Floyd Skloot (2005). A world of light. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
In 1988, at age 41, Floyd Skloot lost much of his memory, linguistic ability, and ability for coherent thought as a result of a viral infection that destroyed parts of his brain. In 2003 he published a book, In the Shadow of Memory, describing his slow but active struggle to reconstruct his sense of self as he regained some of his mental capacities. Now, in A World of Light, he reconstructs some of his own past and describes his ongoing encounters with his mother, who is in her 90s and has Alzheimer’s disease. The book offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of dementia, from a poetic soul who himself has experienced some of the effects of dementia.
Kay Jamison (1995). An unquiet mind. New York: Knopf.
In this autobiography, Kay Jamison—a leading researcher of mood disorders—describes her own experiences as a sufferer of bipolar disorder. The book includes an especially vivid description of her first full-blown manic episode, which happened in her first year as an assistant professor, and a moving discussion of how she came to terms with the disorder and has managed to live with it.
Elyn Saks (2007). The center cannot hold: My journey through madness. New York: Hyperion.
Elyn Saks is an accomplished scholar, an esteemed professor of law, who has suffered throughout her adult life from schizophrenia. In this remarkable autobiographical account she describes the terrors she has experienced during psychotic episodes. We learn here what it is like to experience commands coming from within, bizarre perceptual distortions, and periods of chaotic thoughts. We also learn about the high degree of support from others and determination from self that is required for a person with this disorder to live a productive and satisfying life, despite the continued disruptions.
Jake Wood (2013). Among you: The extraordinary true story of a soldier broken by war. London: Mainstream Publishing.
Jake Wood, a veteran and former business analyst, tells the heartbreaking first-hand account of his struggle with PTSD. After tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, he came home to fight a final battle … with himself. In this page-turner, you can see how the brutality of war impacts the men and women who carry it out and why the return home can be so difficult for many of them.
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American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition: DSM-5. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing
This is the long-awaited fifth edition of the DSM. With revamped and updated diagnostic criteria for many listed disorders, this is the most comprehensive manual of mental health issues the APA has released. The 5th edition is critical for any current or future psychologist, psychiatrist, nurse, or medical doctor.