Madness explained

Explains what madness is, to show that it can be understood in psychological terms, and that by studying it we can learn important insights about the normal mind. This book argues that traditional approaches to madness must be abandoned in favour of an approach which is more consistent with what we know about the human mind.

In Madness Explained, leading clinical psychologist Richard Bentall shatters the modern myths that surround psychosis. Is madness purely a medical condition that can be treated with drugs? Is there a clear dividing line between who is sane and who is insane? For this revised edition, he adds new material drawing on the recent advances in molecular genetics, new studies of the role of environment in psychosis, and important discoveries on early symptoms preceding illness, among other important developments in our understanding.