Out of the Shadows: Confronting America's Mental Illness Crisis

by E. Fuller Torrey

"Powerful. . . . The crisis [Torrey] delineates should stir any halfway sensitive human being to anger."--The New York Times Book Review

"Brilliant and remarkably detailed. . . . Dr. Torrey, our clearest and most informed voice for the mentally ill, offers his own insightful plan for a way out . . . of a healthcare scandal that remains one of America's most enduring shames."--Phil Donahue.

"If President Clinton is looking for a worthy goal to accomplish in his second term, here's one: Rescue the homeless mentally ill. It can be done. . . . Dr. E. Fuller Torrey . . . provides a five-year road map in Out of the Shadows."--New York Daily News.

"An important book . . . timely and very well written."--The New England Journal of Medicine.

"Controversial ideas, forcefully presented."--Kirkus Reviews

"Moving and vivid. . . . Torrey's powerful prescription for change challenges conventional wisdom and political correctness. His searing case examples will haunt the reader."--Laurie Flynn Executive Director National Alliance for the Mentally Ill

Genres: Mental Illness, Mental Health, History, Nonfiction, Psychology

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Kathy]

After reading the first chapter I realized this wasn't the "Out of the Shadows" that I was looking for, but it was interesting. So I decided to just skim the rest. The author says in the preface: "I have written this book for anyone who has wondered why there are so many severely mentally ill men and women living on the streets of our cities and towns." Since I live where you can play tennis outdoors almost every day of the year, it is also a place where homeless people can comfortably live outside almost every day of the year and many do try. As mental hospitals closed, treatment for the mentally ill became harder to come by and many sick people ended up in jail. One jail official said, "the mad and the bad just don't mix. 23 years ago, Dr. Torrey had ideas for a 5 year solution to this problem, but it looks like the federal, state, county, and city governments can't agree on whose problem this is.

[Alex Richter]

Why are people with obvious psychiatric disease homeless on the city streets of America? Why are jails and prisons becoming state hospitals? Why do there seem to be an increasing number of violent acts committed by people described as mental patients? n this timely and very well written book, E. Fuller Torrey answers these questions. For years the treatment of the mentally ill has been provided in the context of a policy of deinstitutionalization, the shifting of the locus of treatment from large state hospitals to the “least restrictive alternatives” in community settings. The most obvious outcome of this policy is apparent on city streets and in jails and courts and is documented almost daily in the press, in articles about homelessness and violent acts by people with histories of psychiatric illness. Though book maybe be a little dated for it's time period it really is a great way to see how they see the world. As well has how they were treated in the not so distant past.

[Aimen]

Outdated and more political then medical. It shines the light on the issues of society's views and expectations of people with mental illnesses. After a while it got repetitive and too biased. I also think this was waay too old of a book now that I think about it. It presents old statistics that don't really relate anymore but, hey. It was interesting to read about the case studies so there was that.

[Ashlee]

I had trouble getting into this book. I breifly read it and skimmed trhough the rest.It was not what I was expecting. A bit boring, but shared several stastics and facts. It was very informative but not enjoyable.It does show how dreadful mental illness is and how bad those patients are treated.

[Erin]

Good book. You'll think twice next time you pass a homeless guy on the street.

[Emily]

I hated this book.

[Chris]

Outdated now, but interesting.

[Joanna Papontos]

Excellent review of the failure of the mental health system in this country regarding the treatment and care of the most seriously mentally ill, who are now in jails, prisons and on the streets.

[Ryan Johnson]

Decent book, bit dated, but learned a lot from it.