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Our Necessary Shadow
Our Necessary Shadow
Oct 7, 2024 11:28 AM

Author:Tom Burns

Our Necessary Shadow

Our Necessary Shadow is the first attempt in a generation to explain the whole subject of psychiatry, from the UK's leading expert, Tom Burns

A lot is written about psychiatry and the things it deals with, but very little that describes psychiatry itself. Why should there be such a need? There isn't a raft of books explaining all the other branches of medicine. But for good or ill, psychiatry is a polemical battleground, critcised on the one hand as an instrument of social control or a barbaric practice, while on the other the latest developments in neuroscience are trumpeted as offering lasting solutions to mental illness.

Which of these strikingly contrasting positions should we believe? This is the first attempt in a generation to explain the whole subject of psychiatry. In this deeply thoughtful, descriptive and sympathetic book, Tom Burns reviews the historical development of psychiatry, the places where there is much agreement on treatment and where there is not, throughout alert to where psychiatry helps, and where it is imperfect. What is clear is that mental illnesses are intimately tied to what makes us human in the first place. And the drive to relieve the suffering they cause is even more human. Psychiatry, for all its flaws, currently represents our best attempts to discharge this most human of impulses. It is not something we can just ignore. It is our necessary shadow.

Tom Burns is Professor of Social Psychiatry at Oxford University. From the late 1980s he has conducted research, in addition his clinical and teaching work, and has produced nearly 200 peer-reviewed scientific articles.

Reviews

The Upside of Stress is a perfect how-to guide for anyone who wants to tap into the biology of courage and the psychology of thriving under pressure.

—— Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive

A fascinating tour of cutting-edge research on how stress affects us in ways, both good and bad, that we never suspect. McGonigal brings scientific studies to life, makes her lessons tangible and provides fascinating take-aways for anyone who experiences stress - which, let's face it, is all of us, often all the time.

—— Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit

A courageous, counterintuitive and convincing case for a big idea: stress can be good for you. This enchanting, evidence-based book has already transformed how I think about stress, and I recommend it highly to anyone who lives in the 21st century.

—— Adam Grant, author of Give and Take

If you've ever complained of being stressed out, you need to read this perceptive, thought-provoking book. Kelly McGonigal reveals the surprising truth about why we should embrace the many unsung benefits of stress. The Upside of Stress will change the way you think - and it will change your experience of your life.

—— Gretchen Rubin, author of Better Than Before and The Happiness Project

The message that stress can actually convey health benefits is important and needs to be heard. This thoughtful analysis on the role of mindset will prompt you to re-think your relationship with stress, and help you realize its benefits.

—— Andrew Weil, MD, author of Spontaneous Happiness

Psychologist Jonathan Haidt shows in his wonderfully smart and readable The Happiness Hypothesis [that] modern science and history have a lot to say to each other

—— Washington Post

You know what? Reading it did actually make this reviewer happier.

—— Arena

This is my most gifted book.

—— Prof Damien Hughes, co-author of HIGH PERFORMANCE

Riveting... Brilliantly synthesising ancient cultural insights with modern psychology and even holding out some faint hope that your happiness, if not your tallness, might be marginally adjustable after all.

—— Sunday Times

Marvellous... Haidt...takes us on an extraordinary journey... I don't think I've ever read a book that laid out the contemporary understanding of the human condition with such simple clarity and sense.

—— James Flint , Guardian

A delightful book... By some margin the most intellectually substantial book to arise from the 'Positive Psychology' movement.

—— Nature

With singular gusto, Haidt measures ten 'Great Ideas' against past/present research in psychology and science. "LJ" 's verdict: Dr. Phil et al. don't have diddly on the old-school sages. No man is an island, indeed, and no modern reader should be without this carefully considered demystification of life

—— Library Journal Best Books 2006

[T]he psychologist Jonathan Haidt shows in his wonderfully smart and readable "The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom" [that] modern science and history have a lot to say to each other

—— Darrin McMahon, The Washington Post

Haidt's remedy for the modern glut of frivolous self-help literature is to review and revise the classics, examining the ideas of thinkers like Plato, Buddha and Jesus in light of modern research into human behavior. Along the way, Haidt, a social psychologist, provides practical advice for parenting, romance, work and coping with the political and cultural divisions currently preoccupying the country. The new science he outlines mostly confirms ancient wisdom, but Haidt finds several instances where the two disagree, suggesting that the surest path to happiness is to embrace and balance both old and new thinking

—— Psychology Today

This unusual book sets itself apart from the self-help category with its extensive scientific references, and intelligent, neutral prose, while the author's illuminating illustration of how the human mind works is both educational and refreshing

—— Sunday Times

Rising stars of 2015: one to watch

—— Guardian

Using a series of fascinating case studies as a framework, Dr O’Sullivan skillfully weaves the historical understanding, and misunderstanding, of functional illness into a series of narratives that are moving and thought provoking.

—— Adam Staten , British Journal of General Practice

A sympathetic, insightful study of psychosomatic illness

—— Charlie Hegarty , Catholic Herald

An excellent study of psychosomatic disorders

—— Stuart Kelly , Scotland on Sunday

Fascinating foray into the subject of how mental factors affect our health.

—— Simon Shaw , Mail on Sunday

Her Book, shortlisted for the 2016 Wellcome prize, describes case histories…with precision and compassion.

—— Jane Shilling , Daily Mail

It’s not only a beautifully written book…it’s also a book to start a revolution in healthcare.

—— Helen Rumbelow , The Times

Humane and deeply sympathetic.

—— Jane Shilling , Daily Telegraph

Impressively vivid and sympathetic argument for the reality of the mind’s more harrowing inventions.

—— Brian Dillon , Irish Times

A compassionate, honest and compelling read.

—— Lady

She mixes an easily accessible vocabulary with complex medical terms, something which I found both enjoyable and informative… Ultimately I found this book quite fascinating… I would recommend this book, which contains some hard hitting and highly personal stories.

—— Independent Nurse

A great immersion in psychosomatic problems… If you want to get a head-on feeling for the clinical experience of psychosomatic patients, read this book.

—— Edward Shorter , British Medical Journal

[A] controversial but utterly compassionate memoir.

—— Damian Barr , Guardian

It is as addictive as a great box set makes you rethink some of your closest relationships and wonder about some of the people you know best; and above all, like all truly great book it is about love and compassion.

—— Sathnam Sanghera , The Times, Book of the Year

Epstein is too respectful of the complexity of his subject matter to leap to any grand conclusions. The book was conceived partially as a rebuttal to glib theorising, and it is all the more fascinating as a result

—— Ken Early , Irish Times

Fascinating from start to finish

—— Amanda Khouv , Women's Fitness

Epstein forces us to rethink the very nature of athleticism

—— GrrlScientist , Guardian

Looks at the science of extraordinary athletic performance.

—— Adam Whitehead , Daily Telegraph

Captivating… Dazzling and illuminating

—— Richard Moore , Guardian

Epstein is not afraid to follow science in “trekking deep into the bramble patches of sensitive topics like gender and race"

—— Choice

Captivating… In a particularly fascinating chapter, Epstein investigates an old theory that purports to explain why Jamaica produces so many Olympic sprinters

—— Christie Ashwanden , Scotsman
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