Surviving Schizophrenia: A Family Manual
by E. Fuller Torrey
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Updated throughout and filled with all the latest research, the bestselling Surviving Schizophrenia is back, now in its sixth edition. 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 show more with it from both the patient's 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 the questions most often asked by families, consumers, and providers. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
If you think that everything before 1975 is bad—with that layer of, ‘God is the non-existent force of hatred and foolishness’— and you’re interested in schizophrenia, then this is the book for you.
It’s not really about schizophrenia though; it’s about anger. How is it that Freud can be automatically wrong about everything, even though we too believe in expressing anger until it somehow goes away? I don’t know, but just ask the scientist of seething anger. He’ll be sure to know.
I know that if you pick up this book you probably share lots of his assumptions so you’ll tune out what I’m saying, but in a way that’s the funniest thing of all. Isn’t assuming that you can’t solve your problems (except maybe by show more buying something) and dedicating yourself to watching TV something that the plebs do?
Edit: And I do read a lot of secular psychology; most of them don’t think it’s their business to be bitter, to return evil for evil like a true politician, etc.
.... He really has a gift, you know. History inevitably gets better, but started getting worse in 1900; before 1975, we didn’t value the family; academic 60s radicals weren’t intellectual enough, and certainly weren’t loyal enough to the radical left. (Which explains why they weren’t the perfect Superman type.) Gotta send those fools to Siberia, where they belong.
I know I probably sound angry. Makes you sound stupid, don’t you think? show less
It’s not really about schizophrenia though; it’s about anger. How is it that Freud can be automatically wrong about everything, even though we too believe in expressing anger until it somehow goes away? I don’t know, but just ask the scientist of seething anger. He’ll be sure to know.
I know that if you pick up this book you probably share lots of his assumptions so you’ll tune out what I’m saying, but in a way that’s the funniest thing of all. Isn’t assuming that you can’t solve your problems (except maybe by show more buying something) and dedicating yourself to watching TV something that the plebs do?
Edit: And I do read a lot of secular psychology; most of them don’t think it’s their business to be bitter, to return evil for evil like a true politician, etc.
.... He really has a gift, you know. History inevitably gets better, but started getting worse in 1900; before 1975, we didn’t value the family; academic 60s radicals weren’t intellectual enough, and certainly weren’t loyal enough to the radical left. (Which explains why they weren’t the perfect Superman type.) Gotta send those fools to Siberia, where they belong.
I know I probably sound angry. Makes you sound stupid, don’t you think? show less
An excellent book on schizophrenia for anyone interested in knowing more about this fascinating condition.
very educational and easy to read
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Author Information

31 Works 1,278 Members
E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., is a research psychiatrist specializing in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He is the research director of the Stanley Medical Research Institute, the founder of the Treatment Advocacy Center, and a professor of psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He is also the author and editor of show more twenty books, including The Roots of Treason: Ezra Pound and the Secret of St. Elizabeths, which was nominated by the National Book Critics Circle as one of the five best biographies of 1983. He has lectured extensively and has appeared on Oprah, 60 Minutes, and 20/20. Dr. Torrey lives in the Washington, D.C., area. show less
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Notable Lists
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1983 (first edition) (first edition); 1988 (second edition) (second edition); 1995 (third edition) (third edition); 2001 (fourth edition) (fourth edition); 2006 (fifth edition) (fifth edition)
- People/Characters
- Emil Kraepelin; Thomas Szasz
- Epigraph
- As for me, you must know that I shouldn't precisely have chosen madness if there had been any choice.
Vincent Van Gogh, 1889, in a letter to his brother, written while he was involuntarily confined in the psychiatric ho... (show all)spital at St. Remy - Dedication
- [Dedication to the Fifth Edition]:
This edition of Surviving Schizophrenia is dedicated to Fred Frese, Ed Francell, Jon Stanley, and the many other individuals with severe psychiatric illnesses who, despite t... (show all)heir illnesses, work to improve the quality of life for others so afflicted. These individuals are indeed our heroes. - First words
- PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION, 1983
"Your daughter has schizophrenia," I told the woman.
PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION
I feel fortunate to be able to write a fifth edition of this book.
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 616.89 — Applied science & technology Medicine & health Diseases, Allergies, Skin Conditions Nervous Disorders: Autism, Anorexia, OCD Mental disorders: bi-polar/schizophrenia
- LCC
- RC514 .T633 — Medicine Internal medicine Internal medicine Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry Psychiatry Psychopathology Psychoses
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 458
- Popularity
- 65,634
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.68)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 17
- ASINs
- 4



























































