Your Mental Health: A Layman's Guide to the Psychiatrist's Bible (Hardcover)

~ Allen Frances M.D. (Author), Dr. Michael B. First (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The American Psychological Association's DSM-IV, or fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, became a surprise bestseller, with more than a million copies in print. For those who'd rather avoid the $60 price tag--and possible wrist trauma--associated with that book, Your Mental Health is a better bet. Written by Dr. Allen Frances, whom author Daniel Goleman calls "the most powerful psychiatrist in America," and Dr. Michael First, who edited the DSM-IV, Your Mental Health is a user-friendly, resource-packed reference that covers dozens of mental disorders. Cognitive difficulties; developmental delays; hyperactivity and other childhood problems; posttraumatic disorders; eating, sleep, and sex-related difficulties; depressions; anxiety; and substance abuse problems are all covered. Anyone with a personal or family history of mental-health disorders will find clear-cut guidance, including information on how a psychiatric disorder is diagnosed and the various treatment options available. Dozens of support-group contacts, Web sites, and suggestions for further reading are also included. --Erica Jorgensen

From Library Journal

Two authors of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Stastical Manual (DSM-IV), the essential tool of mental health professionals, have drawn on that material to write this guide for lay readers.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Scribner; 1 edition (January 12, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068483720X
• ISBN-13: 978-0684837208
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,200,696 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars User friendly , should be compulsory reading in college, August 11, 1999

By A Customer

This manual dispels the stigma about mental health and explains the different problems and disorders in a friendly and cheerful way. It is interesting to see that substance abuse (alcohol and drugs) can lead to a variety of psychiatric disorders that can equally be cured once abstinence occurs. I think this is a very relevant read for any college student who is subjected to rites of passage and other unhealthy pressure from peers to drink and take drugs excessively. The other topics discussed are exceptionally well handled and provide clear instructions and advice for those seeking to help themselves and others.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the most thoughtful self-help book ever written., December 28, 1998

By A Customer

This is a valuable guide to psychiatric diagnosis and treatment that is immensely helpful for patients and their families. It also provides a fascinating view of human nature for the general reader. The authors illustrate how each of the mental disorders is an exaggeration of normal tendencies that have gotten out of hand. This helps a person suffering from a mental illness to feel less strange, alone, and helpless. An uplifting book that changed the way I see the world and the people in it, including myself.