Facing the Unseen: The Struggle to Center Mental Health in Medicine

by Damon Tweedy

From the New York Times bestselling author of Black Man in a White Coat comes a powerful and urgent defense of psychiatry and mental health care

As much as we all might wish that mental health problems, with their elusive causes and nebulous presentations, simply did not exist, millions of people suffer, sometimes to an extreme extent. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about twenty percent of U.S. adults live with a mental illness each year. And yet the practice of psychiatry, and psychiatrists themselves, are often derided, challenged, and their work seen as nothing but pill-pushing.

Meanwhile, those who suffer from mental health problems face a worse reality. Because there is often no tangible sign that reliably distinguishes a person suffering a mental disorder from someone who is not, it is easy to discount that person’s subjective experience. The teenager who stays in bed all day is lazy; the woman who cries for hours at a time is weak; the man who consumes too much alcohol or drugs is selfish. What’s worse, these castigations don’t just arise from strangers, but often from those closest to parents, children, spouses, and yes, even doctors. Bestselling author, professor of psychiatry, and practicing physician Damon Tweedy guides us through his days working in various settings―from country clinics, to emergency rooms, to VA hospitals as he meets people from all walks of life who are often grappling with both physical and mental illnesses. In forceful, eloquent prose, Tweedy argues for a more comprehensive and integrated system of mental health care in America, one where doctors of all stripes will have a deeper understanding and be taught more empathy for sufferers, and the continued stigma of “crazy” in the public eye, will be replaced by a more compassionate and educated understanding of how mental and physical symptoms can interact and contribute to a person’s health.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Mental Health, Medicine, Science, Medical, Memoir

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 9, 2024

About the author

Damon Tweedy, MD is a professor of psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine and staff physician at the Durham Veteran Affairs Health System. His first book, Black Man in a White Coat, was a New York Times Bestseller, selected by TIME magazine as one of the Top 10 Non-fiction books of that year. He has also published articles about race, medicine and mental health in medical journals and print publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post. His new book, Facing the Unseen: The Struggle to Center Mental Health in Medicine, will be published in April 2024.

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Tweedy is an incredible physician and writer. Facing the Unseen makes a very compelling case that general medicine and psychiatry need to be better integrated. Dr. Tweedy, a psychiatrist, shares several examples of benefits of treating patients holistically and in collaboration with general medicine doctors. He also shares examples of where important medical issues may have been missed because a physician focused on mind or body and not both.

In the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, mental health has become a topic at the forefront of discussion. Historically there has been a stigma attached to mental health, especially within the medical community. Dr. Tweedy eloquently explains why we must move beyond this thinking and destigmatize mental health.

As a reader of the book, I learned a lot about the connection between psychiatric and medical issues. Dr. Tweedy has made me a believer in the Collaborative Care Model. However, I would have really liked more information on this model and a chapter on how believes it could be implemented. This is covered briefly, but I would like to learn more.

I highly recommend this book to those in medicine or in other fields. Dr. Tweedy's writing is clear and understandable to a lay person.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A big thank you to NetGalley for an early release audiobook of Facing the Unseen. An immeasurable thank you to Dr. Tweedy for his time and limitless efforts to shining a light and aiding the mostly hidden lens on mental health.

I will preface my review by stating that I am nearly 20 years in the field of medicine and found the language very second nature and very comfortable in all aspects of discussion. I did collaborate with my husband to get a more unique point of view of a physician and his opinion on things discussed. We, in the end, were very agreed upon our feelings of this publication.

Following Damon through his growth as an intern to physician as well as a human being was so essential to pulling the elements together. What a general person may think of as someone with a mental health disorder can be so disheartening, but why? It's all tragic, really. We get to see the scenes in broken down pieces, thanks to Tweedy, as he walks us through his exposures in a hospital setting with his piers, instructors and patients. There was so much stigma early on even within the health care system centered on shame and fear when it came to mental health. The language used and the culture in health care was damaging for them selves and their patients. Damon began to recognize, early on, that there was something not quite right with how things were for patients suffering from mental health issues and his curiosity eventually lead him to change his language and practiced health culture and ultimately his career path. I am, as I'm sure many others are, very thankful Dr. Tweedy had an inner voice that lead him to his path and his drive to create a powerful paradigm shift in mental health culture in hospitals and in the public.

Dr. Tweedy uses his specially critiqued timeline to build on the complexity of the patients he was exposed to and their approach to care. We were introduced to the general stigma, types of mental health circumstances and even state mental hospitals, which I can agree with when I did my rotation it was frightening and sad. We touched on misdiagnosis and polypharmacy. All of these elements are so dire for the individual and the treatment for all.

A quick side note, also touched on by Tweedy, the physicians are tested beyond their limits of will with how much they can endure and often some do ultimately break from the sheer exhaustion and trauma. The system is broken and health care workers, especially physicians need better care especially during internship. The culture is slowly changing and with it the language.

My time in the ER was sharply brought back in to focus when Tweedy discussed patients needing mental health help and how they were "handled" was jarring. Most were brought in by police despite their chief complaint, and held for extreme hours in the closed off wing until a care plan was finalized.

As far as the hospital itself failing the patients with mental health culture, its always limiting, hand cuffs really, the providers and their desired plans by the CEO structure and the insurance system. I'll try not to tangent, but I can't imagine the rings of fire for management here. It's infuriating.

I could go on and discuss each point of the chapters, because all points discussed were essential and well outlined. Time with patients being long enough and acknowledgement are large elements of growth for the culture along with proper time/dosage for medicinal regimens to take effect (longer than you think).

Again, this memoir spoke my language so following along was very easy. As for a general reader, the exposure is still so essential but a dictionary or aid of a friend in the field may be needed. I also think this would be a great read for residents and nursing students to A) reduce the shock of being introduced to the mental health culture and B) to give them tools to work with to have a better outcome for themselves and mostly their patients.

I look forward to more publications by this individual and will also read his previous publication, Black Man in a White Coat.
It's called 'practicing medicine' for a reason. There is always room for improvement and there is always more to learn.

Thank you again to Dr. Tweedy for sharing a personal and very educational lens on mental health culture.

[Molly Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this as part of a book club run by dr.tweedy himself which was cool. I enjoyed his writing style- he kept simple and pulled in mostly anecdotes to make his main points. I find that physician authors can sometimes make things overly complicated or get too egotistical for my taste and he really avoided both of these things.

was really interesting to learn about the history of psychiatry and how it has been traditionally taught in medical schools. I do wish there was a bit more on how psychiatry has changed and functions today and where he sees it going. But all in all, did enjoy the book and definitely will be in the back of my mind when i do my psych rotations.

[Kimberly Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently, mental health has gained significant attention, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite longstanding stigma surrounding mental health, particularly among medical professionals, Dr. Tweedy eloquently articulates the necessity to move past such mindsets and destigmatize mental health issues. In "Facing the Unseen," he presents a compelling argument for the urgent need to combine general medicine and psychiatry. Drawing from his experience as a psychiatrist, Dr. Tweedy showcases the advantages of holistic patient care through collaboration between mental health specialists and general practitioners. He also highlights instances where crucial medical concerns may have been overlooked due to a physician's focus on either the mind or body, but not both.

By reading this book, I have gained valuable insights into the interconnectedness of psychiatric and medical conditions. I wholeheartedly recommend this enlightening read to individuals in the healthcare field or any other profession. Dr. Tweedy's lucid writing style makes complex topics accessible to all readers. Although the book's timeline may be occasionally perplexing, the narrative is reflective and captivating, weaving patient stories with astute critiques of the medical establishment, particularly psychiatry.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Nima Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an insightful memoir of a psychiatrist spanning from his training as a medical student to his practice as a full-fledged physician. The stories and struggles of mental health and the challenges that he faced are well described and eye-opening.. It will take practitioners like Dr. Tweedy to make a change in the field and improve the outcomes for the current crisis in mental health. This is a must-read for anyone with a remote interest in our mental health care system.

Thankyou Netgalley and MacMillan audio for this ARC.

[Jamie Cha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free audiobook from Netgalley for a review of this book. I work in mental health. This was one the best books I have ever read (or listened to) on mental health. The author, who is a psychiatrist, admits he doesn't know all the answers. The book is real and should be read by everyone in the field

The doctor admits to having mental health stigma's. He talks about his first psychiatric rotation. He really makes you think about how we approach mental mental.

