Your Mental Health: A Layman's Guide to the Psychiatrist's Bible

The American Psychological Association's DSM-IV, or fourth edition of the , became a surprise bestseller, with more than a million copies in print. For those who'd rather avoid the $60 price tag--and possible wrist trauma--associated with that book, Your Mental Health is a better bet. Written by Dr. Allen Frances, whom author Daniel Goleman calls "the most powerful psychiatrist in America," and Dr. Michael First, who edited the DSM-IV, Your Mental Health is a user-friendly, resource-packed reference that covers dozens of mental disorders. Cognitive difficulties; developmental delays; hyperactivity and other childhood problems; posttraumatic disorders; eating, sleep, and sex-related difficulties; depressions; anxiety; and substance abuse problems are all covered. Anyone with a personal or family history of mental-health disorders will find clear-cut guidance, including information on how a psychiatric disorder is diagnosed and the various treatment options available. Dozens of support-group contacts, Web sites, and suggestions for further reading are also included. --Erica Jorgensen

Two authors of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Stastical Manual (DSM-IV), the essential tool of mental health professionals, have drawn on that material to write this guide for lay readers.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.