American Madness
Fighting for Patients in a Broken Mental Health System
A psychiatrist tells the story of her struggle to help her patients in our broken American mental health care system.
In this clinical memoir, Alice Feller brings the reader into the world of serious mental illness using patient vignettes and personal accounts of her work, drawn from medical school, hospital wards, private practice, public clinics, and beyond, spanning a career from the 1970s to the present day.
Individual chapters are devoted to cases describing the impact of homelessness, substance abuse, racism, family involvement, and early intervention for schizophrenia cases, on treatment outcomes. Feller identifies specific barriers to care and advocates for reparative strategies that would make the most meaningful and immediate improvements.
This book is meant for anyone whose life is touched by mental illness, whether a patient, in the family, or as a professional, and it is a must read for policy makers in this field.
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Available May 14, 2024
Reviews
“I can’t recommend American Madness enough. Alice Feller uses anecdotes drawn from her years of practice as a psychiatrist to convey, in a few strokes, the realities of serious mental illness, not only from the perspective of the provider but also in the experience of the patient. The writing is engaging and the vignettes flow smoothly in a way that is accessible and illuminating for the general public and those dealing with these issues in their own lives. She defines anosognosia, the inability by many with serious mental illnesses to have insight into their condition, in the clearest way I have seen. The personal narratives culminate in the final expository chapters, where Dr. Feller evaluates our mental health system and its failures. Most importantly, her heart and commitment to her patients comes through, and I wonder how different our outcomes might be if the system didn't make it so hard for these patient-first attributes to guide treatment.”
—Patricia Fontana, activist and co-founder, Voices of Mothers
“This important and engaging book describes a complex national crisis through the lens of one thoughtful psychotherapist’s life experience. Alice Feller has worked in almost every part of our fragmented mental health ‘system’. Her book—part memoir, part policy discussion—helps the reader understand the causes of the crisis, the frustration of being a participant in a failing system, and what policy and program changes are needed to restore our communities to true mental health.”
— Loni Hancock, former California State Senator, California State Assemblymember, mayor of Berkeley, and Berkeley City councilmember
“Alice Feller’s American Madness is a must-read if you’re at all interested in the mental health crisis besetting this country. Dr. Feller embodies the staggering complexities of our system in vivid human stories. Her book is entertaining, illuminating, and absolutely necessary.”
— David Schweidel, author ofWhat Men Call Treasure: the Search For Gold at Victorio PeakandConfidence of the Heart