Breaking Down is Waking Up: The Connexion Between Psychological Distress and Spiritual Awekening

by Russell Razzaque

Russell Razzaque explores an entirely new way of understanding psychological and mental distress based on his work as a consultant psychiatrist together with the insights he has gained as a regular practitioner of meditation. His extraordinary conclusion: mental illness can also be a form of spiritual awakening.

Dr Razzaque provides evidence for this from a range of sources including direct clinical case material from his work in acute mental health services to the latest findings from neuroscience and the insights of meditative traditions. The book describes new forms of treatment for mental illness inspired by Eastern approaches and centering, in particular, around practices such as mindfulness. These therapies offer both patients and their families the inspiring idea that the approach to their psychological difficulties should go beyond just "treating" episodes of mental illness but also, where possible, help the individual to complete the process of spiritual growth they have begun. Dr Razzaque argues passionately that our society as a whole could benefit from developing an awareness of the spiritual power of this process of transformation.

Written in the tradition of the bestselling insights of neuroscientist Eben Alexander and therapists Irvin D. Yalom and Oliver Sacks, Breaking Down is Waking Up, will speak to both professionals in the field of mental health as well as those suffering from mental illness, their family and friends and, indeed, all those who have an interest in exploring the deepest layers of what it really means to be human.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Philosophy, Spirituality, Mental Health, Science

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Razzaque has been a practising psychiatrist in the UK for over sixteen years. He earned his medical degree from the University of London in 1996 and completed a diploma in psychotherapy two years later. He is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and is on the Specialist Register of the UK General Medical Council.

During his career he has worked in a number of settings including the NHS, the Ministry of Justice, The Home Office and the University of Cambridge.

Reviews

[Be · Rating 4 out of 5]

Understand Razzaque's findings having gone through this experience and come to this conclusion myself last year. I had been an agnostic for many years but after experiencing a total shift a couple of years ago during a critical time in my life and after many bouts of depression I can totally identify with Razzaque's findings and more. Whilst fast tracking on holistic healing I now have an awareness of oneness and chakras, in particular my third eye chakra which was activated after receiving a reiki master attunement. More recently I am aware of parallel worlds and non-linear time and have always had an interest in quantum theory and chameleon particles. It is refreshing to have a psychiatrist validate what I have been feeling. Enlightenment can be perceived in many ways by many different types of people. For me it is spiritual enlightenment and a connectedness to source or oneness and it is amazing to actually feel that energy. I also believe that there are many levels to spiritual enlightenment. You may think you have arrived and after a time still experience a longing, it's all part of the journey to ultimate enlightenment.

"Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change" Wayne Dyer
"Instead of asking your brain, ask your heart; ask your higher self" B Ross

[Liznemeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without any knowledge about mental health issues I read this book with curiosity and what I got is like a small enlightenment about ego, spiritualism and causes of mental illnesses. It was easy to read and there were accurate definitions, historical connections with some psychological theories, and loads of individual experiences in a good mix. The author gave me some sights of the big picture and I definitely start to learn meditation.
Thanks for the publishing house for this book, it was a very very useful giveaway.

[Erik Steevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

a fantastic book !
i helped me a lot with my own research of the meaning of life, especially with the moments where you don't find words to describe what you witness.
as mentioned on the last page: "you collapsed so now you can awake, you are lost so now you can find yourself again"
and also finding a new word ... pronoia ...
(Pronoia is a neologism that is defined as the opposite state of mind to paranoia: having the sense that there is a conspiracy that exists to help the person. It is also used to describe a philosophy that the world is set up to secretly benefit people)

[Andrew Boden · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing account of the relationship between mental distress and spiritual awakening. I write "spiritual awakening" having had little experience of the subject, but Dr. Razzaque's patient histories and personal history make for a compelling case. I was especially impressed with Dr. Razzaque's observations about the limits of medication in treatment of mental illness and the possibilities for more compassion-based therapies.

[Emma Goude · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting read. Russell's personal story is as fascinating as his professional one. I loved reading how he discovered mindfulness and how that affected how he perceived his patients. As a mental health service user, this book gave me hope that there are some professionals out there who are doing some good. I hope this book is gets read many more psychiatric workers and that they are inspired to change the way they work.

[Levi Claes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over het ego, de denkende geest en hier voorbij. Geeft inzichten, handvaten om het concept ego te begrijpen, en aan de slag te gaan om het ego als sterkte in te zetten. Zoals de auteur op het laatste vermeld: je ego in dienst van je doelstellingen, en niet andersom.

