The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.
Dawkins explains that a supernatural designer most certainly does not exist, therefore a belief in one is a delusion.
Dawkins writes that The God Delusion contains four "consciousness-raising" messages:
- Atheists can be happy, balanced, moral, and intellectually fulfilled.
- Natural selection and similar scientific theories are superior to a "God hypothesis" -the illusion of intelligent design - in explaining the living world and the cosmos.
- Children should not be labelled by their parents' religion. Terms like "Catholic child" or "Muslim child" should make people cringe.
- Atheists should be proud, not apologetic, because atheism is evidence of a healthy, independent mind
This is the book that scared the crap out of my exceptionally catholic family when they saw me reading it.
The Myth of the Chemical Cure by Joanna Moncrieff.
This book should be on the list of essential reading for all psychology students, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, psychotherapists, counsellors, service providers and the lot. It is exceptionally well argued and referenced. She exposes the 'chemical imbalance' theory, as currently there is little or no reliable evidence to suggest that the drugs currently being used actually treat an 'underlying chemical imbalance'. She suggests acknowledging the real nature of psychiatric drugs as toxic or potentially toxic agents that cause change in brain function and therefore mask the symptoms.
I think the use of drugs should be limited and more cautious. They should only compliment therapy or be used by individuals who without them could not function and engage in therapy.
I hate you, don't leave me: understanding Borderline Personality Disorder by Jerold Kreisman and Hal Straus.
This is the book I accidentally picked up in the library during the first year of my degree and that's how I became so interested in BPD.
It's a bit old and therefore does not include the newest advances in treatments such as Dialectal Behaviour Therapy. It does, however, give a pretty a pretty good introduction to what this disorder is all about and insight to personal experiences of sufferers, as well as tips on how to cope with somebody with BPD.
