Schizophrenia For Dummies

by Jerome Levine, Irene S. Levine

Overview

Practical tools for leading a happy, productive life

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling mental disorder that afflicts one percent of the population, an estimated 2.5 million people in America alone. The firsthand advice in this reassuring guide will empower the families and caregivers of schizophrenia patients to take charge, offering expert advice on identifying the warning signs, choosing the right health professional, understanding currently available drugs and those on the horizon (as well as their side effects), and evaluating traditional and alternative therapies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470259276
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	10/27/2008
Series:	For Dummies Books
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	363,923
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Jerome Levine, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist whose career has spanned almost 50 years. He is the Deputy Director of the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research in Orangeburg, New York. Irene S. Levine, PhD, served as the first Deputy Director of the U.S. Center for Mental Health Services. She is a clinical psychologist and an award-winning freelance journalist and author.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: Understanding Schizophrenia 7

Chapter 1: Understanding Schizophrenia: The Big Picture 9

Chapter 2: Causes and Risk Factors 25

Chapter 3: Suspecting Schizophrenia 37

Part II: Finding Out What’s Wrong and Getting Help 51

Chapter 4: Getting a Diagnosis 53

Chapter 5: Assembling a Healthcare Team 71

Chapter 6: Beginning Treatment 91

Chapter 7: Paying for Your Loved One’s Care 117

Part III: Treating Schizophrenia 133

Chapter 8: Medication and Other Medical Approaches 135

Chapter 9: Psychosocial Approaches 165

Chapter 10: Finding Help and Hope through Research 189

Part IV: Living with Schizophrenia 211

Chapter 11: Schizophrenia and the Family 213

Chapter 12: Developing Coping Skills 237

Chapter 13: Housing Choices: Figuring Out Where to Live 257

Chapter 14: Coping with Crises 269

Chapter 15: People Are More Than Patients: Addressing the Needs of the Whole Person 289

Part V: The Part of Tens 305

Chapter 16: Ten Myths about Schizophrenia You Can Forget 307

Chapter 17: Ten Tips for Helping Families and Friends Cope and Come Out on Top 317

Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Avoid Relapse 327

Appendix: Resources 339

Index 345