Into the Abyss: A neuropsychiatrist's notes on troubled minds

Written by Anthony David

Narrated by Simon Mattacks

We cannot know how to fix a problem until we understand its causes. But even for some of the most common mental health problems, three specialists might offer you three completely different treatments.

As a cognitive neuropsychiatrist, Professor Anthony David brings together many fields of study, from social and cognitive psychology to neurology. The key for each patient might be anything from a traumatic memory to a chemical imbalance, an unhealthy way of thinking or a hidden tumour.

Patrick believes he is dead; Jennifer's schizophrenia medication seems to bring on the symptoms of Parkinson's; Emma is in a coma – or is she just refusing to respond?

These are the fascinating case studies that have driven the most startling insights in Anthony's forty-year career studying illnesses at the edge of human understanding.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Feb 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9781799752264

Anthony David

Anthony David is head of psychiatry at the renowned Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London and a practising clinician at the Maudsley and Bethlem Hospitals, South London, the country’s leading psychiatric institution. He is also the director and Sackler Chair of the UCL Institute of Mental Health. He has published over 500 peer-reviewed articles and is editor of the journal Cognitive Neuropsychiatry. He also wrote the introduction to the Penguin Classics edition of R D Laing's The Divided Self.

Reviews for Into the Abyss

[carol thomas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating. Authkr writes with great sensitivity and care about his patients. Very true to life as not all cases have a happy ending. Background information on psychiatric disorders was very insightful and informative. Narration was brilliant.

[ravenov · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting read and gives you a lot to think about

[Carrie Gooding · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

An interesting book, interestingly told. The final chapter was one of those situations where I am reading a book that doesn't look like it will have anything to do with autism and then it does. The writer makes a point of distinguishing between "autistic spectrum disorder" and "proper autism". I "have a diagnosis of" (to use the termonology that's used, though I don't like that pathologising language) autism. Presumably because I am usually less other or less visibly other I would be considered to "have" "autistic spectrum disorder" rather than "proper autism". "Proper" may be being used casually here (in keeping with the tone of the rest of the book), but still. Casual passing references to autism all too frequently crop up in books by writers who may not mean to be being unhelpful, but it really seems excessively cursory here. And it's right at the end. I would have prefered to know in advance so I could have not read the book without knowing and find it dismissing and pathologising, so I'm leaving a review in case anyone else would rather not read it then come across the final chapter unexpectedly.

[LynneGauthier · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting read. I found the case of Capgras syndrome particularly fascinating.

[knightlight777 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A compilation of cases involving neurological/psychiatric patients by a doctor who experienced them and their challenges. The central theme that came back from this book was how the complexity of human neurology can create some difficulties in day to day function that we all take for granted.

One particular case about a nonresponsive girl was particularly striking in that she would show almost no sign of life really but then come out of this shell on treatment only to retreat back into the cocoon in a puzzling way that was never really resolved. We can only observe these cases grateful for what we have that moves us along through our own lives.