Last week, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released a survey revealing that over 45 million Americans had some form of mental illness in the past year. That’s almost one in every five adults! If you haven’t personally dealt with a mental illness this year, then you know someone who has, whether you are aware of it or not. The prevalence of mental illnesses makes it all the more imperative to learn about them and break the stigma that prevents or delays diagnosis and treatment.
The three selections today each provide insights into a specific mental illness or disorder (schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and psychopathy) to showcase the wide variety of ways minds can misfire. Different perspectives are often helpful in understanding the various aspects of a topic, so they’re also each from a different viewpoint. One is written by the person with schizophrenia, the next by a medical professional who has worked with hundreds of individuals suffering from PTSD, and the third is from two organizational psychologists showing how to protect businesses and individuals from the actions of a true psychopath.
“Victory is that much sweeter when you have grappled with something”
Recovered, Not Cured
By Richard McLean
This slim volume is incredibly affecting. Mr. McLean’s account of his psychosis and delusions is both frightening and fascinating. In stark language he chronicles how his mind worked – or didn’t – while his schizophrenia was worsening, undiagnosed and untreated. He heard cryptic messages in intercom announcements, thought license plates held special meanings for him to decipher, and was convinced the entire world was involved in a conspiracy against him. Voices screamed profanity at him from just outside his window all night long, taunting him and encouraging him to end his life. “Every stimulus harboured a message,” he says. And to his mind at the time, it all made perfect sense.
“It is hard,” Mr. McLean states, “to be objective about your own mind when it is your mind being affected by illness.” A psychotic mind, by definition, can’t comprehend or accept that it isn’t perceiving reality. Mr. McLean’s illness was also exacerbated by his loner tendencies. Being alone, he says, “I had no real anchor to actuality.” Though he hadn’t committed any crimes, he felt horribly guilty and paranoid of authority figures. Anger and confusion clouded every interaction with others, particularly those he was convinced were “in” on the conspiracy his mind had created. Relationships with friends and family suffered under the strain of his paranoia and inability to recognize reality.
He describes brief moments of clarity when he realizes that others don’t see the world the same way he does. Still, it took many months, and constant support from friends and family, for him to realize that he needed help. Even after that recognition, several months of persistent effort passed before he could “penetrate the medical system” to actually receive appropriate treatment.
An artist, Mr. McLean includes many sketches in this short book that depict his state of mind while it was betraying him. The illustrations are abstract and often nonsensical with elements of common, familiar images juxtaposed in odd, sometimes disturbing ways. A brief note accompanies each of the drawings explaining certain aspects and how they reflect his schizophrenia.
Mr. McLean closes his narrative with a plea for greater understanding. “I often wonder how much suffering could be prevented if the general public’s awareness of mental illness was greater.” After reading his story, that certainly gives his readers a call to action.
“A warrior has nothing to prove”
Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior
By Charles W. Hoge, MD, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret)
Col. Hoge served in the military for twenty years, including a deployment to Iraq. He is also a physician, a psychiatrist who has done extensive research on the mental health effects of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and helped to develop mental health programs for service members, veterans, and their loved ones. He has published extensively on the topics of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury and assisted with interventions for Pentagon employees after 9/11. He is uniquely qualified to address the issues surrounding PTSD and he does so thoroughly in Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior.
While primarily aimed at service members and veterans, this book contains information that is invaluable for anyone dealing with PTSD and anyone whose loved one is struggling with PTSD. Col. Hoge explains the physiological basis for the cognitive, emotional, psychological and behavioral reactions that can result for PTSD and how they are related to the skills and attributes that are vital for the soldier during war. “Every ‘symptom’ of PTSD stems from things your body normally does in response to severe danger or stress,” he writes. “An adaptive and beneficial response when there is a threat to your personal welfare or that of others, and the persistence of these reactions is the body’s effort to ensure that you’re immediately ready if the danger occurs again.” In addition, he mentions that PTSD often occurs in conjunction with depression, anxiety and substance abuse, which often makes it more difficult to sort out and diagnose the root issue.
He offers clearly outlined skills and techniques for coping with the symptoms of PTSD and dealing with stressful situations likely to trigger negative responses. He encourages the person with PTSD to find a way to tell his/her story, whether by talking to a friend or therapist or simply writing it down. He provides advice on accepting loss and navigating the labyrinthine health care system, as well as explaining common treatment options including psychotherapy and medications.
The pervasive stigma attached to mental illness has been a major obstacle to service members and veterans getting treatment for PTSD. Especially in an environment such as the military where unit cohesion and a perception of strength are so important, there is a fear of being seen as weak or just being treated differently by fellow soldiers or leaders. Col. Hoge frequently reassures his readers that while life is rarely fair, they have the skills and courage to fight this battle with PTSD and win.
“Emotional poverty”
Snakes in Suits
By Paul Babiak, PhD and Robert D. Hare, PhD
There is some controversy in the world of psychiatry/psychology over the distinction between personality disorders and mental illnesses. Some believe that personality disorders are a subset, just one of many possible facets of mental illness. Others believe that personality disorders are distinct from mental illness and should not be put in the same category. They argue that personality disorders are lifelong, characterized by “limited perspective and inflexible approach” to life and treatments are generally not likely to be successful. The authors of Snakes in Suits fall into the second camp.
Psychopaths are “without conscience and incapable of empathy, guilt or loyalty to anyone but themselves.” They are, however, very skilled at oral communication and charming those who they believe may be of use to them in the future. They are also generally good at reading people and presenting themselves well. Consequently, they can wreak havoc on those with whom they interact both personally and professionally as they do everything they can to gain prestige and power with no remorse for any pain or difficulty they cause others.
Drs. Babiak and Hare describe the general phases through which psychopaths find and use others: assessment, manipulation, abandonment, and eventually ascension.
They warn of the damage that psychopaths can do to careers and reputations. They discuss the various ways that psychopaths approach their victims and “groom” them as pawns or patrons, only to abandon them or turn on them as soon as it is advantageous.
Snakes in Suits is written from a business perspective. Drs. Babiak and Hare, organizational psychologists, carefully outline how companies can protect themselves through the hiring process to weed out applicants who fall into this category. Thorough fact-checking of resumes and multiple screening interviews conducted by people of different expertise and levels within the company is a good start, but not sufficient. They list several red flags to watch for, suggest interviewing tactics and encourage digging further than the references the applicant provides to get an accurate picture of how s/he works.
They also provide guidelines for the reader to make him- or herself a less attractive target for psychopaths, and to recognize psychopaths with whom they interact whether as co-workers, bosses, or subordinates. Snakes in Suits does not consider treatment options or look sympathetically at those who have this personality disorder – its focus is entirely on protecting potential victims, whether people and companies, from the extensive damage that can be done by psychopaths.
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On My Bedside Table…
Just finished: Perfect Recipes for Having People Over by Pam Anderson
Now reading: Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
On deck: Snoop by Sam Gosling, PhD
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On to a new, lighter, topic next time! We’ll take a peek at some atypical perspectives on the holiday season, its history and ways to celebrate. Come find me on goodreads.com or email suggestions, comments, and feedback to egeddesbooks (at) gmail (dot) com.