The book talks about how he used to approach mental health. Ways his patients and colleagues have made him approach mental health now. He talks about his experience in life and medicine.

I finished this audiobook in less than 5 days. It really touched me. Also, made me realize as a society and my own stigma's in mental health. It is such an interesting and easy to read book.

I hope this book starts a new conversation on mental health. Let's us talk more about the body and mind aspect that the author talks about in this book. I hope this book helps us make some changes in mental health.

This book was such a a positive book on mental health. A positive approach to our mental health crisis. I am hoping Dr. Tweedy will do a book tour. I would love to see and listen to him in person. I would love to hear more what he has to say.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a medical student, I have been having more patient encounters focused on mental health in the primary care setting and in other specialties. This book really makes me want to emphasize mental healthcare in my future visits, as so many providers often push off mental health concerns as less dire than physical health concerns.

[J Kasal]

Summer reading

[Allana Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read!! The way Tweedy weaves in his own journey as a psychiatrist is what really makes this special, and the thorough research makes it all the more persuasive and deliberate

[Trentpeeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

a candid account of what it can look like to try to do the right thing as a part of our flawed medical system.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Damon Tweedy is a psychiatrist who has learned through experience that there is a large divide between care for the emotional and the physical self. His newest book, Facing the Unseen, discusses his experiences as he was just starting out and how things have changed, which unfortunately is not much. He explains why psychiatry is separate and on unequal footing compared to the rest of medicine and why coordinated or collaborative care is a necessity.

This book was not what I expected, although I found it enlightening. I was hoping it would be more solution based, but it primarily centered on cases that Dr. Tweedy has seen and how he was able to achieve a better outcome through holistic care. He recognizes that things need to change, and a doctor cannot cover a patient’s entire medical history during a 15-minute visit. He highlights how important diagnoses can be missed when a doctor or specialist only focuses on the body and not the mind, and vice versa, when a psychiatrist only focuses on a patient’s mental health diagnosis, often assuming that physical symptoms are the result of the mental illness. I agree with his assessment that treating patients is disease, crisis and hospital focused. But integrating change is not easy, nor are there enough practitioners.

I listened to the audiobook version, read by the author. It was powerful to hear the author speak his own words and to acknowledge his own stigma and those of other doctors against people with mental health challenges. I found that he spoke fairly quickly and sometimes would drop off the end of words, particularly at the end of sentences, so I often had to rewind.

I work in the mental health field, but would highly recommend this book to anyone, since most of us visit doctors at some point. It was well written and easy to understand.

Sir William Osler, a Canadian physician and one of the founders of Johns Hopkins Hospital stated that, “The good physician treats the disease, the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.” Recently, mental health has received significant attention, particularly around school age children. Let’s hope this book will start a conversation that leads to changes to treat the whole patient. Because the system, as it stands today, is broken.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for providing an advance audio copy of this compelling book in exchange for my honest review.

[Terri (BooklyMatters) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An immensely readable discussion of the U.S health care system and its treatment of mental health illness, as seen by a practicing physician and psychiatrist.

Damon Tweedy, M.D has penned a book that is not only informative and thought provoking, but easy to read, blending the insightful story-telling of selected anecdotal case studies, with the research, facts and learnings tied into the author’s overarching themes and conclusions.

Beginning with the historical challenges of the viewing of psychiatry, as a medical discipline, we learn about the current-day invisible boundaries faced by psychiatrists (and their patients) due to the field’s perceived “fuzziness” stemming from the lack of the “hard” biological tests and markers used to denote medical illness.

As Dr Tweedy (a practitioner in the U.S state of North Carolina) covers the prevalence of mental illness within the U.S. health care system (not to mention the hidden epidemic within the ranks of trainee doctors themselves), with overmedicated yet still skyrocketing depression and anxiety permeating our culture, and the difficulties and dangers inherent in treating some forms of mental illness (eg bipolar and schizophrenia), it was eye-opening for this reader to discover the full extent of the marginalization of these psychiatric patients, — in the eyes of state law, as well as the limited insurance coverage, therapeutic and treatment options readily available to them.

