Successful Psychopharmacology - by Stephen V Sobel (Paperback)

Number of Pages: 352
Genre: Medical
Sub-Genre: Psychiatry
Format: Paperback
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Age Range: Adult
Book theme: Psychopharmacology
Author: Stephen V Sobel
Featured book lists: Textbooks
Language: English

About the Book

A guide for physicians and clinicians to understanding and choosing the proper psychiatric medications and for their patients who want to learn how this should be done.

Book Synopsis

This book teaches mental health professionals how to choose and use psychotropic medications to address the biological etiology of psychiatric disease and mental health. It helps readers understand the key aspects of psychotherapy to deal with the psychosocial factors that prescribers need to know to use these medications within the context of the patient's life.

This book is based on the premise that all mental health--in the most symptomatic, impaired individual and in the most mentally healthy individual--is caused by a combination of biopsychosocial factors. Mental health professionals need to recognize and understand these factors and their interactions, and correct them. An understanding of all these factors, and of psychopharmacology, can lead to better treatment decisions.

This book is for many readers: for psychiatrists who recognize the daily challenges in treating patients; for primary care physicians who identify psychiatric disorders in their patients; for non-medically-trained mental health professionals who want a more sophisticated understanding of psychopharmacology; and even for patients who want and need a better understanding of the medications their doctors have prescribed them.

Review Quotes

[E]minently readable . . . . [C]lear and concise . . . . [T]houghtfully describes common patient issues with medication therapy . . . . Excellent explanations of drug mechanisms of action . . . . Obviously, clinicians in psychiatry and psychology would enjoy this book, but perhaps less obvious is its enormous value to scientists, pharmacists, and other health care professionals, as well as health sciences students. Highly recommended.-- "CHOICE"

The author gracefully combines his everyday clinical experience with treatment guidelines. . . . The writing style is lucid and succinct.-- "Metapsychology Online Reviews" (12/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)

Dr. Sobel has distilled a large amount of information on psychopharmacology into easily digestible bites, giving practical information that will greatly benefit any primary care physician. Gleaning tips from both his incisive research and his many years of experience as a psychiatrist, Dr. Sobel presents the reader with useful and accessible advice in an engaging conversational style.--Gregg Lichtenstein, MD, MBA, FAAFP, Medical Director, Student Health Services, San Diego State University

Stephen Sobel has written a wide-ranging, impressive book on psychopharmacology. His expertise is obvious as is his honesty regarding the challenges clinicians and patients face. This book is a welcome addition to my collection of books on the topic, and I highly recommend adding it to yours.--Rakesh Jain, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Services, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX

This book offers an engaging take on modern psychopharmacology by artfully combining the author's real-world clinical experience with evidence-based treatment guidelines. Punctuated by insightful anecdotes and vignettes, this book manages to reframe the ultimate goal of modern psychopharmacology: to optimize functional recovery by aggressively seeking total symptom control.--Mark Rapaport, MD, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine, and Ebrahim Haroon, MD, Emory University

This excellent book demonstrates why Dr. Sobel is so highly regarded in professional circles. It paves a solid pathway through which to regain that functional state that would otherwise elude the individual suffering from this medical problem.--Gustavo Alva, MD, DFAPA, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of California, Irvine

Whether you are a physician or a psychotherapist treating mental health disorders, you will want this volume close at hand. Dr. Sobel has a remarkable ability to describe neurobiology and the mechanisms of action of medications and he makes it clear how to achieve his stated goal of remission for mental health disorders. With straightforward, un-common sense and evident compassion for his patients, he provides templates for using medications so those who prescribe can find their way through the maze of choices to serve the patient most effectively. Dr. Sobel also clarifies for psychotherapists where medication fits into the recovery of our clients, so we can provide confident medication referrals and foster our clients' compliance with medication regimens. Here is a genuine 'go-to' book on psychopharmacology you do not want to miss!--Margaret Wehrenberg, author of The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques