What You Need to Know About Psychiatric Drugs (Paperback)

~ Stuart Yudofsky M.D. (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Each year, as the coauthors point out, close to 200 million prescriptions for psychiatric drugs are filled in the U.S. Yet many people who require them are ill-equipped or unable to ask questions about the drugs or about appropriate alternatives. Yudofsky, Hales and Ferguson here explain the types of psychiatric drugs and the conditions they assuage, while encouraging patients and their families to ask more questions. Described in detail are what the drugs do : tranquilizers, antidepressants, anti-addictives, anti-aggressives, sedatives; and pharmaceutical treatments for mania, phobias, panic disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Parents of young children may find the chapter on drugs for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (frequently found in children) particularly helpful; just as beneficial is a chapter on the uses of sleeping pills for insomnia and other sleep-related problems. Also discussed are non-drug treatment options for several conditions. But unfortunately, the writing is stiff, as is nowhere more apparent than in the contrived, uninspiring case histories. Yudofsky is chairman of the department of psychiatry at the University of Chicago; Hales is chairman of the department of psychiatry at the Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center in San Francisco; Ferguson is president of the Center for Self-Care Studies in Austin, Tex.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Prepared by a team of nationally respected health professionals, here is the definitive consumer guide to the powerful medications that have revolutionized the treatment of psychological illness, and includes: an alphabetical listing and discussion of the most frequently utilized drugs, cross-referenced to the illness they treat AND their side effects; a review of their effects on special risk groups, such as pregnant women, and the elderly, plus guidelines for finding and evaluating psychiatrists who are knowledgeable in prescribing psychiatric drugs, and much more.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 672 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (June 9, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345373340
• ISBN-13: 978-0345373342
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,456,780 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book Ever Written on Psychiatric Drugs!!, April 11, 2005

By	lydia - See all my reviews

Do not purchase a psychiatric drug without owning this book first!! Everyone who has taken or is considering taking a psychiatric drug or has a friend or a family member who is taking or thinking about taking one of these drugs must own this book. Even if you simply want to learn more about psychiatric drugs on the market, this book is a must have. It is fabulous and definitely the most comprehensive and informative book of its kind.

4.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional - but now ten years old..., August 20, 2001

By A Customer

This book is a terrific primer, not just about psychiatric drugs, but on psychiatric illnesses, their classification and symptoms. Additionally, the authors include a number of case histories, some successful, some not. Numerous questions are asked and answered in an easy-to-read, concise format. The first 363 pages are on these generalized topics and are extremely well done. The remaining 248 pages are on specific drugs, with two pages devoted to each medication. The glossary and index are complete and well done. My only disappointment is that the book was published in 1992. If the authors updated the book for newer drugs and increased knowledge of psychiatric illnesses, I would purchase the revised edition in an instant. Still, the original book is the best I've read on the subject and is "must" reading for anyone who wants a better understanding of psychiatric illnesses and medications.