Malady of the Mind

Schizophrenia and the Path to Prevention

By: Jeffrey A. Lieberman

Narrated by: Jacques Roy

“The most important book about schizophrenia in decades, and perhaps ever…a total game-changer.”—Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind

A comprehensive, deeply researched, and highly compelling portrait of schizophrenia—its history, its various manifestations, and how today’s treatments have promising and often lifesaving potential.

This “incredibly captivating” (Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Emperor of All Maladies) portrait of schizophrenia, the most malignant and mysterious mental illness, by renowned psychiatrist Jeffrey Lieberman, interweaves cultural and scientific history with dramatic patient profiles and clinical experiences to impart a revolutionary message of hope. For the first time in history, we can effectively treat schizophrenia, limiting its disabling effects—and we’re on the verge of being able to prevent the disease’s onset entirely.

Drawing on his four-decade career, Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman expertly illuminates the past, present, and future of this historically dreaded and devastating illness. Interweaving history, science, and policy with personal anecdotes and clinical cases, Malady of the Mind is a rich, illuminating experience written in accessible, fluid prose. From Dr. Lieberman’s vantage point at the pinnacle of academic psychiatry, informed by extensive research experience and clinical care of thousands of patients, he explains how the complexity of the brain, the checkered history of psychiatric medicine, and centuries of stigma combined with misguided legislation and health care policies have impeded scientific advances and clinical progress. Despite this, there is reason for optimism: by offering evidence-based treatments that combine medication with psychosocial services and principles learned from the recovery movement, doctors can now effectively treat schizophrenia by diagnosing patients at a very early stage, achieving a mutually respectful therapeutic alliance, and preventing relapse, thus limiting the progression of the illness. Even more promising, decades of work on diagnosis, detection, and early intervention have pushed scientific progress to the cusp of prevention—meaning that in the near future, doctors may be able to prevent the onset of this disorder.

A must-hear for those interested in medical history, psychology, and those whose lives have been affected by schizophrenia, this “penetrating, important” (Andrew Solomon, author of Noonday Demon) work offers a comprehensive scientific portrait, crucial insights, sound advice for families and friends, and most importantly, hope for those sufferers now and future generations.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Jeffrey Lieberman. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Hope for an insidious disease

Very informative book with an offering of hope for treating an insidious disease and having a decent outcome.

Great insight

This book gave me a great idea of what people with Schizophrenia go through. It gave stories of people that have been diagnosed with it. Also stories of how they were treated back in the day. It gave me details of research that has gone on trying to come up with a reason that it only happens to certain people and the medications that have been used throughout the years.

Great

I loved that 7.5 of the 17.5 hrs were about treatment and prevention and how he mentions that there are a lot of effective treatment options currently available that need to be more incorporated. The science about the disease was very interesting. In some ways it felt like different books because some of it is written in his capacity as a (compassionate) psychiatrist about his patients, some of it technical about the developments in the treatment of schizophrenia, and some of it touching on some of the politics that could help incorporate current solutions more successfully. Interesting that he said in Europe more schizophrenics are prescribed Clozaril - the best of the anti-psychotics for schizophrenia treatment - but that unfortunately in the US it is only 5% (though maybe 40% could benefit from it, he said); an easy place to improve the US treatment of schizophrenia. I personally take clozapine/Clozaril now but wish I was put on it sooner because it works so much better than any of my previous anti-psychotics. Also interesting to hear about the social support structures that can successfully contribute in the treatment of schizophrenia (like clubhouses) - some of them challenging for some people, like stable housing and an outside person dedicated to your treatment. My parents have been able to effectively help me in this way. I personally am a well-treated mild-moderate schizophrenic who still has a rich life but I also have most of the support and even early treatment that he talks about as contributing factors to health. (And I take my meds religiously, finally and luckily under an incredibly talented and caring psychiatrist). I liked this book greatly. The reader was wonderful too. I really recommend buying this book.

Love this book

I loved everything about this book. It was interesting, educational and extremely well written. The narrator was perfect in every way. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about schizophrenia.

Great history, and current state

This gave me great insight. Recommend to any family struggling with mental illness. Consider skipping to the end to get current treatment options and a heads up on what is possibly out there. Then go back and get an exhaustive history.

I Loved this book but I HATED it!!!

My beautiful man, my husband of 40 yrs, was afflicted with this crushing diagnosis at 24 yrs old when we were married for 1 yr. 40 yrs!!! He’s done relatively fantastic because of me advocating for him but this is not the life I ordered for us!!! Such a struggle in all facets of our lives. I was so optimistic in the early yrs combined with so much frustration in all areas of our lives. This book is so hard to listen to. Brought me to tears because of the validation provided and the progress made yet the progress NOT made in 40 yrs. Fear for my grandchildren yet optimistic that advances will be made so they won’t suffer the way my husband does. I have so much to say on this topic. Especially by psych providers withholding critical concepts of helping me provide support for my husband. Thinking that it’s his illness not mine. Thinking they’re protecting his privacy rights . Thinking I may somehow use critical knowledge against him. Cutting off my limbs. Leaving me at a loss. Despite barriers, I’m resourceful and taught myself. Will write more later. I’m so isolated by being a wife. So much more isolating than being a significant other. I wish there was a support group for spouses supporting the love of their life through this horrific nightmare. I tried NAMI over the years. I’m so resourceful in helping my husband but I’m a wife. I’m not a friend, a sibling and mother. I’m so lonely. This horrific brain anomaly needs to be approached holistically. The entire family is affected. Early years, my husbands job needed protection. I would tell him to say he had a thought disorder if anyone at work asked why he’d been out on disability for a week or so here and there. Id say, it’s nobody’s business to know what you’re struggling with. Leave it at that. A lie by omission you say? Id say, do what you have to do, Hun. Fortunate people don’t or won’t understand. It kills me inside to teach my husband to lie . But it’s nobody’s business . He’s not harming anyone. He’s safe, overly cautious, the person you want in an emergency even when he’s struggling with his thinking. I could write a book about the wonderful goodness of my husband. It kills me, for example, of how de institutionalization of the mentally Ill was required for all the RIGHT reasons but had such horrific consequences. We had Daniel Prude murdered in the street by the RPD right here in Rochester, NY because Daniel was not married to me. Daniel was not white and not married. My husband will not be murdered in the street by the RPD because he is white and he has me. It’s not right. AND this happened in Rochester BEFORE the more publicized case in our country and was covered up by MY CITY. it should not be so difficult. We continue to enact laws that are meant to be helpful that kill people. I’m overwhelmed. We need to do better. I’ll write more when I calm down . First, I need to finish this nightmare of a book.

The new default book for understanding psychosis

Extraordinary book - engaging and accessible but deeply insightful even for someone who’s read extensively on the topic. Unlike many medical books, there’s no schtick here, rather every key point references research and credits others rather than self. Hugely helpful for deepening my understanding of psychosis and what and where to access additional services.