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Jeffrey A. Lieberman Ogi Ogas

The Untold Story of Psychiatry

4.2 (65 ratings)
29 mins

Brief summary

Shrinks by Jeffrey A. Lieberman and Ogi Ogas is a fascinating exploration of the evolution of psychiatry, with engaging stories of famous psychiatrists and their breakthroughs. It sheds light on how modern mental health treatments came to be and what goes on in the minds of people who treat those with mental health issues.

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    Key idea 1 of 12

    In the eighteenth century, reformers tried to improve the horrible, desolate asylums housing those with mental illnesses.

    Before psychiatric hospitals, life was nothing less than horrifying for those with mental illnesses. While some sufferers were lucky enough to receive care at home, most were destined for a vagrant life on the street. Many others had it worse and were forced to spend their lives in asylums.

    In the eighteenth century, asylums were filthy, dark and overcrowded. Inmates were left locked up in tiny cells for weeks, chained, often beaten with sticks and doused with icy water. As if that wasn’t bad enough, patients, like performers in a freak show, were put on public display on Sundays.

    Even in better institutions, treatment was still appalling. Patients were subjected to a whole host of primitive medical practices – bloodletting, purging and blistering, to name a few – that were, at the time, standard. Thankfully, a few reformers were determined to change these conditions.

    In Europe, physician Philippe Pinel proposed a new, humane treatment of the mentally ill. In 1792, he became head of the Paris Asylum for Insane Men. There, he ended the practice of bleeding and purging patients, and removed their chains.

    Emphasizing the importance of clean, pleasant housing, he treated his patients with fairness and created a structured schedule of activities and light manual tasks that they followed each day. The purpose of this schedule was to give back to patients a sense of self-mastery.

    In the United States, the physician and humanist Benjamin Rush established a benevolent approach to psychiatry not unlike Pinel’s. Born in 1745, Rush was among the founding fathers of the United States. Few today know that he was also America’s very first modern psychiatrist. Rush also unshackled his patients and forbade the beating of asylum inmates, and lobbied for the improvement of living conditions for psychological inpatients in the state of Pennsylvania.

    In the nineteenth century, more and more psychiatrists came to follow the example set by Rush and Pinel. Psychiatry was on its way to becoming a humane practice. Or was it?

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    What is Shrinks about?

    Shrinks (2015) tells the story of psychiatry’s astonishing development throughout the centuries. These blinks take us on a tour of the discipline’s crude past, its strange and shocking therapies and its great improvements.  

    Shrinks Review

    Shrinks (2015) by Jeffrey A. Lieberman and Ogi Ogas is a captivating exploration of the world of psychiatry and mental health. Here's why this book is definitely worth reading:

    • Packed with insightful interviews and personal stories, it provides a unique and intimate understanding of mental illness and treatment.
    • The book offers a balanced perspective by discussing the successes and failures within the field of psychiatry, offering a nuanced view of its limitations and possibilities.
    • With its fascinating anecdotes and intriguing case studies, the book manages to bring the subject of mental health to life, making it an engaging read throughout.

    Best quote from Shrinks

    To name it is to tame it. - Jeremy Sherman

    —Jeffrey A. Lieberman and Ogi Ogas
    example alt text

    Who should read Shrinks?

    • History buffs interested in the nature of early psychiatry
    • Individuals wanting to learning more about the methods of psychiatry today
    • Those wondering why psychology sometimes gets a bad rap

    About the Author

    Jeffrey Lieberman, MD, is a former president of the American Psychiatric Association. He is the Lawrence C. Kolb Professor and Chairman of Psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

    Ogi Ogas is a computational neuroscientist. A former Fellow of the Homeland Security department, he’s contributed to two successful science books about sex, including A Billion Wicked Thoughts. Ogas, a passionate game show contestant, once won $500,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

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    Shrinks FAQs 

    What is the main message of Shrinks?

    Shrinks explores the complex and fascinating world of psychiatry, revealing its history and the crucial role it plays in society.

    How long does it take to read Shrinks?

    Shrinks can be read in a few hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is Shrinks a good book? Is it worth reading?

    Shrinks is worth reading for its insightful exploration of psychiatry and its relevance in today's world.

    Who is the author of Shrinks?

    The author of Shrinks is Jeffrey A. Lieberman and Ogi Ogas.

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