Perhaps, most poignantly, this is seen in the patients who receive treatment as veterans, — many struggling with mental illnesses that include PTSD, military sexual trauma (MST), and associated addictions to drugs (opioids as perhaps the most insidious) and alcohol - the very patients requiring perhaps the most empathy, yet in many ways receiving the worst of society’s (and the health care systems) stigma, suspicion, and judgement.

Are psychiatrists, front-line medical practitioners and advocates for the mentally ill, destined to remain mere prescription dispensers - or as Dr Tweedy suggests, is there a case for deeper integration of mental health with physical health providers - in the collaborative practice (and underlying understanding) of medicine, as a whole?

A thoughtful and important book — highly recommended to anyone interested in the unseen (and populous) world of mental illness, amongst us — and the compassionate, informed, and enlightened alternatives that may just offer hope, and a path to wider-scale healing.

[apollo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job of laying out some of the key issues within and criticisms of the field of psychiatry, & detailing how physicians are affected by stigma, laws and processes which sometimes interfere with their ability to properly care for patients, and perhaps most importantly, their medical education enforcing a conceptual seperation of physical and mental health conditions that can leave a patient still suffering after reaching out for help. For those outside of medicine who consider themselves anti-psychiatry, the perspective of a psychiatrist who has directly observed & experienced these issues that the movement aims to address is really valuable. Psychiatry as a field has very deep, long-standing flaws, but as a science it is fascinating and invaluable, and in my opinion this book does a great job of showing the reader both sides of this equation fairly.

It falls a little flat in the use of fiction-like storytelling to deliver the messages. The concept is great but the execution is sometimes lacking. These stories of patient interactions hog the spotlight while in some areas it may have been wiser to expand on the sections where the author is discussing his realizations with other physicians, or providing historical background or potential solutions for these problems. The section on the collaborative care model especially feels like a missed opportunity. I hadn’t heard of it before reading this book and now that I’ve finished I feel like I have only a really basic understanding of it, despite how significant it could be for the future of medicine. Still, it’s a jumping-off point for me to do some research of my own, and in that regard this book is really solid.

[Sara Temba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the title of the book led to an immediate request on Netgalley. One huge issue in the broken American healthcare system is the way mental health is treated as an afterthought and, until recently, rarely integrated into the rest of healthcare. After the mental health issues that came up in the Covid pandemic this is starting to change, but definitely not fast enough.

Dr Tweedy's book on this topic was very good. I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author. He did an excellent job reading and it personalized the stories a lot. While not necessarily gripping, I found his stories very interesting throughout. I was never bored and the book lacked the "filler" you often see authors use to stretch a book's length. His writing style reminded me of Atul Gawande in using patients and his own experiences to highlight the issues he is addressing. While not to the level of Gawande (he is the 5-star gold standard of the genre in my opinion) he is definitely up there. I have read a number of memoirs which promise in the description to address societal issues but end up just being personal stories that don't deliver any larger messages. While heavier on the stories than larger messages, this book does give us good examples of how we can center and integrate mental health in the US Healthcare system. This book is a great choice for those looking to see where we went wrong and how we can do better. Dr Tweedy's excellent analysis and experience makes him the right person to write this book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy of this audiobook!

[TrishTalksBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to quote the parts of Dr. Tweedy’s second book Facing the Unseen: The Struggle to Center Mental Health in Medicine that felt extremely relevant to me, I’d simply have to copy and paste the entire book here. I suppose that’s my way of saying that I really loved this nonfiction look at Tweedy’s medical training to become a Psychiatrist and his first years in practice, and if you’re interested in this topic, I’d highly suggest you pick this one up.

Tweedy has an excellent voice for writing. The book is well-paced, full of interesting case examples and showcases his thoughtful approach to patient care, and to the dilemmas it raises.

Tweedy highlights the disparities that face Psychiatry and its patients in the face of a bias towards non-psychiatric medicine: the divide between mind and body, where the body is prioritised. It’s a false dichotomy, of course, but his examples are pointed, and his experiences–along with my own–don’t lie. He questions our tendency to prescribe meds rather than psychotherapy, to stigmatise our patients with substance use disorders, to neglect the physical health of people once they are labelled with a psychiatric diagnosis.

I respect the fact that Tweedy raises legitimate questions–ones that present themselves during medical school and residency training–without inflammatory rhetoric. He gets that doctors work in an under-resourced system!

