People can become stuck in many ways and for a wide variety of reasons, explains
the author of Fatal Pauses, that rare book that both clinicians and general rea
ders can benefit from and enjoy. Novelistic in its depictions of composite patie
nts but clear-eyed in its analysis, the book offers a "3-D method" of addressing
"stuck"-ness, which is defined as "not stopping something that is bad for us" o
r "not starting and staying with something that is good for us." The process of
discovering why one is stuck, deciding to become unstuck, and then asserting the
discipline required to do so is brought to vivid life by one of the most respec
ted psychiatrists of our day.
The book's structure is logical and engaging: -Th
e Am I Stuck? Scale can be self-administered by general readers or administered
by clinicians to their patients. This first chapter sets the stage for what foll
ows.-The 3-D method of getting unstuck is presented in a systematic, easy-to-com
prehend manner that begins with a brief overview and proceeds to more detailed i
nstructions and insights.-Riveting case examples make up the heart of the book.
They are not mere summaries but consist of thorough and detailed clinical descri
ptions that provide context, in addition to extensive dialogue and analysis. Sev
eral of these cases are divided into multiple chapters, providing a comprehensiv
e clinical picture to help both mental health professionals and lay readers incr
ease their understanding of being "stuck."-A range of categories or "stuck"-ness
is addressed, including being trapped by career choices, limited by obesity, pa
ralyzed by an unsatisfying marriage, incapacitated by addiction, and imprisoned
by the need to please. Of special note is the case example of a young man whose
interpersonal relationships have gradually, but progressively, become reduced to
computer-based encounters. The author's examination of this individual's fixati
on on video games and virtual realities and his escape from this cyberprison thr
ough treatment is both timely and compelling.-Finally, the author provides an ev
olutionary and neurobiological overview of how we become "stuck," which helps th
e reader grasp the underpinnings of this behavior and learn how to become "unstu
ck."
