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What We Fear Most

A Psychiatrist’s Journey to the Heart of Madness / BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week

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What We Fear Most

By: Dr Ben Cave
Narrated by: David Rintoul
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* BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK * LONGLISTED FOR THE CWA'S ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION AWARD *

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'Impressive at every level' - Jeremy Vine

'Poignant, funny, engrossing' - Jo Brand

'A sensitive and immersive voyage through the career of a forensic psychiatrist' - Kerry Daynes

'A beautifully balanced and compassionately written memoir... This is a fascinating account of a fascinating journey' - Dr Richard Shepherd

Meet Dr Ben Cave. For over thirty years he has worked in prisons and secure hospitals diagnosing and treating some of the most troubled men and women in society. A lifetime of care takes us from delusional disorders to schizophrenia, steroid abuse to drug dependency, personality disorders to paedophilia, and depression so severe a mother can kill her own baby.

These are the human stories behind the headlines. The reality of a life spent working with patients with the severest mental health disorders. The tragic and often frightening truth about what happens behind closed doors.

Dr Ben Cave takes us on a journey to the heart of this highly emotive environment, putting himself under the microscope as well as his patients. In the process, he allows us to share what they have taught each other, and how it has changed them. To share the psychological battle scars that come with a career on the frontline of our health service. To learn about the brilliant mental health nurses for whom physical injury and verbal abuse are a daily hazard. To learn about ourselves, and what we fear most.

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Thoughtful, revealing, often haunting and always enlightening, if you liked Unnatural Causes by Dr Richard Shepherd, Do No Harm by Henry Marsh and This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay this book is for you.©2022 Ben Cave (P)2022 Seven Dials Medical Murder Professionals & Academics Social Sciences True Crime Violence in Society Health Mental Health Crime Funny Inspiring Thought-Provoking Witty
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Critic reviews

"Poignant, funny, engrossing." (Jo Brand)
All stars
Most relevant
‘Boring’?! So said the top review.

Dear audiobook fans, ignore those top reviews. They are so often negative. And whoever wrote that needs their head examining.

The blurb compares it other medical memoirs but I thought this far more interesting than ‘This is Going to Hurt’, which felt self-consciously playing for laughs though it had been so hyped that probably worked against it.

Plus psychiatry and mental illness are passions of mine. Daughter of a shrink, long-term sufferer of anxiety and depression and an author myself, this ticked all my boxes. The narrator is wonderful - lovely sense of irony, beautiful pacing - and I found it illuminating, entertaining and empathetic.

Highly recommended.

It was the name Dr Ben Cave that appealed…

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Mental illness is talked about so much these days, but so often in terms of Goop-like “mental well-being”, which disregards the often bleak reality of severe mental illness. This book tells it like it is. No holds barred. It is honest, brutal at times, but also warm and kind. The author is a psychiatrist who tries hard to do the best by his patients, and often does. Many can be helped but some cannot be saved. We obliquely get the sense that It takes its toll on his personal life and we understand something of what drove him towards psychiatry. It is well-written and really well read by David Rintoul. A must read for anyone who wants to truly understand about mental illness.

Fascinating insight into forensic psychiatry

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Loved this book! It’s funny and honest and well written. Considering the subject matter I really enjoyed the stories and could imagine the author in the scenarios, who comes across as kind, compassionate and a person who really cares about the patients. The narrator was excellent and made it even better to listen to.

Great listen!

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Really enjoyed this insight into the experience of being a forensic psychiatrist and alerting us to conditions some people struggle with that in ordinary life, many of us turn away from. Told with a good dose of humour and humility.

Great listen - combines humour, humility and reality in world of forensic psychiatry

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This book was recommended to me and I must say it didn't disappoint. The journey it takes you on will have you crying, laughing, sometimes angry or disgusted, however, never wanting it to stop. Dr Ben Cave is Insightful and humble and humanises mental health issues, in a way that is long overdue. The narrator brings the words in such a way, that I forgot the narrator was not author. Everyone should read this book!

Captivating, honest and humourous!

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