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About
the Book
This
compelling book introduces a wide range of psychiatric symptoms
and their treatments. Written for anyone concerned about
his or her own mental health or about symptoms observed
in family members or close friends, the book is packed with
useful and reassuring information. It is both easy to read
and difficult to put down.
The
volume presents fifty signs that may--or may not--signal
mental illness. Arranged alphabetically, the signs include
everything from anger to sexual preoccupations, from cravings
to obsessions. Dr. James W. Hicks, a highly regarded psychiatrist
with extensive clinical experience, begins each topic with
a vignette to illustrate the symptom. He explains how a
specific sign can be caused by several different illnesses
and may even be a normal response to stress. And he outlines
available treatments as well as strategies for coping with
each symptom.
Nearly
one in three individuals experiences psychiatric symptoms
each year. This book clarifies the significance of such
signs and guides its readers toward appropriate treatment
choices. It is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking
a more informed perspective on mental illness.
See
the Table of Contents
for links to the complete Introduction and
Chapter excerpts.
Endorsements
“Dr.
Hicks has done what many doctors are afraid to do: tossed
aside the jargon and described in everyday terms what mental
illness looks and feels like. This is an important and wonderfully
accessible book!”--Charles Barber, project director,
Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health and Author
of Songs from the Black Chair: A Memoir of Mental Interiors, and Comfortably Numb.
"Each
of us has experienced one or several of the various forms
of emotional distress described in this enormously helpful
book--and who has not worried about their meaning and sometimes
wondered whether, or how, to seek treatment? Finally, here
is the book that answers every question lucidly, directly
and authoritatively. Dr. Hicks deserves the thanks of every
reader, for his remarkable contribution to mental health."—
Sherwin B. Nuland, M.D., author of Lost In America:
A Journey With My Father and How We Die
"Tackling
psychological problems begins when we notice their signs.
Dr. James Hicks has used this fact to devise an exceptionally
practical guide for anyone struggling with the questions
of mental illness."--Anand Pandya, M.D., NYU
School of Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center, and NAMI Board
of Directors
“Concrete
stories, a wide range of information, helpful advice--a
most useful book for the general reader. The direct address,
the concrete examples, and the quality of the writing give
a dramatic, page-turning quality to the text."--Michael
Rowe, Yale School of Medicine
Reviews
"Author
James Whitney Hicks ... has delivered a smart, alphabetically
arranged layperson's guide to common symptoms ranging from
anxiety to deceitfulness that may be either personal quirks
or signs of psychosis. ... Fascinating observations abound...
" - Gregory Mott, Washington Post
>>>> READ
ENTIRE REVIEW
"Bottom
line: This is an excellent starting point for understanding
mental health". - Mary Beth Regan, Baltimore
Sun" >>>>
READ
ENTIRE REVIEW
"This
resource on the symptoms of mental illness and their treatment
is a solid gem. ... A reservoir of useful knowledge."
- E. James Lieberman, George Washington University School of Medicine,
Washington, DC for Library Journal
>>>> READ
ENTIRE REVIEW
"This
book provides authoritative yet easy-to-understand explanations
for a wide range of symptoms.... Most important, the book
clearly defines the line between behaviors that are normal
(if troublesome) and those that require professional attention."
-Health Magazine
"Written in everyday language, the information is readily
accessible to the reader... The Recommended Resources in
the back of the book is an outstanding listing...."
-Janice Gabrovsek, NAMI Advocate
"50 Signs is a helpful resource for early intervention."
bp Magazine
The tone is friendly, interested, and inviting, and the scholarship behind it is seamless.... It wouldn't hurt doctors a bit to read Hicks' book and commit some of his patient-friendly language to memory." - David Forrest, MD, for the American Journal of Psychiatry >>>>READ ENTIRE REVIEW
Awards
Selected
as one of two best non-fiction books of 2005 by the National
Alliance on Mental Illness.
Recipient of one of five 2006 Ken Book Awards given annually
by the Kenneth Johnson Memorial Research Library of the
NAMI-NYC Metro chapter for outstanding books of literary
merit that have substantially contributed to the public's
awareness and better understanding of mental disorders.
Selected as a public and secondary school library book by the Association of American University Presses in 2006 and 2007.
Semi-finalist in the health category for the 2006 Independant Publisher Book Awards.
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