Schizophrenia For Dummies (For Dummies (Health & Fitness)) (Paperback)

by Jerome Levine (Author), Irene S. Levine (Author) "Schizophrenia affects as many as 1 in 100 Americans over their lifetime and is twice as common as HIV/AIDS..." (more)
Key Phrases: treating schizophrenia, healthcare team, housing choices, United States, Understanding Schizophrenia, Beginning Treatment (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Practical tools for leading a happy, productive life

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling mental disorder that afflicts one percent of the population, an estimated 2.5 million people in America alone. The firsthand advice in this reassuring guide will empower the families and caregivers of schizophrenia patients to take charge, offering expert advice on identifying the warning signs, choosing the right health professional, understanding currently available drugs and those on the horizon (as well as their side effects), and evaluating traditional and alternative therapies.

From the Back Cover

From diagnosis to recovery, take charge of care and enhance quality of life

Are you looking for comprehensive, user-friendly information on schizophrenia? This respectful guide empowers families and caregivers to understand the disorder, as well as help their loved ones make the best healthcare decisions and live more independent lives. You get practical tools for supporting loved ones, staying optimistic, and keeping the whole family informed.

• Grasp the ins and outs of schizophrenia — understand the causes and risk factors; recognize the symptoms and behaviors

• Find the best professional help — get an accurate diagnosis, assemble a healthcare team, and ease into treatment

• Evaluate treatment options — from medication to therapy to alternative methods, choose the treatments that best meet your loved one's needs

• Manage day-to-day life — find housing, foster independence, and cope with crises

• Keep the family involved — support a spouse, parent, or adult child with schizophrenia; help children understand, manage fears, and plan for the future

• Learn about the latest research — discover the new, promising directions of treatment that are providing help and hope

"This book is easily read and provides an informative road map that can help everyone to orient themselves and navigate uncertain terrain, as part of a journey toward recovery."
—Ken Duckworth, MD, Medical Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness

Open the book and find:

• The differences between schizophrenia and other mental illnesses

• How to get past the shame and stigma

• Tips for coping with medication side effects

• Advice on navigating financial and legal issues

• Ways to avoid relapse and prevent a breakdown

• The benefits and risks of clinical trials

• Sources of support for patients and families

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (October 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470259272
• ISBN-13: 978-0470259276
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #217,252 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wish I'd Had this book twenty years ago, November 27, 2008

By	Margie Goldsmith - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If only I had been able to read this book twenty years ago -- then I would have finally understood everything there is to know about schizophrenia. Back then, no one spoke about mental illness or schizophrenia; nor did anyone understood what it meant. As a result, I had no way of knowing that my schizophrenics sister was not making anything up, that she truly had a disease. Had I had access to this wonderful, informative, extraordinary book, I would have been able to help her, my parents wouldn't have felt so guilty (thinking it was their fault), and my family would not have been torn to pieces with grief, guilt, and despair. This is a MUST READ for anyone who wants to understand what it means to be a schizophrenic and how other family members can deal with it.
Margie Goldsmith
Novelist, Essayist, Journalist

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Schizophrenia For Dummies, November 25, 2008

By	Fred F. Sherman (Riverhead, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Great book. Very informative and helped a lot to understand this disease. Also learned many coping skills.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Smart and Indispensable Dummies Book, March 13, 2009

By	Laura Van Tosh (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The doctors Levine have produced a remarkably understandable and, may I say, SMART edition to the Dummies series published by Wiley. I have struggled to read other books about psychiatry and various illnesses over the years, and have usually put them down to get a dictionary or to call my own psychiatrist for translation. Schizophrenia for Dummies does not insult. This book cares about families and patients who suffer, sometimes needlessly, through severe mental illness and when fortunate, to a life of recovery. This book explains basic facts and offers immediate support and resources. It is a clearinghouse without a toll-free number.

The book is a must-read for anyone who has a mental illness and has questions, as well as family members and the general public who need much of this education.

My mental illness struck at a young age and at a time when families had little to no resources to maneuver through the "system." I cannot recall my family's exact plight to locate basic information, but I know now that this book would have been indispensable. With accurate and thoughtful presentation of the material displayed here, I can only hope that today's families, patients, and consumers will find what they need to traverse the healthcare system and yes, their own illnesses and pathways to wellness.

Professionals in the mental health field are probably not "dummies," but a review of this book to gain additional and current knowledge should be required. I could see a copy of this book available in waiting rooms, self-help agencies, and organizations that represent persons with mental illnesses or who advocate for systems improvements. This sophisticated book combines practical information with scientific know-how.

Schizophrenia for Dummies is a refreshing contribution to the literature available in the lay world yet helps us to understand the science behind mental illness and the treatments that promote wellness in clear and hopeful terms. This is a true sign of a book that is accessible. The Levines have given us a smart book that I recommend to everyone.

Laura Van Tosh
Oregon, USA