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5.0étoiles sur 5
A Great book for Families, Social Workers, Consumers, Oct. 13 1998
Par Un client
We recently had the pleasure of a hosted discussion by Dr. Diamond at our web site.One person sent me the following review of this book: The following is an abbreviated version of the original article: Book Review: Instant Psychopharmacology by Ronald J. Diamond, M.D. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., ISBN 0-393-70269-3 (pbk.). Dr. Ron Diamond, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School, as well as the medical director of the Mental Health Clinic of Dane County, recently published a book on psychotropic medications. Written in a remarkably straightforward manner, this informative handbook is a rare treat. Indeed, it's quite a resource for psychologists, nurses, and social workers who are often reading and incorporating various sources of data (chart notes, medical histories, etc.) to assist in treatment planning, answering clients' questions and/or communicating with physicians. Students in non-medical mental health fields will also find this book useful, especially the annotated bibliography. The handbook's bibliography includes web addresses for accessing psychopharmacology information through the Internet. I would also encourage mental health consumers and their significant others to consult Instant Psychopharmacology. Although it is subtitled, "A guide for the nonmedical mental health professional", the author alternately addresses his colleagues and clients throughout the text. Diamond achieves an appropriate balance between offering detailed information (dosages and drug profiles) as well as general facts about neurotransmitter systems and how drugs work. The book's greatest strength is how clearly it's written Chapter One, "Psychopharmacology: The Rules of the Game", is a must- read for all consumers. Another strength is how up-to-date it is, in terms of the various types of psychotropic drugs available. I can also appreciate its usefulness for researchers such as myself, who frequently ask study participants to list the medications they're currently prescribed. In this regard, it's extremely helpful to have the appendices which list drugs by their brand names as well as their generic names. The book also deals with the somewhat sensitive topic of sexual side effects directly and matter-of-factly. In summary, Instant Psychopharmacology is a wonderful resource. I strongly encourage consumers and family members as well as mental health professionals to consult it. Diane C. Gooding, Ph.D., Chair, Public Education Committee ------ reprinted from The Pioneer, AMI of Dane County, Sept l998 issue
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