num_pages: 240
description: Mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime, but ignorance on this subject is still rife. The stories the families involved have to tell here can be dramatic, touching, informative but certainly gripping, and the sense of isolation described is only a short metaphorical step from a "lonely desert island". As background, the authors consider the development of support organisations for families, the history of psychiatry and, from their personal experience, the often questionable contributions of the anti-psychiatry lobby. Some advice is offered and finally the controversial question of involuntary hospitalization and treatment is discussed.
language: English
title: A Lonely Desert Island
titlecomplete: A Lonely Desert Island
publisher: Xlibris, Corp.