7 books that will help you understand mental disorders and help yourself and loved ones

1. "The Wisdom of Psychopaths", Kevin Dutton

Psychopaths are among us. They are difficult to recognize, but it is very easy to fall under their influence. Often they are very charming, have great power of persuasion and easily achieve whatever they want. Even if it means sacrificing the interests of other people.

Communication with a psychopath has a detrimental effect on the psyche, but it can take years before a person realizes this. It is especially difficult for those who have to live in the same family. This is exactly what happened to Kevin Dutton, the author of this book. His father was a psychopath.

Kevin analyzes his experience, talks about how to recognize a person with antisocial disorder personality, interact with him with minimal harm to yourself, and even about what a psychopath can do learn!

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2. “Psychopath or asshole. How to defend yourself?”, Vasily Chibisov

Since there are quite a lot of psychopaths, you need to somehow interact with them. And preferably without harm to yourself. And even better - with benefit.

Vasily Chibisov's book is a kind of guide to different types of psychopaths. This is not a scientific publication, so it can hardly be used to make a diagnosis (but alarm bells that you can contact a specialist are indicated here).

The book is useful for everyday communication, when you need to find a common language with a complex, specific person in communication, not let yourself be offended and achieve your goal.

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3. “Listen and stop. Therapeutic stories for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, Allen Weg

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OKR) is a mental disorder that manifests itself in obsessive thoughts and high anxiety. According to statistics, from 1 to 3% of the world's population suffers from this disorder to one degree or another. The real numbers are even higher, as OCD is often underdiagnosed and stigmatized.

Founder of Stress and Anxiety Services in New Jersey, Member of the Clinical Scientific Advisory Board International OCD Society Allen Weg shares his method of treating OCD with storytelling. The book will be useful not only for specialists in working with patients, but also for people suffering from OCD. In addition to theory, you can find therapeutic stories in it that are suitable as one of the self-help mechanisms.

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4. “No masks. Bipolar, Masha Pushkina

Bipolar disorder is life on a swing that never stops. This is an incredible upsurge, a surge of strength and raging energy, which is inevitably followed by a decline, depression and even suicidal thoughts. This is a huge burden on the psyche for the person himself and the absolute unpredictability of his behavior for others.

Masha Pushkina has collected real stories of people who live with bipolar disorder in our country. They talked about how they cope with the diagnosis, about the reaction of others and the difficulties that they have to overcome.

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5. Stop Walking on Eggshells: Living with Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder by Paul Mason, Randy Kroeger

Borderline personality disorder makes life not just difficult, but unbearable. And help needed not only by those suffering from the disorder, but also by their relatives and friends. And this book can help.

It teaches to recognize the signs of BPD, find a common language, protect yourself and children from physical and psychological influences. Thanks to the stories and advice collected in it, you will begin to think more soberly (it can be difficult when you are in a situation), find solutions to current problems and predict the future.

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6. "I hate you, just don't leave me. Borderline Personalities and How to Understand Them, Jerold Kreisman, Hal Straus

Living life to the fullest with a person with BPD is generally possible, but it requires working with the problem, not turning a blind eye to it. The authors of the book analyze everything: from the causes of the disorder to symptoms and fight them. The book has a therapeutic effect, because it helps to see hope where it seemed to be gone. You will be able to look at a loved one with different eyes and stop taking the manifestations of the disease personally.

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7. “Distant close. How to Live with a Person with Borderline Personality Disorder: Emotions, Boundaries, Conflicts by Jerold Kreisman

The main difficulty in communicating with people suffering from borderline personality disorder is that the usual ways of communication often do not work with them. And you have to constantly look for new ones, not knowing what reaction may follow.

The author, based on long-term personal communication with such people, is deeply immersed in their inner world and seems to highlight what is happening there with a flashlight. He gives specific advice not only on how to communicate with people with BPD, but also talks about how additional literature can be read if necessary, how to find a good psychotherapist and about much more.

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