Washoe County Library System

E. Fuller Torrey's book provides an inside perspective on the birth of the federal mental health program.

Presents information about the intergenerational impact of systemic racism on the physical and psychological health of African Americans and explains why and how society needs to collectively do more to combat its pernicious effects.

John Robison longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teenager, his odd habits had earned him the label "social deviant." No guidance came from his mother, who conversed with light fixtures, or his father, who spent evenings drunk. No wonder he gravitated to machines, which could be counted on. His savant-like ability to visualize electronic circuits landed him a gig with KISS, for whom he created their legendary fire-breathing...

"Music broadcaster and composer Stephen Johnson explores how Stostakovich's music took shape under Stalin's reign of terror, and how it gave form to the fears and hopes of an oppressed people. Johnson writes of the healing effect of music on sufferers of mental illness and tells of how Shostakovich's music lent him unexpected strength in his struggle with bipolar disorder. Through interviews conducted with surviving members of Soviet orchestras, through...

"In 1954, researchers at the newly formed National Institute of Mental Health set out to study the genetics of schizophrenia. When they got word that four 24-year-old identical quadruplets in Lansing, Michigan, had all been diagnosed with the mental illness, they could hardly believe their ears. Here was incontrovertible proof of hereditary transmission and, thus, a chance to bring international fame to their fledgling institution. The case of the...

"An engrossing memoir-meets-investigative report that takes a fresh, frank look at how we treat depression … Depression is a havoc-wreaking illness that masquerades as personal failing and hijacks your life. After a major suicide attempt in her early twenties, Anna Mehler Paperny resolved to put her reporter's skills to use to get to know her enemy, setting off on a journey to understand her condition, the dizzying array of medical treatments on...

"Was Andy Warhol a hoarder? Did Einstein have autism? In this surprising and inventive look at the evolution of mental health, respected journalist Claudia Kalb gives readers a glimpse into the lives of high-profile historic figures through the lens of modern psychology, weaving groundbreaking research into biographical narratives that are deeply embedded in our culture. From Marilyn Monroe's borderline personality disorder to Charles Darwin's anxiety,...

A step-by-step guide for people whose loved one is showing signs of emotional or behavioral turmoil, discussing how to determine when professional help is needed, how to make the first approach, gathering allies, selecting the correct professional, and supporting their loved ones.

"There was a huge public outpouring to the recent articles in The New York Times about Family Foundation School, a last-resort institution for troubled teens in upstate New York. It described the near 50% death rate of alumni-including many by suicide-and how the survivors lived with their trauma in the years after leaving the school. A follow-up piece this January covered the shocking facts that came to light through multiple lawsuits and the continuing...