What are some books you think every psychiatrist should read?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Members don't see this ad :)
Some interesting selections, I've actually only read House of God, so appreciate other thoughts.

I'd also argue that the Myth of Mental Illness (the actual book, not the abbreviated article) by Schatz is worth reading. Even if you disagree with him, worth it for the alternate perspective. From a more standardized perspective, I also think the PDM/PDM-2 is worth looking over. I'd also advocate for every physician to read The Checklist Manifesto. I'm not much of a Gwande fan, but the book did give me greater appreciation for having standardized interview formats. Also think med school curriculums should include some basic statistics, Paul Meehl and Andy Field have some really nice and straightforward books and resources that are worth it if you're not already decently versed in stats.

littlefred said:
Who sits down to read the DSM?

Honest question.
Click to expand...
I actually "read" the original DSM and have skimmed 2-4, interesting to see the evolution of diagnoses to the current edition.
 
Last edited:
Stagg737 said:
Some interesting selections, I've actually only read House of God, so appreciate other thoughts.

I'd also argue that the Myth of Mental Illness (the actual book, not the abbreviated article) by Schatz is worth reading. Even if you disagree with him, worth it for the alternate perspective. From a more standardized perspective, I also think the PDM/PDM-2 is worth looking over. I'd also advocate for every physician to read The Checklist Manifesto. I'm not much of a Gwande fan, but the book did give me greater appreciation for having standardized interview formats. Also think med school curriculums should include some basic statistics, Paul Meehl and Andy Field have some really nice and straightforward books and resources that are worth it if you're not already decently versed in stats.


I actually "read" the original DSM and have skimmed 2-4, interesting to see the evolution of diagnoses to the current edition.
Click to expand...

*Szasz
*Gawande

Basically all of Paul Meehl's publications are available for free:

All Publications of Paul E. Meehl | Paul E. Meehl

meehl.umn.edu meehl.umn.edu


He spent many decades yelling into the void about the weaknesses of our methods that led to the great replication crises that have been convulsing our field for past decade and change. I would especially recommend his article "Why I do not attend case conferences"
 
Members don't see this ad :)
clausewitz2 said:
*Szasz
*Gawande

Basically all of Paul Meehl's publications are available for free:

All Publications of Paul E. Meehl | Paul E. Meehl

meehl.umn.edu meehl.umn.edu


He spent many decades yelling into the void about the weaknesses of our methods that led to the great replication crises that have been convulsing our field for past decade and change. I would especially recommend his article "Why I do not attend case conferences"
Click to expand...
I appreciate the editing, had a brainfart on Szasz. I always screw up his name, probably subconsciously associating his name with Schatzberg.

I also appreciate Meehl or anyone that looks at statistics critically as well as anyone who can explain them in simpler terms as I do think stats as a whole is grossly undertaught in residency and med school.
 
Stagg737 said:
I appreciate the editing, had a brainfart on Szasz. I always screw up his name, probably subconsciously associating his name with Schatzberg.

I also appreciate Meehl or anyone that looks at statistics critically as well as anyone who can explain them in simpler terms as I do think stats as a whole is grossly undertaught in residency and med school.
Click to expand...

Check our Andrew Gelman's work, he also has a blog that often has highly relevant posts. Definitely eye-opening to the strengths and weaknesses of statistical methods presented with the underlying logic as opposed to 'these are magical incantations that make Science, shut up and calculate'
 
Irvin Yalom, the Executioner of Love
I would also recommend reading several Oliver Sacks books, he was a neurologist but his humanity and holistic view of the patient is tremendous.
Also read at least one psychiatry textbook, like the whole thing, so many residents today never read a textbook, just random articles and study materials for the boards, and they never get a good foundation in the field.
 
clozareal said:
Speaking of trauma, I also recommend The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Click to expand...

Do keep in mind that van der Kolk is at this point a controversial figure in clinical psychology and that his ideas are not as rigorously supported by the available evidence as you might like.
 
SeniorWrangler said:
Irvin Yalom, the Executioner of Love
I would also recommend reading several Oliver Sacks books, he was a neurologist but his humanity and holistic view of the patient is tremendous.
Also read at least one psychiatry textbook, like the whole thing, so many residents today never read a textbook, just random articles and study materials for the boards, and they never get a good foundation in the field.
Click to expand...
I’d add The Gift of Therapy by Yalom. It’s good to see that there are a lot of readers on these forums
 
clausewitz2 said:
Do keep in mind that van der Kolk is at this point a controversial figure in clinical psychology and that his ideas are not as rigorously supported by the available evidence as you might like.
Click to expand...
or Van der quack as I like to call him. His prior expert testimony going back many years is what has been most concerning.
 
clausewitz2 said:
Do keep in mind that van der Kolk is at this point a controversial figure in clinical psychology and that his ideas are not as rigorously supported by the available evidence as you might like.
Click to expand...
I know his book but I didn't know anything about him. Just wanted to say that he is a psychiatrist not a psychologist by training
 
allantois said:
I know his book but I didn't know anything about him. Just wanted to say that he is a psychiatrist not a psychologist by training
Click to expand...

