Medicines for Mental Health: The Ultimate Guide to Psychiatric Medication (Paperback)

~ Kevin Thompson PhD (Author)
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Editorial Reviews

Review

A straightforward guide to mental disorders and the drugs that treat them.

In one brief volume, Thompson has gathered an amount of data it would take days to locate on the Web. The author, a physicist "who has an interest in medical treatments for mental illness," according to his biography, gives a tutorial on brain chemistry, then lists some psychiatric diagnoses (the various types of depression, psychosis, schizophrenia) and the medications usually prescribed to treat those disorders.

The book has helpful charts and lists that clearly designate drug chemical names, brand names, on- and off-label uses and common side effects. It also includes the pros and cons for each substance, as well as dangerous symptoms and interactions to watch out for. Particularly nice is the directory of websites, both official and quirky, where psychiatric patients and their friends and families can find reliable information and support.

Thompson's candid writing about the most dreaded of side effects, sexual dysfunction, takes this sensitive subject out of the shadows, presenting it as a surmountable challenge.

The author makes a point of stating that he is not a medical doctor, and that MDs are not technically scientists, in the sense that they do little research. While they may be "competent to treat" patients, MDs don't often have what Thompson calls a "deep knowledge of psychotropic medications." Like any good scientist, Thompson is an accumulator of data, and his research is methodical. If there is a weak point to this book, it is the lack of a nuanced approach to psychotropics and the accompanying therapies that develop from experience, observation and work with real patients--the part of psychiatric treatment that is as much art as it is science. Still, Thompson has written a meticulous book, well-organized and indexed, that would be useful to those suffering from mental illness.

A systematic yet approachable view of mental illness and the drugs used to treat it. -- Kirkus Discoveries

Product Description

A finalist in the National Indie Excellence 2008 book awards, this book was written for anyone who suffers from sexual dysfunction, depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia (or cares for someone who does). Medicines for Mental Health is the first book to provide detailed and readable information about all psychiatric medications, and other medical treatments, for these mental illnesses. Medicines cuts through jargon, demystifies mental illness, and explains how treatments work. It goes beyond current fads to cover important medications you need to know about, including many that will be new to your doctor.

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing; 2 edition (June 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419669540
• ISBN-13: 978-1419669545
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #462,842 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Colourful Capsules of Mental Health Care, January 8, 2008

By	Squiggles "[e-mail]" (CANADA) - See all my reviews

Kevin Thompson, Ph.D. has put together a
very user-friendly, well-organized and
infomative guide to current psychopharmacology.
Symptoms of mental illness, most appropriate
medications, side effects and their profiles,
are described in a succinct and comprehensive
style. I would describe the guide as elegant.

For my particular interest in lithium, I was
very pleased to read the Q-T cardiac prolongation
side effect warning, that lacks priority in may
other medical guides I have read.

I am very happy to have this guide in my collection.
It is great for the layman with a very considerate
Glossary of psychiatric terms in the final chapter.

Squiggles

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing like it out there..., November 8, 2007

By	D. Hoffman (Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a Neuropsychiatrist, I find this book has it all - and in a simple to understand, concise and organized way. Whether you're a consumer looking to learn more about what your physician is prescribing, or a health care provider, this should be a "must have". It puts many of us "professionals" to shame. You can also see my comments in the book - but suffice it to say that if you want to learn more about psychotropic medications, this should be your first stop.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must-have book, August 26, 2007

By	C. J. Corbett (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a registered nurse, I must be picky about which books I use for reference. This book is fairly comprehensive in scope and can be used for the health care professional as well as any person simply interested in this topic. It is obvious that Dr. dePlume went to great effort and thought in putting this together. I am recommending it to all my colleagues.

At first I was a little put off because there is no index, but the table of contents is structured in such a way that it is not too difficult to find what I am looking for. That plus lots of cross-referencing throughout the book make it easy to use.