[Ferci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for clinicians and for beginners

I bought this book when I realized that my own struggles with OCD mirrored a lot of the awakening experiences - the fight with the ego. I bought this book thinking that the author would explain how to specifically use my own challenges as fuel for awakening. However this book is more of an intro to the concept. The author does not give any clear directions. He devotes only the last 10% of the book to talk about actual mindfulness practice; however it is nothing different from what you would find in other books: The what and the why but not the how.

For example he writes:" Every moment of disappointment, distress or despair contains within it a kernel of energy, which, if channelled properly can serve as a fuel for the onward journey of awakening."

This is as far as he goes, he never says what "channelling properly" means in the context of mental illness.

A good book for other purposes but I am a little disappointed.

[Dil Nawaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Dr Russel Razzaq’s Biography type book

He Explained Ego in Detail. This book contains 15 Chapters,

1- Wisdom in Bedlam

2- Parallel Pathways

3- The Signposts within

4- The Ego has Landed

5- The Separation Illusion

6- The Stream of Spirit

7- Awakening Through Awareness

8- Ego Inflammation

9- Awakening Through Suffering

10- The Wheel of Awakening

11- Ego Dissolution

12- Psychiatric Treatment

13- The Mindfulness Movement

14- cultivating Compassion

15- Transformation

If we divide book in 3 parts,

First Part is about mental illness,

2nd Part is about Ego

And 3rd Part is about Mindfulness

Dr Russel Razzaq is a London Based Psychiatrist. He wrote his personal experience and about his patients experience.

[Rehan Riyaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cool as hell

[Adus · Rating 5 out of 5]

incredible book, a spiritual doctor.

[Andyso]

Didn't finish this book but I do need to go back and try again sometime

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this book as part of a giveaway*
And boy did it take me a long time to finish it. It's not the sort of book that you'll read in a week, you need time to savour each chapter and let it sink in.

I absolutely loved this book, I want to buy everyone I know a copy, and I know they might not like it as much as I did. They might not read it right away, that's okay because this is the sort of book that you pick up when the time is right.

The mixture of science, psychology and spirituality and how they aren't all that different from one another is mind opening and can be read by people of all ages whether or not they understand psychology lingo (you really don't need to)!

I read this on and off throughout on going therapy sessions and it mirrored what my therapist told me so was a great help on my off days. But it also reminded me of a lot of things to the point to the point where I had the put the book down and talk to someone about it (looking at you quantum mechanics chapter).

All in all I highly, highly recommend not just to people struggling with mental illness or learning to become doctors in that field. But to the people who are looking for more in life, who don't quite feel happy with anything anymore, who don't know where to go.

[Geraldine O'Donnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really do appreciate receiving a free copy of Dr Razzaque's new book. Many of the concepts the author explores were unfamiliar to me and I am perhaps not clever enough to grasp them in entirety, so I will undoubtedly read the book at least once more. Having said that, I did learn many interesting insights particularly in relation to human development and the fascinating concept and character of ego - all of this makes sense to me now.

The one feature that stands out for me in Dr Razzaque's writing is his enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge with others especially with regard to spirituality and human nature.

As someone who spent her entire career working in the NHS I can appreciate the analysis towards the end of the book on compassion, or rather the apparent lack of it in modern healthcare. It was a revelation in itself to read about his observations in this regard. Again, he makes perfect sense!

I can certainly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in how we deal with our humanity. Thanks again.

[Naomi · Rating 1 out of 5]

GOODREADS GIVEAWAY WIN.

Flies all over the place quoting other people out of context in a superficial conversation about something I'm just going to have to assume is a debate, because it is never framed. Shockingly sloppy thinking all round, and coming from a mental health professional, alarmingly philosophically naive.

[Moonstone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a giveaway. I found the information about the ego and its connection to mental health very interesting. I think the chapter on psychiatric treatment would be more suitable to those in that line of work, but I could resonate with the following chapter on mindfulness therapy which has worked very well for me in the past and would recommend it.

[Suzanne Rykmans-Booth]

Excellent to see a psychiatrist "thinking outside the box" re mental illness. Highly recommended read for anyone with an interest in understanding mental illness as something a little more complicated than it's "just in your head". Not sure it has all the answers, but it's certainly an interesting spin on the cause of mental illness.