The Kennedy family's dedication to public service is highlighted through Joseph P. Kennedy's significant support for mental retardation (MR) organizations, particularly in the 1950s when he established a family foundation focused on this cause. The book explores the impact of their philanthropic efforts and the family's broader commitment to social issues, showcasing how they used their influence to champion MR-related initiatives.
The resurgence of shock therapy, particularly electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), is explored as a safe and effective treatment for severe mental illnesses, despite its negative portrayal in media. Authors Edward Shorter and David Healy delve into ECT's controversial history, challenging misconceptions through case studies, interviews, and archival research. They argue for its efficacy as a frontline therapy, particularly for patients unresponsive to medications, offering hope to those suffering from debilitating depression and suicidal ideation.
"This is the first historical dictionary of psychiatry. It covers the subject from autism to Vienna, and includes the key concepts, individuals, places, and institutions that have shaped the evolution of psychiatry and the neurosciences. An introduction puts broad trends and international differences in context, and there is an extensive bibliography for further reading. Each entry gives the main dates, themes, and personalities involved in the unfolding of the topic. Longer entries describe the evolution of such subjects as depression, schizophrenia, and psychotherapy. The book gives ready reference to when things happened in psychiatry, how and where they happened, and who made the main contributions. In addition, it touches on such social themes as "women in psychiatry," "criminality and psychiatry," and "homosexuality and psychiatry." A comprehensive index makes immediately accessible subjects that do not appear in the alphabetical listing. Among those who will appreciate this dictionary are clinicians curious about the origins of concepts they use in their daily practices, such as "paranoia," "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors" (SSRIs), or "tardive dyskinesia"; basic scientists who want ready reference to the development of such concepts as "neurotransmitters," "synapse," or "neuroimaging"; students of medical history keen to situate the psychiatric narrative within larger events; and the general public curious about illnesses that might affect them, their families, and their communities - or readers who merely want to know about the grand chain of events from the asylum to Freud to Prozac. Bringing together information from the English, French, German, Italian, and Scandinavian languages, the Dictionary rests on an enormous base of primary sources that cover the growth of psychiatry through all of Western society."--Jacket
Engaging with the history of sexuality and desire, this book presents a provocative exploration that challenges conventional views and invites spirited debate. Its bold arguments and unique insights make it essential reading for anyone interested in the complexities of human sexuality. The author's approach is both important and entertaining, ensuring that readers will find themselves both stimulated and challenged by the content.
Now in paper! Writing in a charged, highly-accessible style, Edward Shorter covers the history of psychiatry from the late 18th century to the present.
Monograph tracing the historical evolution of strike and unofficial strike activities in France from 1830 to 1968 - covers trade unionization, the impact of industrialization and urbanization, etc. Bibliography pp. 401 to 412, graphs, maps, references and statistical tables.
Stormy Daniels is on the front page now. This book sets Stormy in context. But it's not just a biopic. It's about the larger forces at play here.Sexuality is of enormous interest to people. They are keen to find out if the world is changing, and if they are changing with it. This is where porn comes in. People use porn to expand their erotic imaginations. The argument of this book is that porn drives desire. It gives people new tastes, new ideas that they want to act on. We aren't in the 1950s anymore. People today are able to enact their fantasies, and if they see something in porn they really like, they want to do it. This is a huge change in sexuality.Stormy's World is essential to understanding where our society is sexually and where it might go.
Focusing on the limitations of the DSM-5, this book explores historical mental disorders that were overlooked or misrepresented in modern psychiatric classifications. Edward Shorter critiques the current diagnostic framework, emphasizing that established diagnoses like "schizophrenia" and "bipolar disorder" may not align with natural disease realities. He advocates for a history-driven approach to understanding mental illness, aiming to reclaim valuable insights from psychiatry's two-century history that have been neglected in contemporary practices.
A Social History of Women's Encounter with Health, Ill-Health and Medicine
The book examines the historical impact of women's physical experiences on societal values surrounding femininity and the dynamics of power between genders. It delves into the significance of herbs and mechanical methods used for abortion, highlighting their influence on women's roles and autonomy throughout history.