Since its first publication in 1983, Surviving Schizophrenia has become the standard reference book on the disease and has helped thousands of patients, their families and mental health professionals. In clear language, this much-praised and important book describes the nature, causes, symptoms, treatment and course of schizophrenia and also explores living with it from both the patient and the family’s point of view. This new, completely updated sixth edition includes the latest research findings on what causes the disease as well as information about the newest drugs for treatment and answers to the questions most often asked by families, consumers and providers.

Dr. E. Fuller Torrey’s book “Surviving Schizophrenia” is a book our schizophrenia association highly recommends for every family affected by schizophrenia. Torrey is the Executive Director of the Stanley Medical Research Institute, as well as the author or editor of eighteen books. He is also a clinical and research psychiatrist who specializes in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia..Dr. Torrey is a leader in the schizophrenia research field, and has a sister with schizophrenia, so in writing this book he has drawn from extensive personal, clinical and research experience.

Schizophrenia is viewed as a four-letter word, something that shouldn’t be discussed in polite society or around the dinner table. It is a word feared by those who are told they have it and need mental health help. It is regarded with disdain by almost everybody who hears it. Surviving Schizophrenia, written by Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, is a well-written survival guide for those who are family members, or know someone who has schizophrenia.

While well written and informative, “Surviving Schizophrenia” can be overwhelming and frightening. Torrey does a good job of giving statistical information in the first chapter, informing the reader about things such as: how many individuals are thought to have schizophrenia, where they are, and what schizophrenia treatment options doies the medical community suggest for people who need mental health help. Although the statistics are interesting, they are very alarming to the layperson having to deal with the thought of schizophrenia for the first time.

Torrey uses easy to understand language and delves into the mind of the person with schizophrenia, effectively explaining every aspect of what is schizophrenia to the layperson. In his last chapter, Torrey gives a comprehensive list of mental health resources, as books and associations, where help is available. Surviving Schizophrenia, while frightening at times, is nevertheless a great source of information for the family having to deal with this illness.

This is the book to get if you can only buy one book or just want to read one volume on schizophrenia. The Complete Family Guide to Schizophrenia is a must read for all those affected by schizophrenia and psychosis. It is one of the main mental health resources considered highly valuable for family members, board members and staff of the provincial schizophrenia societies across Canada, in light of our new mission statement.

Chris Summerville, D.Min., CPRP
Interim CEO, Schizophrenia Society of Canada

Published this month by The Guilford Press, this volume by Kim T. Mueser, PhD and Susan Gingerich, MSW is a complete revision of Coping with Schizophrenia with extensive updated information. Not only do the authors document, endorse and support the mental health recovery model, they offer clearly written, easy to read information on understanding the illness of schizophrenia, how to head off relapse, reduce symptoms, improving communication skills and conflict management, handling stress, solving family problems, planning for the future and learning about mental health recovery. It is a positive, hopeful and “optimistic guide.”

As Dr. William T. Carpenter, Jr., MD with the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center says,

“Mueser and Gingerich cover all the bases to guide you along the road to recovery.”

“The authors provide state-of the-art tools for mastering the extraordinary challenges that schizophrenia poses, “says Dr. Ken Duckworks, MD of Harvard Medical School. Composed of six sections or parts, they are:

An Overview of Schizophrenia (Schizophrenia: The Basics, Diagnosis and Symptoms, Creating a Vision of Recovery, Comprehensive Schizophrenia Treatment, Community Resources)

Special Issues for Family Members (Parents, Siblings, Spouses and Partners, Parenting and Children)

Preventing Relapses (Medication, Managing Stress, Developing a Relapse Prevention Plan, Responding to Crises)

Creating Supportive Environment (Communicating Effectively, Solving Problems, Establishing Household Rules and Sharing Responsibilities)

Coping with Specific Problems (Psychotic Symptoms, Negative Symptoms, Cognitive Difficulties, Anxiety, Depression, Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Anger and Violence, Lack of Insight)

Improving Quality of Life (Social Relationships, Work and School, Independent Living and Self-Care Skills, Leisure and Recreation, Dealing with Mental Disorders Sigma, Planning for the Future.