Those two statements are not mutually exclusive. He can be a psychiatrist and be a controversial figure in clinical psychology. He was a big problem in the whole "repressed memories" controversy.

Doesn't make The Body Keeps the Score a bad book but you can also see him getting pretty hyped up about techniques/ideas that have pretty flimsy evidence in that book as well.
 
I've got to read some of these. Loved House of God as I think most do. What are some book recommendations people give to their patients? I had someone ask me recently and I could only think off the top of my head "I Hate You Don't Leave Me" and "The Body Keeps the Score" but I know those are specific for BPD and trauma.

Sorry this isn't me trying to hijack the thread, just wanted some more book ideas.
 
Not sure I have a list of "every psychiatrist must read" books but some books that were influential for me and I enjoyed reading:

The Politics of Experience R.D. Laing
The Divided Self R.D. Laing
The Illness Narratives Arthur Kleinman
Rethinking Psychiatry: From Cultural Category to Personal Experience Arthur Kleinman
Recovery From Schizophrenia: Psychiatry and Political Economy Richard Warner
Critical Psychiatry David Ingleby (Ed.)
The Psychopharmacologists David Healy (multi-volume)
Toxic Psychiatry Peter Breggin (he's a nut but this book totally transformed my thinking about psychiatry as a med student)
Why Love Matters Sue Gerhardt
A Secure Base John Bowlby
Hystories: Historical Epidemics and Modern Culture Elaine Showalter
Crazy Like Us Ethan Watters
Therapy Culture Frank Furedi
The Cognitive Neuropsychology of Schizophrenia Chris Frith
Medical Nemesis: The Expropriation of Health Ivan Illich
Of Two Minds Tanya Luhrmann
Mistakes Were Made (but Not By Me) Carol Tavris and Ellion Aronson
Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of Psychopaths Among Us Robert Hare
Uncommon Therapy Jay Haley
My Voice Will Go With You Sidney Rosen
Models of Madness: Psychological, Social and Biological Approaches to Psychosis John Read et al (Eds)

I also did like The Ned Shorter history of psychiatry book mentioned above though you have to account for his highly revisionist account of the history of psychiatry where he sees the half century where American Psychiatry was psychoanalytically oriented as a period of time where psychiatry took leave of its senses before returning to its biological roots. He crowned biological psychiatry "a smashing success" though has notably been more critical of contemporary psychiatry since while peddling discredited ideas such as that we should divide depression up into melancholia and "nerves".
 
splik said:
Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of Psychopaths Among Us Robert Hare
Click to expand...
I'll also second Hare, he's got a couple of books worth reading and his stuff definitely changed how I approached a certain subset of Cluster B patients.

I'd also throw Kent Keihl's books in as well for those specifically interested in psychopathy. Studying the HiToP model at the same time I read The Psychopath Whisperer was an interesting marriage of neurobiology and nosology of certain disorders.
 
clozareal said:
Speaking of trauma, I also recommend The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Click to expand...

splik said:
or Van der quack as I like to call him. His prior expert testimony going back many years is what has been most concerning.
Click to expand...

What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo and Complex PTSD by Pete Walker are well-written alternatives.

www.goodreads.com

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Tr…

A searing memoir of reckoning and healing by acclaimed …
www.goodreads.com www.goodreads.com

Pete Walker, M.A. Psychotherapy

Pete Walker M.A., MFT Therapy for and recovery from childhood trauma, abuse and/or neglect, in the East Bay
www.pete-walker.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
What do you think would be fair compensation for this job?
Replies
8
Views
1K
jbomba
J
Psycho Bunny
Psychiatrists, what are your thoughts on psychoanalysis/psychodynamic therapy?
Replies
36
Views
4K
SmallBird
S
slowthai
What are the most important skills to master as an inpatient psychiatrist?
Replies
9
Views
2K
djo208
D
B
  • Locked
Why don't ED psychiatrists just admit every single patient?
Replies
1
Views
853
Merovinge
Merovinge
chicandtoughness
What "extracurriculars" are you doing as a resident?
Replies
22
Views
2K
Stagg737
Stagg737
Top