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Summary
Summary
Americans seek therapy in record numbers and consume more medications than ever before, yet stress, anxiety, and depression continue to rise to epidemic proportions. People can spend years on the psychoanalytic couch without making any progress. And for many psychiatrists, the prescription-writing reflex has become almost automatic, despite the fact that benefits often disappear as soon as drug treatment stops. Standard treatments simply aren't long-term solutions.
But psychiatrist/neurologist David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D., knows that we can cure our emotional pain. He's seen certain natural methods produce tremendous results in his clinical practice, in that of his peers, and even in war-torn regions where horrific memories can leave deep scars.
Numerous studies in prestigious scientific journals have documented the amazing benefits of these methods on anxiety and depression, but because the mechanisms through which they operate remain poorly understood, they've remained largely excluded from mainstream medicine and psychiatry. Dr. Servan-Schreiber explains how each of the natural methods in this ensemble treatment plan can help us escape the therapy/drug trap by working through the body to tap into the emotional brain's self-healing processes rather than relying on the cognitive process of language.
Weaving fascinating accounts of his firsthand experience and findings together with the research of hundreds of other esteemed scientists, Dr. Servan-Schreiber outlines a program that's becoming embraced throughout the world as a permanent cure for emotional pain. See how you, too, can tap into The Instinct to Heal .
Author Notes
David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D. , is clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and cofounder of the Center for Complementary Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He codirected a National Institutes of Health laboratory for the study of clinical cognitive neuroscience and functional neuroimaging for several years and has published more than 90 scientific monographs. He's lectured at leading international academic centers, including Stanford, Columbia, Cornell, and Cambridge Universities. One of the original seven members of the United States board of Doctors Without Borders/Médicins Sans Frontières, he served on the board for 9 years and provided medical relief in Kurdistan, Guatemala, India, Tajikistan, and Kosovo. He continues to develop mental health interventions for victims of crises and to train therapists in crisis areas.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Pointing to the stark statistic that more than 11 million Americans currently take antidepressants, Servan-Schreiber, psychiatrist and co-founder of the University of Pittsbugh's Center for Complementary Medicine, offers seven natural treatments for stress-related disorders. Honed by his travels as a Doctors Without Borders founder, Servan-Schreiber's holistic approach involves neither drugs nor traditional talk therapies (which he notes have never been proven effective), but relies on the brain's own healing mechanism. Combining solid scientific data, diagrams and anecdotal evidence in a highly accessible format, the author smoothly guides readers through alternative therapies, including acupuncture, dawn simulation, heart coherence and nutrition, "a field almost entirely abandoned" by today's mental health professionals, but of vital importance, he notes, to such conditions as postpartum depression and bipolar disorder. While admitting all treatments should ideally submit to a rigorous controlled study, the author laments the lack of economic interest on the part of pharmaceutical companies to study anything unpatentable. A final section, with tips and techniques on improving communication in personal relationships and integrating therapies into daily life nicely rounds out this valuable resource. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Library Journal Review
There are some special considerations involved in selecting material on alternative medicine for libraries. On the one hand, patrons deserve (and demand) information on a wide range of treatment options; on the other, as librarians, we also want to make sure that patrons are aware of standards and the best practices. Obviously, the usual selection criteria, such as author qualifications and the verifiability of source information, remain important as well. All these criteria are met by The Instinct To Heal. Founder of Doctors Without Borders and currently at the University of Pittsburgh, Servan-Schreiber has an impressive background. Here he explains the mainstream treatment of depression (a combination of drugs and talk therapy) in a neutral fashion. He then recommends alternative treatments, e.g., acupuncture, dawn simulation, heart coherence, and nutrition, and backs up his recommendations with citations from scientific journals. Material on self-treatment for depression and anxiety is in great demand, and this refreshing alternative is sound. Highly recommended for public libraries. The Natural Medicine Guide to Anxiety does not have the same qualifications. Written by a journalist, it cites mostly secondary sources, i.e., other articles and books written for the general public. Marohn covers several of the more speculative treatments, including psychic healing, flower essence therapy, and homeopathy. However, she does not sufficiently discuss the most commonly recommended treatment of drugs and cognitive-behavioral therapy, so the book lacks context and the solid grounding afforded by Servan-Schreiber in his work. Not recommended.-Mary Ann Hughes, Neill P.L., Pullman, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
