Psychiatry on the Stage: How Plays Can Enhance Our Understanding of Psychiatric Conditions

Psychiatry and theater have a rich history of intersecting, with neuroscience exploring how the brain craves patterns found in art forms. Psychiatry on the Stage provides an overview of basic psychiatric principles applied to plays from the Greeks to modern times, with illustrative vignettes and detailed indexes.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 01 June 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Psychology and theater have frequently intersected in intriguing ways to describe characters, situations, and interactions. Neuroscience is currently exploring how the brain craves patterns found in theater and other art forms, and practitioners in psychiatry often refer to literature and drama to better understand their patients. For instance, the Oedipal complex was first illustrated in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, and Sigmund Freud derived much of his understanding of psychiatric complexes from his familiarity with Greek mythology. Psychiatry on the Stage provides an overview of basic psychiatric principles applied to plays from ancient Greece to modern times. Additional features include illustrative vignettes from the author's practice and several detailed indexes that include plays, corresponding playwrights, and various psychiatric and neurological disorders. As a board-certified psychiatrist and playwright, Dr. Berman is uniquely qualified to explore the connections between psychiatry and theater. This book is sure to appeal to both practitioners in the field of psychiatry and theater enthusiasts alike.

Psychology and theater have frequently intersected in intriguing ways to describe characters, situations, and interactions. Neuroscience is currently exploring how the brain craves patterns found in theater and other art forms, and practitioners in psychiatry often refer to literature and drama to better understand their patients. For instance, the Oedipal complex was first illustrated in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, and Sigmund Freud derived much of his understanding of psychiatric complexes from his familiarity with Greek mythology. Psychiatry on the Stage provides an overview of basic psychiatric principles applied to plays from ancient Greece to modern times. Additional features include illustrative vignettes from the author's practice and several detailed indexes that include plays, corresponding playwrights, and various psychiatric and neurological disorders. As a board-certified psychiatrist and playwright, Dr. Berman is uniquely qualified to explore the connections between psychiatry and theater. This book is sure to appeal to both practitioners in the field of psychiatry and theater enthusiasts alike.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197622032