professional's causal and purposive formulations about such violent attachments lead to more effective evaluation, treatment, and intervention, and perhaps testimony in subsequent criminal and civil litigation.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dr. Meloy has cast a bright light into the dark world of violent individuals and those who attach themselves to them. (Larry H. Strasburger, M.D. )

Violent Attachments is an extremely valuable addition to the literature on aggression. Meloy has shed light on how deranged and fantasized relationships can lead to stalking, threats, and even death. (John R. Lion, M.D. )

Violent Attachments is a work of professional excellence and practical usefulness to help us better understand violent thoughts and acts. It combines careful attention to clinical detail with reader-gripping creativity. This is a book both to read quickly because it is hard to put down, and then to read again, slowly, in order to absorb and digest its breadth and depth of wisdom. (Sherry L. Skidmore, Ph.D. )

With this superb volume Reid Meloy transports the reader to remote locations that lie at the extremes of human experience. At these outposts we are privy to bizarre tales that reveal the violent underpinnings of love relationships. The mental health professions are indebted to Dr. Meloy for mapping this uncharted territory and for recognizing that in studying the 'outliers,' we learn more about ourselves. (Glen O. Gabbard, M.D. )

About the Author

J. Reid Meloy, Ph.D., is a diplomate in forensic psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology. Chief of the Court Services, Forensic Mental Health Division for San Diego County, he also devotes time to a private civil and criminal forensic practice, research, writing, and teaching. He is an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine; a clinical associate professor of psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego; and an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the Society for Personality Assessment and was recently elected President of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology. In 1992 he received the Distinguished Contribution to Psychology as a Profession Award from the California Psychological Association.

Product Details

• Paperback: 366 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc.; 2 edition (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765700611
• ISBN-13: 978-0765700612
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,471,851 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the money!, August 28, 2000

By 

Susan Sciara (Bloomingdale, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Violent Attachments (Paperback)

This book is excellent and well worth the money. I borrowed it from the library, renewed it and then decided that it was good enough to purchase. It gives a very comprehensive understanding of the psychology behind violent relationships. It examines stalking and erotomania, women who are attracted to violent men, and cases of, what at first appears to be, unpredictible, explosive murder. It also confirmed, what I have found in my work, and that is that there are cases of nondelusional erotomania. This book is rather technical and I'm sure it is more easily read with a background in psychology. Additionally, some of the cases are extremely graphic. For anyone who is involved in forensic psychology or psychiatry, or deals with stalking situations, I would highly recommend this as a way to gain greater understanding of the psychodynamics behind the violent behaviors.