The official description found at Amazon is:

“Do people with schizophrenia ever get better? With the vast majority of those with the disorder dependent on their families for care, close relatives often grapple with that question. “The Complete Family Guide to Schizophrenia” inspires hope. Authors Kim T. Mueser, PhD, and Susan Gingerich, MSW, walk readers through a range of treatment and support options that can lead to a better life for the entire family. Individual chapters highlight special issues for parents, siblings, and partners, while other sections provide tips for dealing with problems including cognitive difficulties, substance abuse, and psychosis. Families learn to help their loved ones manage day-to-day tasks, develop friendships, and set personal life goals. Like no other book, this powerful, practical resource helps families stay connected to the individual behind the disorder so they can work together toward recovery.”

Dr. Kim T. Muser does it again! Hitting a homerun, clinical psychologist Muser who works with clients and families, teams up with Bodie Morey who has experienced firsthand the uncertainty, turmoil and challenges of mental illness developing in close family members.

“Utilizing a whole-family approach The Family Guide to Mental Illness emphasizes a wellness and mental health recovery model. It is a great resource for families of the mentally ill in recognizing, managing and recovering from mental illness,” says Chris Summerville who is Interim CEO of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada. One reviewer wrote, “It covers not only symptoms but helps find solutions. The chapters on communication are especially insightful and extremely helpful. It is written in layman’s terms with an emphasis on love of the family member living with mental illness.”

From Publishers Weekly: “Detailed but not overwhelming, Morey and Mueser have created an extremely helpful addition to the family medical reference library. Morey and Mueser’s straightforward writing style and common sense approach guide readers through a step-by-step process for helping a loved one who needs mental health help. Chapters begin with a “fundamental step” (“Discuss the situation openly,” “Get a correct diagnosis”), and end with a list of “good steps” (“Familiarize yourself with the symptoms”) and “missteps” (“Thinking that it’s none of your business”) which give readers extra guidance. Practical information and advice are well illustrated by vignettes and case histories; included are strategies for introducing the idea of getting mental health help, thumbnail descriptions of a wide range of mental illnesses, coping with long-term interventions and how to keep on “living your own life.” Therapies, including medication, are also surveyed, as well as mental health resources for further information. Comprehensive, compassionate and rooted in solid research, this easy-to-read guidebook is suitable for any family in search of answers.”

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) says, “Above all, this is a book about love. Families will rely on it to help loved ones. They will share it with friends when their families in turn are confronted by mental illness. The book covers a broad spectrum of concerns from recognizing symptoms to maintaining wellness-and offers practical information and strategies. First-hand knowledge and down-to-earth perspective provide concise discussions of good steps, bad steps, wish lists, pitfalls, and recipes for success.” -Michael J. Fitzpatrick, MSW Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Reviewing the breadth of current knowledge on schizophrenia, this handbook provides clear, practical guidelines for effective assessment and schizophrenia treatment in diverse contexts. Leading authorities have contributed 61 concise chapters on all aspects of the disorder and its clinical management. In lieu of exhaustive literature reviews, each chapter summarizes the state of the science; highlights key points the busy practitioner needs to know; and lists recommended mental health resources, including seminal research studies, invaluable clinical tools, and more. Comprehensive, authoritative, and timely, the volume will enable professionals in any setting to better understand and help their patients or clients with severe mental illness.

