The book is a memoir from the author (Kay Redfield Jamison) who suffers from manic-depressive disorder (bipolar disease) and is also a well respected psychiatrist. And it is this dual perspective - as healer and healed - that makes Jamison's memoir so lucid, learned, and profoundly affecting. I was especially touched by the account of her encounter with the doctor on pages 81 through 89. I maintained my sympathy and interest for her condition, but became unsure if I liked her. However, I play all manner of things for actual gigs from Elvis to Adele, crowd-pleasers, left-field obscurities and a few comic pastiches on classic tracks. If you want a dry account of a privileged white woman's bipolar experience, then this is your book. . It has, at its best, made the inherent sadness of life bearable, and its beauty manifest. An Unquiet Mind Kay Redfield Jamison (born June 22, 1946) is an American clinical psychologist and writer. I read it as research for my novel in progress, whose protagonist has an adult son with bipolar disorder, and it was helpful for that. I'm curious to know the amount of readers who found this book, like I did, due to their own BP I or II diagnosis? a rare and insightful view of mental illness from inside the mind of a trained specialist.”—Time “Enlighting . Insightful for people with issues like ADHD, depression or BPD as much can also apply to them. For even while she was pursuing her career in academic medicine, Jamison found herself succumbing to the same exhilarating highs and catastrophic depressions that afflicted many of her patients, as her disorder launched her into ruinous spending sprees, episodes of violence, and an attempted suicide.Here Jamison examines bipolar illness from the dual perspectives of the healer and the healed, revealing both its terrors and the cruel allure that at times prompted her to resist taking medication. Dr. Jamison, the recipient of numerous national and international scientific awards, is a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellow. I had to read this book for one of my college classes. Narrated in the first person, the book shows the effect of manic-depressive illnessin family and romantic relationships, professional life, and self-awareness, and highlights both the detri… It's great that you're so i. I'm loathe to call someone's rundown of their mental illness "boring" so instead I'll say, it was not interesting. Reading this part on her seeing a doctor when she’s a doctor herself and what she had to say towards the end of the chapter about lithium in her life, what psychotherapy can do and cannot do, all this is just gripping. An Unquiet Mind is a definitive examination of manic depression from both sides: doctor and patient, the healer and the healed. I am trying desperately to understand what my child experiences. Citation formats are based on standards as of July 2010. The publication of An Unquiet Mind is in many ways a declaration of self-acceptance, as she shows in the prologue when she writes, "I am tired of hiding, tired of the hypocrisy, and tired of acting as though I have something to hide. I wanted to like and trust her, but I found myself in need of a second opinion. It is hard not to cry sometimes. Anyone even a litle unstable will relate to this book, and probably become convinced that they are bipolar. However, there’s a lot of repetition, waffle, imprecise metaphor, adjectives, and as autobiography (and indeed as research) it frustrated me because everything is told and described rather than brought to life in any kind of scene. I am trying desperately to understand what my child experiences. Very interesting look on manic-depressive illness. Mood-disorder specialist Jamison (Psychiatry/Johns Hopkins) comes clean about her own mood disorder: manic-depression. Directed by Michael Offer. This book was part of my assigned reading for my Mental Health class (BA of Human Services degree). Refresh and try again. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. I devoured it at a single sitting and found the book almost as compelling on a second read. To quote Jamison, "After each seeming death within my mind or heart, love has returned to re-create hope and to restore life. Sad to see the comments by people who don't understand it at all though. An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness. New York :Vintage Books, 1996. . . . . This book was part of my assigned reading for my Mental Health class (BA of Human Services degree). Unable to add item to List. . In An Unquiet Mind, lauded researcher and professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Kay Redfield Jamison tells the story of her lifelong struggle with manic-depressive illness.The memoir narrates her journey toward a better understanding of her own mind through the realms of love, academia, and introspection. . . Or rather, I'd like to read about privileged people using their privilege to help the more unfortunate. It’s like reading a great work of writing like Jane Austen, the Brontees, etc.,people that overwhelm you with a sense of awe and deep respect. She is the author of the national best sellers An Unquiet Mind, Night Falls Fast, and Touched with Fire. anyone who's interested in human psychology, who enjoys autobiography. . I'd much rather read someone's experience who isn't so privileged, who doesn't have the access to health care or $200 an hour psychiatrists. . To be clear, this book does not offer suggestions on how to manage the disorder or detailed descriptions of the symptoms. An honest, insightful and sometimes funny account of learning to live with Bipolar Disorder. . Depression, instead, is flat, hollow, and unendurable. And really, in this book, that's how Jamison seems to think it should be. There is no cure, but there is hope for a fulfilling life with happiness! The book captures her journey with bipolar, from its emergence in her late teens to its effects on her accomplished career as a clinical psychologist and university professor. An unquiet mind. Less bitter and defensive than Kate Millett (The Loony-Bin Trip, 1990) in writing of this illness, Jamison has one thing in common with her: the reluctance to take lithium, despite her knowledge as a professional that it would control her extremes of mood. Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2017. This puts a very unique look at the disorder considering she plays both the roles of patient and doctor which also gave her a unique approach to how she treated patients because she was also being treated for a ment. Anyone trying to deny they have this condition even after a positive diagnosis. An Unquiet Mind is a definitive examination of manic depression from both sides: doctor and patient, the healer and the healed. That's okay for a memoir like this; I just wouldn't recommend starting here. . Night Falls Fast is tragically timely: suicide has become one of the most common killers of Americans between the ages of 15 and 45. It felt odd that, for all her disclosure of the tempests of her mind, it was still more adjectives, and I was getting no clear impression of her character or personality. The book is a memoir from the author (Kay Redfield Jamison) who suffers from manic-depressive disorder (bipolar disease) and is also a well respected psychiatrist. An Unquiet Mind is good medicine redfielv literate, intelligent people who would be successful in maintaining jobs and relationships if they could manage their symptoms, who fear that their diagnosis is a death sentence for their chances at a “normal life. . Highly recommended if you are curious about Manic-depressive disease. It is so important for those around that are caring for someone with this illness to know what to look for and what to do when they see things that need to be taken care of!! As the wife of a person newly diagnosed with bipolar, I found Jamison's story both reassuring (she is functioning really well now) and terrifying (it took her a long time to accept the diagnosis and longer to accept taking meds consistently). I wasn't sure if it was Jamison's illness that makes her seem so arrogant or her upbringing. . I was bored. And it is this dual perspective -- as healer and healed -- that makes Jamison's memoir so lucid, learned, and profoundly affecting. Even as she was pursuing her psychiatric training, Jamison found herself succumbing to the exhilarating highs and paralyzing lows that afflicted many of her patients. It's a fascinating read even if you're just interested in psychopathology. An Unquiet Mind, written by Kay Redfield Jamison and first published in 1995, is a memoir about a clinical psychologist’s experience living with manic-depressive illness. . I'm still not quite sure what I think of this book. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published . At the same time, she is so real, down to earth, simple, inspiring, motivating, challenging. It's basically an autobiography about a very gifted author's life. People cannot abide being around you when you are depressed. I've read several books on bipolar disorder and this is one of the best. . Unquiet definition is - not quiet : agitated, turbulent. . At various times in her life, four different, and we are told wonderful, men fall in love with her at first sight, and we aren’t shown why. --William Safire, The New York Times Magazine, "An invaluable memoir of manic depression, at once medically knowledgeable, deeply human, and beautifully written ... at times poetic, at times straightforward, always unashamedly honest." Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2020. The author a renowned psychologist who has bipolar tells her story in a way that is easy to understand, charming witty and all too human. for now, though, i raised my four-star rating to five. This is an important, wonderful book.” —Jackson Clarion Ledger “Extraordinary. "As a founder of UCLA's Affective Disorder Clinic and a co-author of a standard medical text, Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison may be the foremost authority on manic-depressive illness. The combination of the intensity of her personal life and the intellectual rigor of her professional experience make the book unique. A must read for anyone who has, knows someone with it is interested in bipolar, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2019, A compelling memoir on the turbulent life of a manic depressive, written by one of the world’s leading authorities in the disorder. This is a deeply personal book to me and one that I recommend to everyone who is bipolar or who has friends or loved ones who are bipolar. Note! Jamison sets an example of courage.” —Howard Gardner, Nature “Stunning. All I can say reading this now is, it feels like I have not read a good book in looooooong time. One is what one is" (7). It was all about someone else. . An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison is an intimate look into the havoc that bipolar disorder can wreak. There are so many people out there without the resources or the knowledge to help themselves and it drives me nuts to read about these intellects roaming around their universities and labs, pontificating in lectures when they could be reaching out to the people who so desperately need their help. . A courageous and fascinating book, a moving account of the life of a remarkable woman.” —The Daily Telegraph (London) “Fast-paced, startlingly honest and frequently lyrical. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. the ways in which KRJ thinks about mental illness are not always congenial with mine, but this is a brave, beautifully written, and still very powerful book, many such memoirs later. . I re amend this book to anyone seeking to further understand as I want how it feels to go through this, how to explain it to those around you and why they need to know. She literally 'wrote the book' on bipolar disorder with co-author Fred Goodwin, M.D. Kay prefers the … I would have liked slightly more details of the episodes (thoughts, feelings, experiences etc.) Starting in her teenage years, Dr. Jamison (she is also a Ph.D in psychology)describes the roller coaster of her own emotional health.With just a short remission during the years she was working on her graduate studies, her illness repeatedly returned... characterized by extreme highs in her moods and thinking processes (mania) and very low