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livloid's review against another edition

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3.0

Positives:
Provides framework for recovery / reflection, in people that others have given up on.
Shows hope that those who are ‘hard to reach’ may still have the ability to reflect, process and move forward.

Negatives:
Like psychoanalysis generally, there is so much focus on the individual and less on the ways in which we alienate people and how society contributes to cruel actions. I was struck by how speculative the insight is - you can’t really know what is going on in someone else’s mind, and to pretend you do requires a degree of arrogance - and it is presented as definitive whenever Dr Adshead reaches a conclusion about someone. This is a problem with psychoanalysis in general, not just her (I’m sure she is a great clinician).

Also, the premise of the book is to not see these people as monsters. I’m not sure that is achieved, given the fact that most case studies have been in prison/hospital/legal system for years and for most of them, they will not escape those institutions. There could have been more scope for the psychoanalysis of a free person who has committed evil acts which fall outside of the remit of law. This would have challenged perceptions of ‘evil’ even further.

All in all, I enjoyed the writing and, to some degree, the insight.
However, I feel there is not enough effort on the psychiatrist’s part to challenge societal structures and what shapes our perception of who deserves to be seen as evil, and who doesn’t.

roninil's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

eliathereader's review against another edition

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informative slow-paced

4.0

İyileşme süreci, olanları aşmaya değil, olanlarla yaşamaya dayanır.
.
Arada psikoloji hakkında okumalar yapmayı seviyorum. Tanıdık Şeytan bu alanda okuduğum en iyi kitaplardan oldu diyebilirim. Adli psikiyatrik vakaları içeriyor, her bir vaka sade bir şekilde kaleme alındığından zorluk yaşamadan okuyorsunuz. İnsanların neden suç işlediğine, suçun affının ne olduğuna, yeniden farklı bir başlangıç yapmak mümkün müdür sorularına cevap veriyor. Ağır vakalar anlatılıyor hatta birkaç bölümde şok oldum diyebilirim. Tamamen normal bir hayata sahip olmuş kişilerin bile nasıl istismar, cinayet gibi ağır suç işlediklerinin analizini yapıyor. 11 farklı kişinin hikayesi anlatılıyor. Bütün vakalar etkileyiciydi ama Zahra, Ian ve David unutulmaz olanlar arasındaydı. Beni en çok etkileyen ise Adshead’in hastalarına karşı inanılmaz bir empati kurması ve her hastasından insanlık dersi çıkarabilmesiydi. Kariyeri boyunca hep ağır vakalarla karşılaşmış ve her şeye rağmen pozitifliğini korumayı da başarabilmiş bir insan. Ruh sağlığı alanına daha çok yatırım ve teşvik yapılmasının da üzerinde bol bol duruyor. Bu vakalardaki çoğu kişi zamanında terapi almış olsaydı belki de başkalarına zarar vermeyecekti. Okuduğuma memnun olduğum kitaplardan oldu. Akademik veya benim gibi kişisel nedenle psikoloji alanıyla ilgilenen herkese mutlaka okumalarını tavsiye ederim.

mia_r0se's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

humans are so interesting

lizlunn's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

joena's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

indy148's review against another edition

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5.0

Fascinating, sometimes disturbing, food for thought

chandler_0's review against another edition

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5.0

The stories within this book are not easy to read but the compassion and desire to help people that Dr Adshead shows shines through and provides a glimmer of hope that there are people out there working hard to make things better.

Sadly what is abundantly clear is that mental health care is catastrophically underfunded.

ivor's review against another edition

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dark informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

astator's review against another edition

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informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.75

An amazing read if you are working in (forensic) psychiatry or interested in this field. The openness that dr Adshead uses towards her patients stands in stark contrast to the grimness of some of their crimes. Fascinating read!