Whispers: The Voices of ParanoiaFrom a renowned scientist, a vivid and "utterly fascinating" (Los Angeles Times) exploration of the suspicion, terror, and rage that possess the mind of the paranoid. The paranoid inhabits a different realm of being, one that tilts the world ever so slightly. Delusions and hallucinations feed on each other, flourishing with amazing speed. Locked in a new mode of thinking the paranoid views life as from a cell. In a dozen case studies Dr. Ronald Siegel takes us on a chilling but mesmerizing journey into the dark mysteries of the human mind. We meet a woman who hears her teeth whispering; a beautiful ballet dancer who is in love with a shadow; a UCLA student who believes Hitler is speaking to him through a stolen computer program; and a cocaine addict for whom the invasion of imaginary bugs was strong enough to drive him to commit murder. A dedicated and compassionate scientist, Dr. Siegel follows his patients into the shadowlands where paranoia flourishes—drug addiction, prison, organized crime, and terrorism often at risk to himself. He explores mild cases of patients who vaguely believe something is stalking them to serious cases of patients with apocalyptic visions so intense that they shake the foundations of an entire community. Fascinating, enlightening, and immersive, “reading Whispers is like reading about an exotic and dangerous travel adventure” (The Washington Post). |
Contents
Prologue | 1 |
The Demon of Paranoia | 5 |
Interview with Hitlers Brain | 20 |
Dr Tolmans Flying Influence Machine | 53 |
Whispers | 89 |
Shadow Dancing | 113 |
Invasion of Bugs | 140 |
Richie in Whackyland | 170 |
The Floating Dollar Bill | 213 |
The Tenth Plague | 237 |
The Hunt for the Last Dwarf | 254 |
The Paranoid Express | 273 |
Night on Hemingways Grave | 293 |
Bibliography | 299 |
Chapter References | 301 |
Acknowledgments | 309 |
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Common terms and phrases
Adolf Hitler asked beat believed body bugs bunker buzzing called chess Cliff cocaine coke commandos compartment Culver City dance delusions dentist door drug dwarfs Eddie El Topo eyes fear feelings Folie à Deux going hair hallucinations hamsters hand Harry head hear heard Hitler Hitler's brain images influencing machine inside interview Israeli Mafia Jackson Joel kids kill kitchen Kleenex knew Leroy limbic system Linda listened living room looked Lou's Mafia Manson Mario Mark Steiner Matt methamphetamine Michael midget Miss Lillian Miss Louise moved movie never night nitrous oxide noid paranoid patients picked police prison psychiatrist pulled Richie Richie's Robin satellite screamed seemed skin sleep smile Smurfs snakes sounds stared started stopped talking tape teeth tell thing thought told Tolman took trailer trying turned UCLA Vicki voice wait wanted watching whispering worms yelled