Product Description

The book that will change the way we think about health and illness, by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Healing Back Pain

The Divided Mind is the crowning achievement of Dr. John E. Sarno's long and successful career as a groundbreaking medical pioneer. While his earlier books dealt almost exclusively with the common, virtually universal musculoskeletal pain disorders affecting the back, neck, and shoulders as well as various locations in the arms and legs, in The Divided Mind, Dr. Sarno goes beyond pain and addresses the entire spectrum of psychosomatic (mindbody) disorders. These include common stomach and bowel conditions (e.g., gastric reflux, irritable bowel syndrome), allergies, skin disorders, genitourinary conditions, headaches, and many more.

In Dr. Sarno's view, the crucial interaction between the generally reasonable, rational, ethical, and moral conscious mind and the repressed feelings of emotional pain, hurt, sadness, and anger characteristic of the unconscious mind appears to be the basis for mindbody disorders. The Divided Mind traces the history of psychosomatic medicine, including Freud's crucial role as well as his failures. Most important, it describes the psychology of the human condition that is responsible for the broad range of psychosomatic illness. Dr. Sarno believes that the failure of medicine's practitioners to recognize and appropriately treat mindbody disorders has produced public health and economic problems of major proportions in the United States.

One of the most interesting and important aspects of psychosomatic phenomena is the fact that knowledge and awareness of the process clearly have healing powers. Thousands of people have become pain-free simply by reading Healing Back Pain or The Mindbody Prescription, Dr. Sarno's previous books. How and why this happens is a fascinating story, and one that is sure to be repeated as readers experience The Divided Mind.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #58071 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-01
• Released on: 2006-03-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Review
"Dr. Sarno brilliantly explores the chasm between the conscious and unconscious minds where psychosomatic ailments originate." -- Mehmet Oz, M.D., co-author of You: The Owner's Manual

"I beg anyone seeking a solution to pain to study the amazing and revolutionary approach outlined here." -- – Howard Stern

About the Author

John E. Sarno, M.D., is a professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at the New York University School of Medicine. He has been practicing medicine since 1950. He is the acclaimed author of three earlier books on musculoskeletal pain.

Customer Reviews

THE Real Alternative
Sarno's observations that many painful conditions are psychosomatically based (the pain is real, but the etiology involves repressive mechanisms operating in the unconscious) is a seminal insight that all western allopathic practitioners ignore to the detriment of their commitment to explore all efficacious treatments that might alleviate their patients' suffering. Purely somatically-based medicine - despite (and to a degree because) of explosive diagnostic technologies - has taken a seriously wrong turn in not focusing on the role of emotions and feelings as direct generators of pathologies. Sarno deserves credit, praise and encouragement in his lifelong attempt to reverse this narrow unproductive vision and restore the concept of holistic healing as the only truly salutary path to health and healing. Sarno has been ignored, undervalued and dismissed for far too long. He deserves a revered place in the pantheon of genuinely original and profound medical thinkers. His theoretical framework when strategically applied as a daily routine has helped me enormously, when - after a mountain of MRIs, EMGs, blood panels and surgical biopsies - drew a complete blank. Sarno's best book yet. Must reading for all chronic pain sufferers and mandatory reading for every physician who has watched conventional "structural" therapies repeatedly fail and who really cares about resolving his/her patients' agony by jettisoning their preconceptions, biases and limited training.

Genius
Dr. Sarno's genius won't be unveiled until we (as a specie) get a grip on our emotions. For now, the world is as much divided as the mind. A tiny part understands, while the immense majority doesn't understand. Worst, that immense majority might not even be wired to understand.

My dad suffers from his knee. He doesn't understand (and never will), so he keeps on suffering. It's easier for him to suffer (and get through surgery every 10 years) than to accept the fact that his knee is fine, and that the issue is buried in his mind.

My boss (a VERY smart man, Ivy leaguer) suffers from his lower back. Doesn't understand. Still suffers.

My best friend suffers from his ankle. Doesn't understand. Still suffers.

My uncle suffers from his elbow (huge tennis player my uncle). Convinced by a "tennis elbow" diagnostic. Still suffers.

My mom used to suffer from her neck. She understood, and doesn't suffer anymore.

I have three herniated disks (C2/C3 - L4/L5 - L5/S1). L4/L5 was operated on 3 years ago, without success. Today I know. I won't suffer anymore. Ever.

Thanks Doc. I'm grateful I've met you. I'm grateful I understood.

Great book!
This is an outstanding book for individuals dealing with chronic pain. I bought a second copy as my first had become dog-eared and water damaged from taking it with me on all my travels. An excellent approach for those with an open mind to pain management.