About the Book

Isn’t it time we rethink madness? 

Recent domestic and international research suggests that full recovery from schizophrenia and other related psychotic disorders is not only possible, but may actually be the most common outcome given the right conditions, a finding that flies directly in the face of the mainstream understanding of these confusing disorders.

In Rethinking Madness, Dr. Paris Williams takes the reader step by step on a highly engaging journey of discovery, exploring how the mainstream understanding of schizophrenia has become so profoundly misguided, while crafting a much more accurate and hopeful vision of madness. As this vision unfolds, we discover a deeper sense of appreciation for the profound wisdom and resilience that lies within all of our beings, even those we may think of as being deeply disturbed, while also coming to the unsettling realization of just how thin the boundary is between so called madness and so called sanity.

Take the journey of discovery into madness and the deeper realms of human experience…

…Explore the many misguided myths of madness within Western society, and develop a better understanding of how these have become so far removed from the actual research.

…Explore why recovery rates in the West are so much poorer than the recovery rates in societies that have very little access to psychiatric treatment.

…Look at alternative understandings of psychosis that are much more aligned with the emerging research than the brain disease theory, and are much more hopeful.

…Inquire deeply into the stories of six people who have fully recovered from schizophrenia and other related psychotic disorders, discovering that recovery often entails a profound transformation that leads to healing and growth far beyond one’s pre-psychotic condition.

…Arrive at an entirely new model of madness, one that integrates this vast and complex web of research, including both Western and Eastern understandings of mind and consciousness, offering a surprisingly coherent and refreshingly clear framework for understanding these experiences.

…Recognize that by inquiring so deeply into the heart of madness, we uncover profound clues about the core existential dilemmas with which we all must grapple.

…Learn how we as a society can offer real hope and genuine support for those suffering with these often debilitating experiences while also recognizing that these very same individuals have the potential to contribute greatly to society.