I’d love to see more writing by Tweedy, and I think I’ll pick up his first book: Black Man in a White Coat. In the meantime, I hope you give this book a read.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for a gifted copy.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Facing The Unseen: Reflections on Medicine and the Struggle to Center Emotional Health – Damon Tweedy M.D. – 2024 –
In his second insightful and informative autobiographical book Dr. Tweedy examines medical care delivery and the necessity to connect, combine, and treat physical and mental conditions together-- as the “D” illnesses (for example): Diabetes, Dialysis, Dementia, and Depression impact the body as a whole. Originally Dr. Tweedy wanted to be a cardiologist, but transferred into psychiatry after working in a state mental hospital. At that time, he barely understood the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Dr. Tweedy is as associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at Duke University.

Dr. Tweedy takes readers behind the scenes in emergency room medicine to over booked clinic appointments where doctors are expected to treat serious patient health conditions in 15-minute appointment slots. The insurance industry has dramatically altered our healthcare delivery system as healthcare providers struggle to meet often unrealistic requirements and work together as a team to efficiently improve patient and healthcare outcomes. In each chapter, the narrative included the names of individual patients, how he worked with other team members and when possible, patient family members not only to address their immediate healthcare needs but also their humanity. Highly recommended! - With thanks to St. Martins Press via NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing I love best about books like this is when authors can be honest about their own shortcomings, and detail how they came to change their mind. I loved the personal stories Dr Tweedy shares, from his own initial erroneous beliefs during his initial internship, to the friends and family who helped shape his later opinions of mental health. I think he touches on important issues in the perception of mental health within the medical community - opinions that are still prevalent today, might I add, as I've seen them myself in my time in healthcare. Changing the way practitioners look at mental health is critical to better patient care, and I found myself nodding enthusiastically throughout this book. I felt seen as a fellow healthcare worker who has witnessed the "plague effect" on psychiatric patients and who wants to help further humane, collaborative care, so no patient has to ever wonder if they will be treated compassionately.

This is an honest, informed book about how mental health care has been shaped in North America from the top down, and I sincerely recommend it to both healthcare workers and patients alike. There's so much that needs to change in the system and without it, and the more informed we all are, the better the outcomes for current and future patients.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my advance copy. My opinions are my own.

What a phenomenal gift this book is, sharing Tweedy's perspective as a mental health provider with a voice that is simultaneously informative and compassionate. It asks the question, "Can a mental health supporter or provider be both caring and competent?" We have placed an artificial divide between the physical and the mental in society, in policy creation, and in the practice of medicine: things like diabetes and kidney failure are kept separate from things like depression. But a human being has both and they are on a mutual feedback loop. So what makes patients scared of psychiatrists and other mental health providers? So much: being labeled as “crazy”; the idea that just having enough faith should be enough; fear of being locked up or having one’s freedoms restricted; fear of being overloaded with damaging medications. And what makes non-mental-health-providers scared to see patients with mental health struggles? I gathered from Tweedy's engaging nonfiction that intangibility causes unease, and when there is a stigma placed on mental health struggles it becomes all the more scary to diagnose and treat in that world. He makes a strong case for the need to change how we educate medical professionals, especially those with power like doctors, and also the public. It is in our best interest to decriminalize mental health and how we expect law enforcement to handle it without the proper training or tools. There was so much food for thought in this one, and I highly recommend!

[Barbara Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book which I received a free copy of. It is very thought-provoking and an intimate look at the state of the mental health care system of the 90s and today. Dr. Tweedy gives a rounded look at the care provided, across race and social tiers. He talks about various mental health issues from addiction to depression and gives several examples. What I appreciated overall, is the look to the lack of adequate care 30 years ago and how strides have been made to the positive in the last few years, but also how important integrating general health care with the mental is of paramount importance.
This book was especially impactful to me as I have several family members with varying issues, and it is still a struggle sometimes to get them care. It is a battle of wills and creating a network of support. This book has given me hope that strides will be made in the future toward better care and that my children will not go through the same struggles as my generation and the ones before have.

