Don R. Lipsitt – författare

Hypochondriasis remains controversial, despite its 2000-year history. Although it is considered a mental disorder, hypochondriasis is often regarded as a defence mechanism, peculiar cognitive/perceptual style, means of nonverbal communication, response to stress, abnormal illness behaviour, personality trait, distinct personality disturbance, and part of other mental disorders. Disagreements about etiology and pathogenesis of hypochondriasis go hand in hand with disagreements about its treatment. This book fills the need for a modern, balanced, in-depth, and integrative overview of hypochondriasis as a mental disorder with diverse manifestations. Written by world experts and from different perspectives, it aims to be a state-of-the-art text, demonstrating how the current concepts of hypochondriasis are linked with its rich history, critically examining diagnostic and nosologic issues and suggesting ways of overcoming the conceptual obstacles, describing current views on the etiology, pathogenesis and psychopathology, presenting main treatment approaches, and providing treatment guidelines. This book is intended for both practising clinicians and researchers. An important resource for all psychiatrists, primary care physicians, clinical psychologists, and other mental health professionals, it will also be of interest for psychiatry residents, medical students, graduate students in clinical psychology, and lay public.

This volume offers rare insight into an enduring case of anorexia nervosa in a female patient and details the approaches to treatment taken by psychotherapists throughout the 64 year period 1938-2002.Through discussion and analysis of clinical notes and transcripts, Lipsitt traces the course of the patient’s illness to consider the centrality of the mother-daughter relationship and to highlight aspects of constancy and change in the illness over time. Particular attention is paid to shifts and progress in understanding and treatment of anorexia nervosa, and consideration is also given to how contemporary treatment might differ in view of more recent advances in cognitive behavioral approaches. Offering an innovative approach toward addressing the transgenerational perspective of women’s experiences of eating disorders, this book provides material for a range of professionals to discuss the nature of the disorder and the pros and cons of different treatment approaches.An original take on the relationship dynamics and perspectives of anorexia sufferers, this volume will be of interest to students, faculty and scholars with an interest in studying eating disorders and their treatment approaches, including psychoanalytic psychotherapy.