The best Schizophrenia books: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

An excellent book on this phenomenom is called Tribe by Sebastian Junger.

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also plugging this book

Not exactly a psychiatric nurse but elyn saks has schizophrenia and she did something similar (link below with her book) I highly recommend reading her book because part of her inspiration for writing it was for people who have a diagnosis of schizoprenia. She is absolutely brilliant and highlights some of her difficulties.

https://www.amazon.com/Center-Cannot-Hold-Journey-Through/dp/1401309445

I mean, yes because no one here can predict the future or how you'll turn out. Dr. Kay Jamison wrote a best selling book, An Unquiet Mind, about being a clinical psychologist with Bipolar I Disorder, so obviously it can be done. However, your mental health and experience is different from hers and I'd recommend stabilizing the condition first, especially given the treatment resistance and its effect on your previous graduate studies. Are you engaged in CBT, ACT, or some other evidence-based practice for depression? It sounds like your doc is a psychiatrist or prescriber primarily. While a mood stabilizer is the first line treatment to stabilize mania, a Bipolar I depressive episode usually requires talk therapy as the primary treatment due to the risk of many SSRIs inducing a manic episode.

Edit: she's a clinical psychologist, not psychiatrist. My bad.

A good book on this (at least that Ive read) is Mad in America by Robert Whitaker. The entire field is built on a house of cards

He's a crackpot schlocky spy novelist that was last a journalist 10 years ago.

Oh, and the book he published last year claims that marijuana is causing a secret epidemic of violence and psychosis that the media is trying to hide.

https://www.amazon.com/Tell-Your-Children-Marijuana-Violence/dp/1982103663

He's a trash nutjob with no medical training that should be listened to by exactly zero people.

Don’t give up on making friends. I know it’s tough to put yourself out there, but the risk is worth it. I’ve been needing to do this myself, but the pandemic has made it a bit difficult to say the least. I don’t have schizophrenia, but one of my best friend’s had bipolar and schizophrenic tendencies. I have been diagnosed with ADHD and OCD and it can be difficult for me to find the confidence to branch out socially. For anyone struggling with a psychological disorder, it’s really crucial that they have a support group outside of their significant other, so I desperately encourage you to 1) seek out genuine friends/find a support group and, if you’re reallyyy set on staying with him, 2) find a best selling book on schizophrenia that y’all can read together. I don’t think he deserves you...but, if he’s capable of change, reading about the disorder might help him understand how horrible his past behavior was and how he needs to treat you moving forward. If one of his friends makes another joke about your schizophrenia, he better drop that friend like a fucking hot potato. If HE makes another joke, please please PLEASE leave the relationship 🙏🏻. You have one life. Don’t waste it with someone who doesn’t treat you with respect. There are sooo many guys out there who would treat you better than him. Also, I have no idea if this is a good book for not but I came across this in a quick google search: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Family-Guide-Schizophrenia-Helping/dp/1593851804. Wishing you the best of luck...if I knew you in person, I’m sure I’d want to be your friend!

No. No more drugs. If you want to read a good book on psychotropic medications read anatomy of an epidemic. I was blown away to see that these drugs do absolutely nothing but harm people. We've all bought into this idea that somehow there's better living through pharmaceuticals. Nope.

I'm in the same boat pretty much. Just recently diagnosed as BP2 right after my 21st, and the way i've been handling it is learning as much as I can about my disorder. I would encourage you to look into An Unquiet Mind by - Kay Redfield Jamison. Also meditation and mindfulness really helps me and so does kicking caffeine it triggers severe mood swings for me.

Link to book on amazon

Doctors love antidepressants.
They love the money they make from prescribing them.

If you want to read an amazing book on the failure of these medications to produce results then check out Anatomy of an Epidemic.

This book also includes a section on benzodiazepines.

I must admit I'm a bit disgusted by how the US keeps playing mental illness for laughs. It's like prison rape jokes. If you have a mental illness, you must somehow deserve it. If you go to prison, you deserve to get raped. It's part of the whole justice boner culture.

Kanye West is mentally ill. He's got bipolar disorder. Egomania is a part of the disorder. And people with bipolar disorder tend to commit suicide not when they're depressed, but when they're manic. It's a devastating illness.

I encourage everyone to read An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison.

