E-Book Overview
If you care for someone with a mental illnessAwhether as a family member, friend, or practitionerAthis hands-on reference is for you. The acclaimed What Every Patient, Family, Friend, and Caregiver Needs to Know About Psychiatry is now available in a long-awaited second edition. Like the first, it is written in a simple, concise style for the laypersonAand is packed with need-to-know information on adult psychiatric disorders, including their causes, approaches to treatment, and what caregivers can do to help. It is an excellent resource for therapist's waiting room. What Every Patient, Family, Friend, and Caregiver Needs to Know About Psychiatry features a wealth of immediately usable guidance for caregivers. It's an excellent text for introduction to psychiatry classes in colleges and nursing schools for helping students develop valuable knowledge and skills to apply in practice. This one-stop resource is the first place to turn for practical guidance for the latest research-based techniques. You'll - Get a solid understanding of the causes of psychiatric disorders, including stress, genetics and heredity, and emotional and physical problems - Develop hands-on skills for the full range of emotional and mental disorders, including psychosomatic disorders, anxiety, substance abuse, sexual problems, loss, personality and mood disorders, schizophrenia, and cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease - Find out how the psychiatrist should function in the patient-caregiver-doctor relationshipAand learn how to choose a psychotherapist. This second edition has been extensively revised and updated with new information on diagnostic techniques and brain scans, the role of genetics, new medications and psychotherapeutic approaches, and more. In addition, it features a unique and illuminating look at mental health in our post-9/11 nation, including the rising incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder. Whether you're a social worker or psychologist, nurse or other professional, friend or family member, you'll get a sound framework to help you achieve better results. Caring for a person with mental illness requires knowledge, skill, understanding, and strength. What Every Patient, Family, Friend, and Caregiver Needs to Know About Psychiatry gives you a source of guidance and techniques that will make you more confident and successful in your role as practitioner or caregiver.
E-Book Content
What Every Patient, Family, Friend, and Caregiver Needs to Know About Psychiatry Second Edition This page intentionally left blank What Every Patient, Family, Friend, and Caregiver Needs to Know About Psychiatry Second Edition Richard W. Roukema, M.D., F.A.P.A. Washington, DC London, England Note: The author has worked to ensure that all information in this book is accurate at the time of publication and consistent with general psychiatric and medical standards, and that information concerning drug dosages, schedules, and routes of administration is accurate at the time of publication and consistent with standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the general medical community. As medical research and practice continue to advance, however, therapeutic standards may change. Moreover, specific situations may require a specific therapeutic response not included in this book. For these reasons and because human and mechanical errors sometimes occur, we recommend that readers follow the advice of physicians directly involved in their care or the care of a member of their family. Books published by American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., represent the views and opinions of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the policies and opinions of APPI or the American Psychiatric Association. Copyright © 2003 American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Manufactured in the United States