Richard Carlson Jr. was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia when he was twenty-one years of age.
Richard Carlson Jr. was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia when he was twenty-one years of age. His illness first manifested when he was an early adolescent. Modern psychiatry greatly failed Richard for over a decade. Then, after an incident involving the police, he truly understood that his diagnosis was real, and finally began the long process of recovery. Over ten years later, his life is greatly improved. In the course of his treatment, Richard also recovered from depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and lethargy.
Do not let what happened to Richard happen to you, a loved one, or a patient dealing with severe mental illness. Always be honest with each other, and with your psychiatrist. For patients, family members, caregivers, students, and medical professionals who would like to learn more, visit www.survivingschizophrenia.com.
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4 out of 5 stars - I recommend this book for people who enjoy psychology and are especially interested in the study of Schizophrenia. S.J. Main of Review Tales
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Reviews for "Surviving Schizophrenia"
Reviewed by Sierra Koester
4/11/2018
**I received this book for a fair and honest review. Receiving the book did not influence myu opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.**
Surviving Schizophrenia is a memoir written by Richard Carlson Jr. Te author describes is journey with paranoid schizophrenia. e takes us inside his mind, sharing his delusions and hallucinations with us. He also examines his symptoms logically after-the-fact. It's a very interesting read.
As a reader, you cannot help but feel for Carlson as his mind torments him and cheer for him as he makes his way into recovery.
I loved that Carlson shares a few tips on handling mental illness at the very end of the book, but I do wish he had shared more tips for others who are struggling that he's learned from his own experience. I feel the author could raise a lot of awareness with this book and help a lot of other people.
How a Failed Diagnosis Creates so Much Needless Suffering!
Surviving Schizophrenia is a memoir written by Richard Carlson, Jr., who was diagnosed at twenty-one with this mental illness. The book takes you inside Richard's tormented head, at the same time as a part of him rationally shares how what is happening to him is affecting him physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally.
The reader cannot but help but embrace great empathy when reading about author Carlson's unrelenting, demonic, and tyrannical voices that beseech him to take his life, to believe what didn't happen or even exist. The author in dual consciousness reveals to us his interior, conflicted mental world and also his roller coaster ride to eventual acceptance of his mental illness and recovery.
Because Richard was not diagnosed correctly when the schizophrenia emerged around age 12, so much of his life was spent trapped in an abyss of pain, denial, and acting out. Author Carlson's journey and his reporting of it and how it affected him is at times was very painful to read. A human life is a terrible thing to waste in needless suffering because of misdiagnosis.
The book points out that the medical system can fail. That someone close to anyone with severe mental illness needs an advocate to support recovery when the afflicted person is lost in delusion. The book's message is do not look the other way! Get the right help!
For anyone who worries that a loved one may have schizophrenia, I unreservedly recommend reading Richard Carlson, Jr.'s book. His survival and recovery from this insidious mental illness is a testimony to early on diagnoses and treatment. The author has succeeded in his intention to create awareness about this mental condition and how to recover from it. He shares from his life experience how debilitating schizophrenia was for him and the hell it put his family through! So great to know there is light at the end of this tunnel
It greatly saddened me that Richard Carlson, Jr. suffered so much and needlessly had he just be given the right diagnosis the moment the mental illness symptoms started happening. This would have lead to the right doctors, proper medication, and continued support to maintain recovery.
I sincerely recommend this book for people and students interested in the study of Schizophrenia and psychology and for people who suspect they may have schizophrenia and for the families of loved ones suffering from severe mental illness.
The Free Preview includes excerpts only. The full print edition is available from Barnes and Noble. Both the print and electronic editions are available from the publisher's Web site ("Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited").
The Narcis