“This book provides comprehensive, up-to-date, easy-to-access information on every aspect of schizophrenia that clinically oriented readers would want in a single source. It reflects well the diverse and extensive experience of Mueser and Jeste, who are clinicians, researchers, and educators of great distinction.”–Herbert Y. Meltzer, MD, Division Director, Psychopharmacology, Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

“This handbook is a landmark effort to give the working clinician portals of entry to the vast scientific and clinical literature on schizophrenia. The chapters provide accessible summaries, efficiently and sensibly organized by topic–from basic science, to assessment and treatment, to service systems, policy, law, and ethics. There is no other volume available with comparable breadth, accessibility, and sensitivity to the needs of the clinical practitioner. This work promises to be a key reference and resource for students and professionals for years to come.”–Will Spaulding, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska/n-/Lincoln

“Although I have read (and written) many books about schizophrenia, I was highly impressed by the extensive array of topics that this volume addresses. It is remarkable in encompassing the complex scope of biological, psychological, and social features of this severe mental illness. The volume is distinctive in the way it interweaves scientific knowledge and practical living issues, medical and functional features, individual and population aspects, and somatic and rehabilitative interventions. I recommend this excellent handbook to both professionals and students. It will very likely be adopted as a text for trainees in psychiatry, psychology, social work, rehabilitation counseling, and other disciplines. This book informs, enriches, and inspires.”–Henry A. Nasrallah, MD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

“The last 20 years have seen extraordinary breakthroughs in our understanding and treatment of schizophrenia. This handbook manages to capture both the breadth and depth of these advances with impressive scholarship and élan. Written by international leaders in the field, this volume is an essential addition to the libraries of scientists and clinicians. It offers an unparalleled opportunity for students in multiple disciplines to peruse the current literature in a single, state-of-the-art volume. A major contribution to the clinical science of schizophrenia.”/m-/Max Birchwood, DSc, Professor of Mental Health, University of Birmingham, UK

“It would not surprise me if this handbook quickly became the ‘go-to’ book on schizophrenia for researchers, clinicians, and students. This is one of those rare volumes that combine excellent depth (via the leading schizophrenia researchers in the world) with a breadth of topics that is second to none. The book goes beyond addressing basic science and treatment, covering such important areas as systems of care, special populations, and special topics. Anyone who treats or conducts research with this population should have this book on his or her shelf, and I will likely adopt it as a required text for my graduate seminar on schizophrenia.”–David L. Penn, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

“An extremely user-friendly distillation of the literature necessary to effectively understand and treat individuals with schizophrenia. A true gold mine! This valuable guide highlights the optimism that we can share with our patients and their families about the treatability of schizophrenia….It helps us digest the expertise and voluminous literature from leading authorities in the field by downsizing the coaching of these authorities into clinically applicable, bite-sized portions….The in-depth nature of the 61 chapters reveals how well planned this handbook is–truly addressing key issues in a bio-psycho-social manner. The topics covered are very comprehensive in nature, yet succinct in a clinically relevant way, and they extend further than any other book I’ve encountered. New ideas for improved care and understanding will naturally flow from you as you read this text. Each chapter is tightly written, highlighting what practitioners need to know and including the most up-to-date findings, clinical pearls, and pertinent references and recommendations for further reading. Simply reading the Key Points section (major “take-home” points for each area) included with each chapter makes it a very worthwhile activity. This handbook has very broad appeal and was written for any individual, student, practitioner, researcher, or policymaker who wants a comprehensive understanding of the illness of schizophrenia and its far-reaching impact on society. I highly recommend this jewel.”–Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes.

(Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes )

“A timely, up-to-date, and comprehensive book addressing all aspects of schizophrenia. The editors, who are highly prominent health professionals, include a psychologist (Dr. Mueser) and a psychiatrist (Dr. Jeste). They have done an outstanding job of gathering a total of 91 clinicians from universities throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and several other countries to contribute a total of 61 chapters to this excellent book….This is a well-written, well-organized book that I highly recommend to all clinicians involved in the scientific, rational, and humane treatment of this disabling illness. The editors should be congratulated on an excellent job done in editing this book.”–Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

(Journal of Clinical Psychiatry )