The Divided Self: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness

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Penguin UK, Jan 28, 2010 - Psychology - 240 pages
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The Divided Self, R.D. Laing's groundbreaking exploration of the nature of madness, illuminated the nature of mental illness and made the mysteries of the mind comprehensible to a wide audience.

First published in 1960, this watershed work aimed to make madness comprehensible, and in doing so revolutionized the way we perceive mental illness. Using case studies of patients he had worked with, psychiatrist R. D. Laing argued that psychosis is not a medical condition, but an outcome of the 'divided self', or the tension between the two personas within us: one our authentic, private identity, and the other the false, 'sane' self that we present to the world.

Laing's radical approach to insanity offered a rich existential analysis of personal alienation and made him a cult figure in the 1960s, yet his work was most significant for its humane attitude, which put the patient back at the centre of treatment.

Includes an introduction by Professor Anthony S. David.

'One of the twentieth century's most influential psychotherapists'
Guardian

'Laing challenged the psychiatric orthodoxy of his time ... an icon of the 1960s counter-culture'
The Times

 

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Contents

Preface to the Original Edition
The existentialphenomenological foundations for a science
The existentialphenomenological foundations for
Ontological insecurity
The embodied and unembodied self
The inner self in the schizoid condition
6The falseself system
Selfconsciousness
The case of Peter
Psychotic developments
Copyright

Other editions - View all

The Divided Self: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness
Ronald David Laing
Limited preview - 1999
The Divided Self: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness
Ronald David Laing
Snippet view - 1965

Common terms and phrases

able actions actual alive anxiety appear aspects attempt avoid awareness basic became become beginning behaviour believe body called child clinical comes complete course danger dead death defence described desire difficulty direct dread engulfed everything existence existential experience experienced expression eyes face fact false false-self system father fear feel felt frightened girl give guilt hated human identity imagination individual individual’s inner instance intentions isolation Julie killed Laing least less living look losing means mind mother nature never normal object observation one’s oneself ontological parents partial particular patient person phantasy playing position possible present psychiatry psychosis psychotic reality regarded relation relationship remain schizoid schizophrenic seemed seen sense simply someone speak split things thought threatened tried true trying turned understanding usually wanted whole wish

About the author (2010)

R.D. Laing, one of the best-known psychiatrists of modern times, was born in Glasgow in 1927. R.D. Laing's writings range from books on social theory to verse, as well as numerous articles and reviews in scientific journals and the popular press. His many publications include The Divided Self, Self and Others, Interpersonal Perception, The Politics of Experience and The Bird of Paradise, Madness and Folly. R.D. Laing died in 1989.

Anthony David graduated in medicine from Glasgow University in 1980. After training in neurology he switched to psychiatry at the Maudsley & Bethlem Hospitals. He is currently Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London. He has edited several books including The Self in Neuroscience and Psychiatry (2003) with T. Kircher, and Insight and Psychosis (2nd ed., 2004) with X. Amador, and is author of over 350 publications in peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals.

Bibliographic information

QR code for The Divided Self
TitleThe Divided Self: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness
Penguin Modern Classics
AuthorR. D. Laing
PublisherPenguin UK, 2010
ISBN0141962089, 9780141962085
Length240 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Medical / Psychiatry / General
Philosophy / Movements / Existentialism
Psychology / Psychopathology / General
  
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