Shrink Rap: Three Psychiatrists Explain Their Work

by Dinah Miller MD, Annette Hanson MD, Steven Roy Daviss MD

Finally, a book that explains everything you ever wanted to know about psychiatry! In Shrink Rap, three psychiatrists from different specialties provide frank answers to questions such • What is psychotherapy, how does it work, and why don't all psychiatrists do it?
• When are medications helpful?
• What happens on a psychiatric unit?
• Can Prozac make people suicidal?
• Why do many doctors not like Xanax?
• Why do we have an insanity defense?
• Why do people confess to crimes they didn't commit? Based on the authors' hugely popular blog and podcast series, this book is for patients and everyone else who is curious about how psychiatrists work. Using compelling patient vignettes, Shrink Rap explains how psychiatrists think about and address the problems they encounter, from the mundane (how much to charge) to the controversial (involuntary hospitalization). The authors face the field's shortcomings head-on, revealing what other doctors may not admit about practicing psychiatry. Candid and humorous, Shrink Rap gives a closeup view of psychiatry, peering into technology, treatments, and the business of the field. If you've ever wondered how psychiatry really works, let the Shrink Rappers explain.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Medicine, Psychiatry, Mental Health, Science

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2011

Reviews

[Gabrielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the beginning part and the middle and end just got boring also they mentioned every mental disorder under the sun except for OCD that annoyed me but overall this book taught me a lot

[Lani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure I'm the intended audience for this book, but I did get through it quickly and without complaint. I see it as a good discussion of psychiatry in various forms and in mostly laymans terms.

Much of the information was stuff I know from psych classes, and from personal experience with the mental health system, but there is certainly value in hearing from a doctor's perspective. I'm already pretty familiar with the standards for psychotherapy and the various different approaches. The confusing explanations of how mental health care insurance works, and the explanations of medication interactions were particularly interesting to me however.

I appreciate the LOOOOONG reading list at the end of the book, although I think that might be better suited to being interspersed within the text, maybe at the end of relevant chapters?

The conversational tone of the writing and the frequent 'real life' examples kept the book from being a dry psych textbook. The example case studies were wide ranging and show the variety of work these three psychiatrists do. I think the differing perspectives do help expand the understanding of what psychiatry really is, and how crucial it is to a variety of aspects of society that we may not consider.

[Jawad Marji · Rating 5 out of 5]

It provided me with a really clear idea of the different components of psychiatry without overwhelming me with details I wasn't looking for.

A really concise, straight-to-the-point introduction of diagnosing and treating illnesses in psychiatry, as well as the different legal and healthcare systems that are involved.

[Kazen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a medical interpreter I relay what was said in one language in another, so technically I only have to grok the words. However it helps if I know what the speakers are thinking and why they say the things they do. In many cases the patient's thoughts are simple: "OW. Ow ow ow ow ow - a little help here?" In acute cases the questions make sense: "You have a fever, ache, and chills... have you been in contact with anyone who has the flu?" The one specialty that tends to throw me off, though, is psychiatry. Questions seem to come out of left field and I have no idea what's going on in the doctor's head.

Luckily the three doctors who wrote this book have my back. They each have a different area of expertise - hospital psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, and psychotherapy - and their combined depth of knowledge is evident and awesome. We're shown scenarios with fictitious patients, explaining why the (also fictitious) doctors ask the questions they do, when and why certain medications should be avoided, and what they hope the patient will achieve via treatment.

This look inside psychiatrists' heads was invaluable for me. I was able to think about cases I'm familiar with and finally realize why a certain medication was stopped, or why the doctor asked a seemingly unrelated question. I have yet to interpret in an institutional setting but I now feel much more prepared to tackle a jail or involuntary hospitalization assignment. The legal system is different where I am, of course, but the basic tenants of treatment remain the same.

In a similar vein, there is a lot of discussion about how psychiatrists are reimbursed and how this or that insurance authorizes treatment. It isn't relevant to me, and things have probably changed under the Affordable Care Act, but it's still interesting.

The writing is clear and easy to follow, striking a balance between jargon and a more general writing style. If you have some kind of contact with mental health professionals (like me) or an interest in the area you'll love Shrink Rap. I'm not sure I would push it on friends not into medical non-fiction, though - give them some Mary Roach first.