periods of extreme depression. But not everyone with bipolar disorder responds well to lithium and Jamison doesn't really talk about other options. I was bored. Cuts through the dead jargon and detached observations of psychiatric theory and practice to create a fiery, passionate, authentic account of the devastation and exaltation, the blindness and illumination of the psychotic experience.” —The Sunday Times (London) “Rises to the poetic and has a mystical touch. Also, the memoir skips back and forth in time and it's irritating. I liked the perspective from a life long researcher of the illness combined with self experience. .orange-text-color {font-weight:bold; color: #FE971E;}View high quality images that let you zoom in to take a closer look. So it goes to show that it was interesting and entertaining enough to keep me from putting it down, even though I had two more weeks to finish the book. Read this for my Medicine and Literature class and really enjoyed it. October 1996 A professor of psychiatry and specialist in bipolar disorder, which she prefers to call manic-depressive illness, Kay Redfield Jamison suffers from the condition herself, and this is her autobiography. An Unquiet Mind is a memoir of enormous candor, vividness, and wisdom—a deeply powerful book that has both transformed and saved lives. ", This memoir written by Kay Redfield Jamison is an open and honest portrayal of her life with manic depression(bipolar illness). maybe i'll post a a review later. In her defence, she’s a medic, not a storyteller, and she is probably a lovely and lovable person, but her book doesn’t put enough of herself on the page for me to know. Jamison's memoir springs from her dual perspective as both a psychiatric expert in manic depression and a sufferer of the disease. Also by Kay Redfield Jamison See all books by Kay Redfield Jamison Also by Kay Redfield Jamison New York :Vintage Books, Chicago Jamison, Kay R. An Unquiet Mind. Take me to the things " MUSIC. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. I found the writing both compelling and gripping. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. fluid, felt and often lyrical.” —Will Self, The Observer (London) “Quite astonishing. Some of the techniques listed in An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness may require a sound knowledge of Hypnosis, users are advised to either leave those sections or must have a basic understanding of the subject before practicing them. I feel Radiohead are the most essential band of the last 30 years and much of my music is of a darker hue. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. She is coauthor of the standard medical text on manic-depressive illness and author or coauthor of more than one hundred scientific papers about mood disorders, creativity, and psychopharmacology. But these experiences carry with them feelings. called, simply enough, "Manic-Depressive Illness.". Her work has helped save countless lives. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Just seeing how she was able to achieve such professional success while privately dealing with such hellish, frightening moments of near insanity is enough to be massively impressed. . The book details Jamison's experience with bipolar disorder and how it affected her in various areas of her life from childhood up until the writing of the book. . Read the whole book. If you want a dry account of a privileged white woman's bipolar experience, then this is your book. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. . . WITH A NEW PREFACE BY THE AUTHORIn her bestselling classic, An Unquiet Mind, Kay Redfield Jamison changed the way we think about moods and madness.Dr. It is hard not to cry sometimes. . I found the writing both compelling and gripping. The personal memoir of a manic depressive and an authority on the subject describes the onset of the illness during her teenage years and her determined journey through the realm of available treatments. Jamison provides insights into her family and close relationships that provide both a backdrop and reveal her support system. . Signed up for the 2021 Goodreads Reading Challenge and looking for tips on how to discover and read more books? --The New York Times Book Review, "Written with poetic and moving sensitivity ... a rare and insightful view of mental illness from inside the mind of a trained specialist." I'm loathe to call someone's rundown of their mental illness "boring" so instead I'll say, it was not interesting. “If I can't feel, if I can't move, if I can't think, and I can't care, then what conceivable point is there in … New York: Vintage Books, 1996. Ive read enough to be terrified for him but I want a more detailed description. Please try again. Dr. Jamison is one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive (bipolar) illness; she has also experienced it firsthand. It was hard for me to feel sympathy for someone who has never had to have any consequences for her actions, keeps getting bailed out but is considered qualified to be somebody else's psychiatrist....She keeps justifying her actions, and her reluctance to take medication that she needs to take. She made it through a PhD in psychology and became one of the foremost authorities in her field before finally getting the consistent treatment she needed. From the author of the best-selling memoir An Unquiet Mind, comes the first major book in a quarter century on suicide, and its terrible pull on the young in particular.Night Falls Fast is tragically timely: suicide has become one of the most common killers of Americans between the ages of fifteen and forty-five. Due to the source of the suggestion and the author of the book, an expert on and individual with bipolar disorder, I expected some practical insight into living with this disease. It quickly became clear that it is written by an individual who is very articulate, thoughtful, honest and intelligent. . Don't get me wrong. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. . Welcome back. She is very honest in her description of the mental illness she has wrestled and finally come to terms with. 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