Book Review – Shrink Rap: Three Psychiatrists Explain Their Work
Image: Shrink Rap by Len Lantz (CC BY-NC-ND)
Synopsis: Len's Star Rating: 5 out of 10. A solid book on a variety of topics related to the practice of psychiatry.
BY LEN LANTZ, MD / 4.15.2020; No. 15
Disclaimer: Yes, I am a physician, but I’m not your doctor and this article does not create a doctor-patient relationship. This article is for educational purposes and should not be seen as medical advice. You should consult with your physician before you rely on this information. This post also contains affiliate links. Please click this LINK for the full disclaimer.
Star Rating – 5 out of 10
Rating guide: 1 = horrible, 5 = average and 10 = wow
Authors
Dinah Miller, Annette Hanson and Steven Roy Daviss
About the authors
Dinah Miller, MD is a general adult outpatient psychiatrist in Maryland and an instructor in psychiatry at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Besides Shrink Rap, she has written several novels and co-wrote Committed, a book on involuntary psychiatric care, with Dr. Annette Hanson.
Annette Hanson, MD is a forensic psychiatrist in Maryland and co-director of the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Steven Roy Daviss, MD is a Maryland psychiatrist with a specialization in Psychosomatic Medicine and the past Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Baltimore Washington Medical Center.
General description
Shrink Rap: Three Psychiatrists Explain Their Work is a book written for the general public about some of the situations people find themselves in when accessing psychiatric care and why psychiatrists make some of the decisions they do. This book covers a broad range of topics, including:
Why people seek psychiatric care
When to obtain psychiatric care
What happens in psychotherapy
General information about psychiatric medication
Red flags in psychiatric care
Legal issues in psychiatry and involuntary treatment
Costs around psychiatric treatment
Unique and most important aspects
In full disclosure, I’m a psychiatrist, so this review may not be as objective as a non-psychiatrist’s review. This is a brave book for any psychiatrist to write, as practicing psychiatry is about synthesizing a myriad of information, which makes it hard to explain to others. Psychiatry is at the intersection of medicine, mental health and society. The information presented in Shrink Rap is accurate and balanced, however, the writing style is didactic and the patient stories feel a bit distant. I found it hard to find a path in this book, but the information is sound. Important concepts from this book include:
Explaining what happens in the “black box” of the mental health system
Covering nuanced social issues as they relate to psychiatry and access to psychiatry
Mentioning controversies in the field of psychiatry
Answering some of the questions about why the mental health system is so complex and why better solutions are not in place
Best quote
“Since we brought up the issue of people seeking treatment for education and insight, we’ll end by addressing the question of whether all psychiatrists are crazy. Forgive us for using such a derogatory term, but that’s the stereotype that travels. Simply put, psychiatrists are people, and they deviate, like all people, from any image of “normal.” Some psychiatrists have psychiatric disorders, others have family members with psychiatric disorders, and some have no personal connection to mental illness. In any field, there are people who have a personal interest in the diseases they treat, often because of family history or personal experience. One might also ask if psychiatrists are more likely to have idiosyncratic personality styles, but there is no research into this.”
Who would enjoy this book?
Readers who are looking for descriptive explanations about some of the things psychiatrists do and some of the workings of the mental health system would likely enjoy Shrink Rap.
Who would not enjoy this book?
Readers who are looking for engaging patient stories or who already know about how the mental health system works might not enjoy Shrink Rap.
Conclusion
Shrink Rap is a solid book on a variety of topics related to the practice of psychiatry.