[T.L. Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shrink Rap: Three Psychiatrists Explain Their Work by Dinah Miller, M.D., Annette Hanson, M. D., and Steven Roy Daviss, M. D. explain the way psychiatrists perform their jobs. They give detailed explanations of the process and example of possible scenarios to illustrate the various aspects of psychiatry. Written for the layman to understand the process, the book still calls for the reader to pay close attention in order to internalize all the nuances included. While the psychiatrists don't always agree, they reflect the myriad differences throughout the psychiatric community. They discuss talk therapy, medicinal treatment, hospitalization, outpatient care, and treatment within the legal system in enough depth to demystify psychiatry for most readers. Still, the book does require a certain level of knowledge to fully assimilate the material. Shrink Rap is a book the reader should plan to spend some time reading and studying. It is filled with a lot of useful information. Shrink Rap will make a terrific reference book for anyone who needs mental health care or knows someone who needs mental health as it seeks to remove the stigma often attached to mental illness that keeps people from seeking the care they need. The authors provide a well-written, well-informed, and interesting look at the mental health care system in Shrink Rap.

[Alla S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “Shrink Rap,” three MD’s involved in the psychology industry--Dinah Miller, Annette Hanson, and Steven Roy Daviss –explore the modern landscape of diagnostic criteria, treatment, the path to recovery, and much more through this guide to the industry.

The book alternates between stories of different patients, intended to portray different situations and their solutions. Chapters cover topics like the decision to get help, a walk through the system, different reasons why people might seek care, psychotherapy, prescription medication as alternative treatment, making medical decisions for others, mental disorders as a legal defense, psychiatry in a hospital setting, psychiatry as business (including insurance networks, preventing lawsuits, influences of the pharmaceutical industry, etc.), controversial topics that divide psychiatrists, and the future of psychiatry.

The book itself is very detailed and covers all the topics in depth, using hypothetical patient cases to illustrate the material discussed. Recommended for students, people working in the industry, patients, and anyone interested in modern psychology.

[Steve Daviss]

I won't rate it since I'm a co-author on the book, but I do appreciate the comments on GoodReads about Shrink Rap. Readers would know this, but we do have a blog called Shrink Rap where you can continue the conversation on many of these topics (many of our posts have dozens of comments). In addition, if you prefer audio, we have sixty-some podcasts on My Three Shrinks (also on iTunes w/50+ reviews).

Finally, a couple of good give-backs to the Good Readers. We have made available the list of Suggested Readings from our book HERE. And, here is an annotated list of Our Readers' List of Best Shrinky Books.

Thank you.
=Steve Daviss MD

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shrink Rap: Three Psychiatrists Explain Their Work is a guide book to modern psychiatry. With the help of fictions patients, the three authors paint a portrait of psychiatric work in many situations. Beginning with what to expect when getting help, the authors cover the more personal situations of help. What an evaluation encompasses, what the psychiatric system is like, why people seek care and psychotropic medications. In the latter part of the book, the authors address different work places that psychiatrists see patients, what happens if something goes wrong, how psychiatry operates within the prison system, the hospital system and legal systems. The business of psychiatry and disagreements in the field are also mentioned before ending with the future of psychiatry. I thought this book had a lot to offer and provided me with information I wasn't even aware of. It is a guide and a bit dryly written but also very readable.

[Monika · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this would be a more in depth exploration of psychiatrists and how they approach certain problems. Instead, it reads like a high school level class on what psychiatry actually is. There was nothing insightful in the book. The only people I can imagine getting use out of this book would be those who think they might want to see a psychiatrist but know nothing about it and want to learn more, or maybe family members of people seeing psychiatrists who know nothing about it. It was not useful or interesting to me at all.

[Marcela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little bit sluggish to get through from start to finish so skipped around a bit. Some parts were off; for example the explanations about commitment are something that can vary greatly depending on state but overall ok introduction to different sorts of patients and how psychiatrists work in different situations.

[Nate Hendrix · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting and I learned from it, but not very entertaining. If you want to learn more about shrinks this is the book for you, but it gets to be kind of a slog twards the end.

[Phoebe · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you know anything about psychiatry or mental health services, this book is probably not worth your time.

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was unable to finish this. Good premise, but surprisingly boring execution.

[Beto · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't impressed with the book. Maybe because I work in the field, but it was mehhh. Boring.

[CL · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was really interesting! I loved the case studies