Non-fiction about psychiatric / psychological cases or Fiction involving mental illnesses
Does anyone have any good recommendations for Non-fiction books about psychiatric / psychological cases or Fiction books involving mental illnesses ? Much appreciated!
Look into Oliver Sacks, very prominent neurologist who wrote a ton of books about case studies of patients he found. The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat is most people’s starting point. It’s a bunch of essays about people with unique psychological disorders including the titular man with prosopagnosia who couldn’t tell his wife’s head from his own hat.
Broccaleen on
Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker is about an American family with several of the children that were diagnosed as schizophrenic. It’s a fascinating read though parts feel like reading a psychology textbook.
Good Morning Monster by Catherine Gildiner. The author is a therapist and shares the stories of 5 of her patients. Just FYI some of the patients did suffer significant abuse/neglect.
Most-Swing7253 on
For fiction, Sorrow and Bliss really gripped me. It follows the story of someone’s life pre and post diagnosis, and the impact of mental illness on those we love.
For non-fiction, Shoot the Damn Dog. Excellently written, coherent, moving memoir of someone with treatment resistant depression.
Obvious-Band-1149 on
The White Hotel by D. M. Thomas (a fictional Freudian analysis)
Asylum by Nina Shope (a novel based on a historical patient who was “treated” for hysteria)
thisisme112233 on
Not my father’s son by Alan cumming
Lost-Phrase on
Elyn Saks’ memoir: The Center Cannot Hold. Great book.
Lost-Phrase on
Love’s Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy by Irvin D. Yalom. Yalom has an existential way of looking at therapy and psychiatry.
M_Pfefferi on
Still Alice. Book about a woman with early-onset Alzheimer’s from her point of view.
Wot106 on
Sanderson has done a bit of a deep dive of mental illness in Stormlight Archive. First is Way of Kings.
annvictory on
Brain on fire-Susanna Callahan
Unquiet mind – Kay Redfield Jamison (I think she has another one too)
CampLow1996 on
Brain on Fire by Susannah Callahan
Similar-Ad-6862 on
Votes for Brain On Fire, Hidden Valley Road and The Centre Cannot Hold. Also Buddha and The Borderline
eilupt on
Fiction: Memories of Summer by Ruth White. A young girl’s story of growing up as her older sister develops schizophrenia
Non-fiction: anything by Oliver Sacks
thats-embjornassing on
Projections: A Story of Human Emotions by Karl Deisseroth
14 Comments
Look into Oliver Sacks, very prominent neurologist who wrote a ton of books about case studies of patients he found. The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat is most people’s starting point. It’s a bunch of essays about people with unique psychological disorders including the titular man with prosopagnosia who couldn’t tell his wife’s head from his own hat.
Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker is about an American family with several of the children that were diagnosed as schizophrenic. It’s a fascinating read though parts feel like reading a psychology textbook.
Good Morning Monster by Catherine Gildiner. The author is a therapist and shares the stories of 5 of her patients. Just FYI some of the patients did suffer significant abuse/neglect.
For fiction, Sorrow and Bliss really gripped me. It follows the story of someone’s life pre and post diagnosis, and the impact of mental illness on those we love.
For non-fiction, Shoot the Damn Dog. Excellently written, coherent, moving memoir of someone with treatment resistant depression.
The White Hotel by D. M. Thomas (a fictional Freudian analysis)
Asylum by Nina Shope (a novel based on a historical patient who was “treated” for hysteria)
Not my father’s son by Alan cumming
Elyn Saks’ memoir: The Center Cannot Hold. Great book.
Love’s Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy by Irvin D. Yalom. Yalom has an existential way of looking at therapy and psychiatry.
Still Alice. Book about a woman with early-onset Alzheimer’s from her point of view.
Sanderson has done a bit of a deep dive of mental illness in Stormlight Archive. First is Way of Kings.
Brain on fire-Susanna Callahan
Unquiet mind – Kay Redfield Jamison (I think she has another one too)
Brain on Fire by Susannah Callahan
Votes for Brain On Fire, Hidden Valley Road and The Centre Cannot Hold. Also Buddha and The Borderline
Fiction: Memories of Summer by Ruth White. A young girl’s story of growing up as her older sister develops schizophrenia
Non-fiction: anything by Oliver Sacks
Projections: A Story of Human Emotions by Karl Deisseroth