Edward S. Hume, M.D., J.D.

Read These!
(updated 2002/08/19)

Articles:

Chapman J, Early symptoms of schizophrenia, British Journal of Psychiatry 112:225-251 (1966).

Understanding why schizophrenics behave the way they do: the strong point of this paper is the descriptions of psychotic experiences by people in the early stages schizophrenia. Utterly riveting. I have never seen anything like it. Finally posted on the Web!

 

Harris, M, Modifications in Service Delivery and Clinical Treatment for Women Diagnosed with Severe Mental Disorder Who Are Also the Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trauma, Journal of Mental Health Administration 21(4): 397-406 (1994).

The fuller version of Back off when working with trauma survivors, this is a nuts-and-bolts primer on dealing with patients in a number of settings who are known to have experienced sexual abuse trauma, as well as patients who behave as if they have experienced such trauma (e.g.-patients with borderline personality disorder). A chapter in Sexual Abuse in the Lives of Women Diagnosed with Severe Mental Disorder, 1996, Harwood Academic Publishers.

 

Miller M, Time and the Character Disorder, Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders 138:535-540 (1964)

In the course of describing the turning points of a man's life, Dr. Miller shows how a person with a character disorder fails to let old might-have-beens go in order to grow. Very helpful.

 

Rosenhans DL, On being sane in insane places, Science 179:250-258 (19 Jan 1973)

Under-cover science: pseudo-patients enter psychiatric hospital units and return to tell us things we don't want to hear about inpatient psychiatric care. As best I can tell, very little has changed since then.

 

Books:

Buss, David M., The Evolution of Desire—Strategies of Human Mating, 1994, Basic Books ISBN 0-465-07750-1

This is a report on a series of studies involving 10,000 subjects in 137 cultures worldwide. They found out about why we do what we do in courtship, and after. Incredibly useful. People who have read this keep returning to it for pointers on how to handle themselves, and how to understand what they see happening.

 

De Becker, Gavin, The Gift of Fear—Survival Signals That Protect Us From Violence, 1997, Little, Brown and Company ISBN 0-316-23502-4

The book that every woman needs to survive. The book that every man needs to read to understand why women fear parking garages. The book that treats instincts with respect and teaches us how to stop worrying about phantom threats so we can feel the things we really need to be afraid of. Finally, a book that teaches, in a brief aside, what we must do to rescue budding monsters (boys) from their fate, so we will not have to fear them in the future. This book guides my practice.

 

Langley MH, Self-Management Therapy of Borderline Personality Disorder

ISBN 0-8261-8300-X, 1994, Springer, NY (212) 431-4370
A completely new look at BPD. Not only revolutionary, but most helpful.

 

Lidz CW et al, Informed Consent, 1984, Guilford Press

An empirical study. You can get the main point by reading just the introduction and summary chapters for each section. You will never again look at consent in psychiatry in the same way.

 

Milgram S, Obedience to Authority, 1974, Harper & Row

A chilling empirical study. This is the one where they actually persuaded ordinary citizens to deliver what they thought were high voltage electrical shocks to "subjects", just because someone told them to.

 

Shapiro Joan, M.D., Men --- A Translation for Women, 1992, Avon (paperback) ISBN 0-380-72004-3

She has us men totally nailed. Extremely valuable in the therapy of both men and women, for therapists, clients and patients.

 

Yochelson S and Samenow S, The Criminal Personality Vol. I, 1976, Jason Aronson, NY

The straight stuff on the criminal mind. This came out of the Forensic Division at St Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C. The authors interviewed many patients --- some crazy, all criminal. I had one of the major patient contributors under my care when I worked there.

 

Beagle. P, The Last Unicorn, 1968, Viking Press

A great work of literature. For a real treat, after you read the book, get a copy of the book-on-tape with Mr. Beagle himself reading the book: 1993, Penguin-HighBridge Audio, ISBN 0-453-00832-1.

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