mental illness

Anna Bloom, confined to a mental hospital by her parents who do not know how to deal with her depression and panic attacks, writes letters to her best friend Tracy sharing the funny details of her life and the people she is getting to know at Lakeland.

Provides diagnostic criteria for and descriptions of a range of mental disorders, grouped in seventeen categories, and features instructions concerning the use of the manual, a systematic listing of official codes and categories, and appendixes.

Describes the characteristics and drug treatment of personality disorders, as well as alternative therapies.

Describes the characteristics and drug treatment of schizophrenia, as well as alternative treatments.

Describes the characteristics and drug treatment of psychosomatic disorders, as well as alternative therapies.

Describes the symptoms and stages of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and the treatment protocols, risks, and side effects of various kinds of prescription drugs and alternative therapies.

Eighteen-year-old Ash's change of behavior and its disruptive effects on his family are recounted by younger brother Wes.

Seventeen-year-old Cassie, trying to deal with life in the household of her eccentric, paranoid stepfather, Dino, a genius composer and violin player, makes matters even worse when she begins dating Dino's student, a violin prodigy who does not need anything to distract him from practicing for an important audition.

Sympathetic and informative advice about dealing with the emotional illness of friends and relatives--how to recognize the problem, what to do, what not to do, and how to get help.

Discusses causes of and the treatments for depressive illness, a mental disorder characterized by changes in sleep patterns and loss of interest in food and normal day-to-day activities.