Delusions of grandeur is a symptom. It's not a choice.

I know that a lot of people want to "eat the rich" and that you enjoy it when rich people suffer, but in so doing you are increasing the stigma surrounding mental illness and you should be ashamed of yourselves. Poor people are more likely to suffer from mental illness. 20-25 percent of homeless people suffer from severe mental illness. By perpetuating the myth that people with mental illness has total control over their own behavior you are sentencing them all to mockery and condemnation.

Kanye West needs professional help.

Having an honest and open discussion about mental illness isn't as much fun as gay fish jokes, but it's important.

Antidepressants, when taken long-term, can increase a person's risk of significant side effects. Please see this excellent book.

If the antidepressant is helping you, feel free to keep taking it. If it's not helping, please strongly consider discontinuing it. You might want to first ask a doctor or pharmacist whether cold-turkey is fine or whether a gradual taper is better.

If we think of any other suggestions, do you want to hear them?

(I'm a psychology student, not a doctor or pharmacist.)

Hey! No problem. I think you'll find those resources useful. For a more literary approach, I would recommend you read An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison. Kay is a leading specialist in the US in the field of bipolar, but she also has the diagnosis herself. It's so beautifully written and truly encapsulates the disorder (available here).

How are you going at the moment? Euthymic? Are you studying medicine?

If you're actually interested in knowing facts, I recommend this book. Berenson is not anti marijuana at all! It's a great book. Eye opening with regard to age and use.

https://www.amazon.com/Tell-Your-Children-Marijuana-Violence/dp/1982103663

There is a popular book The Center Can ot Hold , where the author talks about her journey with Schizophrenia. In the book, she talks about her breaks she had to take in her education, and how she dealt with going back.

I used the DBT Skills for Bipolar Disorder. My therapist gave it to me. https://www.amazon.com/Dialectical-Behavior-Therapy-Workbook-Disorder/dp/1572246286

DBT skills class was very difficult for me - I guess I have cognitive problems that get in my way. This book brought it to a level that I could understand, and how it applies to the bipolar diagnosis.

I haven't tried it yet but there's a DBT book for Bipolar, here's a link to Canadian Amazon. https://www.amazon.ca/Dialectical-Behavior-Therapy-Workbook-Disorder/dp/1572246286/

There's stuff in here like acting opposite to your mood which you might find helpful. I got a copy from my public library.

I haven’t read it… but I know that Texas is trying to ban this book and it does cover trans children that conservative parents don’t accept…

Sorry your sibling is going through this… isn’t not easy being non-conservative as a minor in conservative households….. been there

An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison is a stunning novel, so beautifully written. It's an autobiography (you can buy it here). I actually found my first copy in a second-hand bookshop when I was hypomanic and thought it was a sign from god, lol.

Former guest and COVID truther Alex Berenson is a big believer in this idea as well. He wrote a whole book about it.

https://www.amazon.com/Tell-Your-Children-Marijuana-Violence/dp/1982103663

NTA.

Your wife needs a lot of therapy. What's scary is that your son may need help in future, and she is essentially making it impossible for him to approach her. I hope she can get her head around that - what she is doing is the worst possible outcome.

Good luck OP, and well done supporting your son. Out of curiosity have you read The Centre Cannot Hold? It's an incredible book written by someone with schizophrenia, and her experiences. No doubt you have heard of it, but if not it is well worth looking at.

It's a possibility that you have a genetic predisposition. What does it mean for you? In any case, avoid drugs. Cannabis included. They can trigger it. Maybe get a book about it.

Sarah here. Anger and rage can be something people experience during and outside of mood episodes. You will often hear it called “irritability.” It is more often associated with hypomania and mania but can also happen during depression. When I have clients who report hurdles such as these, I recommend that they consider finding a provider who can do Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) with you. DBT teaches different skills such as emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. These can be very helpful for reducing irritability, anger, and rage. You can find group DBT therapy or individual therapists. If there are not any providers with this training in your area, then I would recommend starting with a great workbook I recommend that you can find here: https://www.amazon.com/Dialectical-Behavior-Therapy-Workbook-Disorder/dp/1572246286/ref=sr\_1\_1?crid=10FILY5DRZYTF&keywords=DBT+for+bipolar+disorder&qid=1648662171&sprefix=dbt+for+bipolar+disorde%2Caps%2C201&sr=8-1

