The Power of Different: The Link Between Disorder and Genius

by Gail Saltz M.D.

Overview

A powerful and inspiring examination of the connection between the potential for great talent and conditions commonly thought to be disabilities, revealing how the source of our struggles can be the origin of our greatest strengths.

In The Power of Different, psychiatrist and bestselling author Gail Saltz examines the latest scientific discoveries, profiles famous geniuses who have been diagnosed with all manner of brain “problems”—including learning disabilities, ADD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and autism.

Saltz shows how the very conditions that cause people to experience difficulty at school, in social situations, at home, or at work, are inextricably bound to creative, disciplinary, artistic, empathetic, and cognitive abilities.

Interweaving robust scientific research and captivating anecdotes from notable geniuses, you will see how brain differences have been instrumental in shaping some of the world's most creative minds.

Discover how everyone can not only cope with these conditions, but thrive because of them. The Power of Different is a life-affirming read that illuminates the transformative power of cognitive diversity, representing a milestone in the intersecting frontiers of cognitive neuroscience, neuropsychology, and self-help psychology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250060044
Publisher:	Flatiron Books
Publication date:	03/06/2018
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	224,900
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

A Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at The New York Presbyterian Hospital/ Weill-Cornell School of Medicine, Dr. Gail Saltz is a psychiatrist, columnist, bestselling author, television commentator, and magazine contributor. She has been featured in print and on television in places like The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dateline, Fox News,Anderson Cooper, Today Show, Good Morning America, Parade, Redbook, Women’s Day, the New York Times, and others. She is the host of "The Power of Different" podcast and she lives in New York with her family.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Learning Differences: Dyslexia 17

2 Distractibility: Add, Adhd, and Other Attentional Disorders 47

3 Anxiety: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Phobias 79

4 Melancholy: Depression, Dysthymia, and Dysphoria 109

5 Cycling Mood: Bipolar Disorder 131

6 Divergent Thinking: Schizoid Personality Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Schizoaffective Disorder 153

7 Relatedness: Autism Spectrum Disorders 173

8 The Future of Thinking Differently 203

Notes 219

Acknowledgments 233

Index 237

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Power of Different“The Power of Different is a nuanced exploration of the contribution that being a little – but not too – crazy can make to creativity. A clear writer and undogmatic thinker with the expertise to evaluate existing research, Dr. Gail Saltz expertly winnows out genuine insights from the chaff of poorly designed studies and facile generalizations. An exceptionally interesting and thoughtful book.”
—Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind

“Gail Saltz strikes gold. For centuries, stigma, fear, and, above all, ignorance have prevented us from seeing what Dr. Saltz presents so clearly, concisely, and convincingly: that embedded in our so-called disabilities, disorders, and mental illnesses we find treasures of enormous value, gems that have illuminated and changed the world. As she demonstrates over and again, our world would be thousands of years behind itself were it not for the talents and originality mixed in with the chaos and confusion of the mind in distress or disarray.”
—Ned Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction

“For generations, we have wondered how some people with mental disorders reach the heights of human creativity and invention, despite, or perhaps because of, those disorders. Now, Gail Saltz, a brilliant psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, has explored the relationship between the two and written a grippingly readable book that sheds a profound and crucial light on the nature of genius.”
—Steven Naifeh, Pulitzer-Prize winning author of Jackson Pollock: An American Saga and Van Gogh: The Life

“Gail Saltz's careful research bolsters her argument that every brain is different, and that achievement has to do with harnessing what’s there more than with trying to reshape it into normality. Her insightful book examines genius and disability in considerable detail, but the stories and lessons contained within it are relevant to all human minds.”
—Andrew Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of Far From the Tree

From the Publisher