[Kristine Gupta · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some interesting ideas and case studies in this nonfiction book. Especially how mental health is "unseen." Dr Tweedy shown a light on the fact that during training residents are placed in severe mental health conditions, such as state institutions with violent patients. This turns off many doctors from becoming psychiatrists and prevents other doctors from recognizing mental health issues that aren't similar to what they were exposed to, yet still important to treat. Tweedy also uses interesting case studies promoting the need for holistic treatment of patients - psychiatrists can identify physical health problems and visa versa. I was a little turned off by Tweedy's preaching that psychiatrists aren't as respected by other doctors or clinics/hospitals as deserved. Is this why I have run into a shortage of mental health providers and the fact that they don't accept insurance (because the payout is too low?). These days most psychiatrists prescribe meds, and therapists spend time with patients to help diagnose their problems and find ways to overcome them.

[Alissa (meetmethroughbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Facing the Unseen: The Struggle to Center Mental Health in Medicine is written by Psychiatrist Dr. Damon Tweedy. Dr. Tweedy explores the mind body connection while recounting experience he has had as a practicing doctor (first working on medical units and then as a Psychiatrist). In this book he advocates for more integrated health care that includes mental health as being just as important as physical health. He also addresses stigma surrounding mental illness on a micro and macro level.

I listened to the audiobook of this, narrated by the author. It was interesting and kept me engaged. I am very passionate about the importance of mental health and felt this book supported my views on this and echoed some of the experiences I have had as a mental health professional. I think other medical and mental health providers should consider reading this book, along with anyone else who comes across it. Unfortunately I don't know if people who don't have an interest in this topic will pick the book up and read it, but I hope they do.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and author for granting me an audiobook ARC. My review is my own and has not been influenced by this. Facing the Unseen is expected to be published on April 9, 2024.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that the author narrated this himself. The author has decades of experience working with patients experiencing mental health problems. We get to learn with him as he describes situations where he was dealing with issues, and I felt tense and worried with him. Mental health doesn't get enough attention and some groups continue to be marginalized. For instance, people with chronic conditions and older people are often overlooked. Dr. Tweedy also talks about needing a balance between hospital medicine and outpatient care, because most people are not in the hospital but may still need help. Dr. Tweedy, in the book, is constantly looking for better solutions. and he and his colleagues work with so many people in crisis. This is an excellent book for anyone interested in mental health or medicine and Dr. Tweedy's narration gives it the sense of urgency it deserves while remaining compassionate for every patient. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook.

[Ana Rivas-Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who reads in short bursts in public transport, I highly enjoyed the format of this book. This book is made up of many experiences Dr. Tweedy had as a medical student and as a resident that have helped form his understanding of mental health. I found these experiences very engaging and as an aspiring medical student, I found his experience within the medical school system quite interesting. I would highly recommend this book to others as I believe that there is still much stigma surrounding mental health, and this book does a beautiful job of reminding us that mental health is just as important as physical health. “Body and mind. Mind and body… there can never be a clear divide between our physical and emotional selves, any more than we can live without a functioning brain and a beating heart.”

[Katie Bruell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made some really good points--most notably that mental health and physical health need to be seen as equally important, that they impact each other, and that services for both should be provided in the same place at the same time. It was also interesting (and depressing) to get an inside look at how many doctors view patients with substance use disorders, or older patients, and to get an inside look at how doctors think in general. Probably a 3.5 for me overall.

[Omm · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the chronology of the book is occasionally confusing, the overall text is thoughtful and engaging. He intertwines stories of patients with thoughtful examination of the medical system and the discipline of psychiatry in particular. As a social worker in integrated behavioral health services, his observation of the benefits of integrated care were enjoyable. Well paced and thoughtful.

[Wayne Solberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book very interesting and helpful in understanding the medical situation. He makes a great deal for intergrading the different aspects of medicine. When you do that you get better coverage for everyone from the medical fields. I have a much better understanding of how the medical system works. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the medical system.

[Megan Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There can never be a clean divide between our physical and emotional selves, any more than we can live without a functioning brain and a beating heart. These and other essential organs all inhabit one body that works in concert to experience all the joys and pains, all the triumphs and tragedies of this thing we call human life.”

[Sue Stockdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad this book is being published soon. I think that further knowledge about psychiatry is important to both other medical professionals and patients themselves. This is a well written and informative book. I found it hard to put down. I read it in 2 days.

[Helen Geng · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read January 2024

[The Bookish Narwhal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a physical copy of this book! Review coming soon.