Well you might want to buy The DBT Workbook for Bipolar Disorder, they sell it on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Dialectical-Behavior-Therapy-Workbook-Disorder/dp/1572246286/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=9048WVU942K3&keywords=dbt+workbook+bipolar&qid=1647377532&sprefix=dbt+workbook+bi%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-1 I don’t know of a specific online group or anything like that but there are tons of articles and workbooks and references to DBT online. The best way to find an in person group is to look for an intensive outpatient program or partial hospitalization program that offers it, but you would need to be Sick enough to meet admission criteria for those.

You can buy DBT workbooks on Amazon to do independently while you look for a provider. There is even one for bipolar!

This one is good https://www.amazon.com/Dialectical-Behavior-Therapy-Workbook-Disorder/dp/1572246286/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=2LI6X4GWIP91L&keywords=dbt+workbook+for+bipolar+disorder&qid=1645213480&sprefix=dbt+workbook+for+bi%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-3

And this one might help you too https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1684034582/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1645213480&sr=8-2-spons

I understand that you and your family can't get him in for treatment. However, getting a "dealing with schizophrenic family member" book (or something similar) might be helpful for all of you. I found this book on Amazon: Surviving Schizophrenia, 7th Edition: A Family Manual. I don't personally have this book or know the author, but it reviews well and looks informative.

I took a Psychopathology class in grad school and schizophrenia is really a sad illness. It's not something that was nurtured, but rather something a person "gets" (nature). They can't help what happens to them and there is no cure - only treatment. Additionally, it is very painful for family members and they endure severe collateral damage from this illness.

You and your family could really benefit from your own therapy to help deal with your brother's illness - regardless of his "official" diagnosis or not. Hugs to you all.

You're wise to taper, but you're tapering too fast.

> Is there a better way to taper?

Yes. Please see the comment by /u/One_Pianist_4114.

> I also have medical marijuana for anxiety and panic attacks and I worry that by using both I might be doing something wrong

If you take both cannabis and mental-health drugs, it's ideal to have one single doctor who prescribes both. If you don't have this, at least try to tell each doctor what the other doctor has been prescribing, and at what dose.

I don't think that SSRI drugs (e.g. fluoxetine) or benzodiazepine drugs (e.g. Valium, Xanax, clonazepam) are generally wise treatment choices for anxiety or panic attacks. See, for example, <u>Anatomy of an Epidemic</u> by Robert Whitaker.

A.) Have you tried CBT or any other psychotherapy?

B.) Do you exercise? If so, how often?

C.) If we think of any other suggestions, do you want them?

Definitely do not use either drug, unless you have a very serious medical need for it. See <u>Anatomy of an Epidemic</u> by Robert Whitaker, and especially the chapter which covers ADHD stimulant drugs.

Completely agree. And doctors don't know shit about antidepressants either. Really good book on this is Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whittaker.

Definitely worth a read.

Maybe it would be helpful to check in with him regularly about how he would like you to help. He might not have any idea most of the time, but sometimes he will know what kind of support he needs, and if he knows that you’re willing to hear his needs, he’s more likely to come to you.

There is a ton of good literature out there about how to support loved ones with mental illnesses and chronic illnesses. Here’s a link to a book that was recommended to me (although I haven’t read it) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/190040

https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Schizophrenia-7th-Family-Manual/dp/0062880802

Also check out “The Center Cannot Hold” by Elyn R Saks. It’s more of a memoir, but really fascinating. It’s also a great example of someone who is thriving with schizophrenia.

You're already so much of the way toward controlling your mood disorder since you understand the importance of medication. You're almost there. There will come a time when your days will start becoming just normal.

It helps to be heavily engaged in any activity, job or even hobby that is not highly stressful, and has a social interaction component to it.

Hopefully I haven't rambled on too much. Sorry if I have! And I will finally answer your question. The top recommended books across a couple of sites and on the Amazon Best Sellers in Bipolar Disorder seem to be:

An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison being sold on Amazon for $10

The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide by David J. Miklowitz being sold on Amazon for $15

Best of luck to you, and remember there are far worse disorders out there. Yours is 100% manageable.