Character Disturbance: the phenomenon of our age (Volume 1)

Excellent for mental health professionals and helpful for the lay public generally, this masterpiece by a therapist with 25 years of experience is a "must read" for many if not most people in the USA today. It is quite meticulously detailed and long unlike the short kindle books out there; and unless one has a memory able to remember every scrap, a non kindle copy should a kindle one ever be published is probably best depending upon how one tends to use or not use books. In addition to the thesis of the book, which can be viewed online, some great features include the following: 1) precise meanings, sometimes of a particular historical time, given to mental health and other terms by mental health professionals, philosophers, religious faiths, and the lay public and information about which have been or are often or commonly misapplied by mental health professionals themselves and the public; 2) useful charts: a) comparison of neurotic and character disorder, b) basic personality styles in terms of active/passive and dependent/independent and also in terms of active/passive and ambivalent/detached, assertion vs aggression, types of aggression (two charts), primary interpersonal agendas of aggressive and other character disordered personalities, defense mechanism vs.responsibility - avoidance and manipulation tactic, cognitive-behavioral triad, neurosis and character disturbance lying and two different ends of a continuum; 3) a great exposition of aggressive patterns and subtypes often neglected by therapists; 4) core characteristics and possible constitutional, possible learning factors if one or both of these even apply to all personalities covered in the book, 5) the "Ten Commandments" of sound character formation--the author's perspective on what the "most essential caveats" are that a person must observe in learning the life lessons essential to forming good character. I recommend paying attention to the book's Table of Contents online before purchase. The author includes a recap from the author's first book--In Sheep's Clothing--of general rules anyone must observe to empower themselves in relations with disturbed characters, especially manipulators .For this initial semi-skim of the book, I feel it likely deserves 5 stars for doing what the author set out to do and doing it well enough. It may need some refinements in view of the October 1 2017 revision of the DSM-5. I hope a future revised edition of it will include a chapter on "Investing Energy only where you have Power" when dealing with disturbed characters since that is in the author's recap of his general rules from In Sheep's Clothing. The reason is that while the author mentions that various aggressive personalities gravitate towards various situations and environments, people can and often do make miscalls in assessing the degree of empowerment they actually have in a timely way given that such personalities often team up with each other in large and often increasingly large rings or bands. A person can think one such personality is a lone wolf but not realize the presence of what other authors dub "enablers" or "flying monkeys." What are the various types of power people can have or ostensibly have when dealing with disturbed characters and how do they realistically often play out in legal, marital, and various societal systems today and do race, gender, and age often determine one's fate for better or for worse? How does the greater or lessor implementation of United Nations Agenda Code 21 in an environment affect those systems as well as the degrees of power people have in them and even within the mental health system itself? Do the huge numbers of mental health professionals yet unaware of the presence of Code 21 and of concepts like gang stalking and street theatre need training in how psychopaths, sociopaths, and narcissists ("antisocials") gravitate towards towns and cities and career environments and roles where they can best or more easily play out their psychopathologies for greedy gain for themselves? From a non code 21 stance is it fair or objective to label those seen as weak or nonpowerful or vulnerable "paranoid" or "delusional" when under attack from rings of flying monkeys engaged in their financial exploitation? Don't flying monkeys "gang stalk?" Isn't the one they wish to take advantage of truly a "targeted individual?" Wouldn't it play into the hands of these types for their targets to be labeled "paranoid delusional?" Various reliable sources say some psychiatrists helped create tactics used by code 21 imperatives as well as tactics used by gang stalkers and that some psychiatrists are trained in these. What issues would other psychiatrists and members of the mental health profession like to address as regards code 21's greater or lesser implementation within and without their profession and understanding of the gang stalking-flying monkeys-cluster B's or antisocials-economic stratas phenomena? What happens when several non-pubically traded reits are created in a city or town to which super affluent aggressive types gravitate and a clients' homes are invested in by members of more than one reits, each with aggressive leaders with clients not knowing this at first, gradually becoming aware, and finding themselves trapped in the middle of warring or teamed up reits? Is it fair to label such clients 'paraonid' or "delusional" by psychiatrists and other mental health workers unfamiliar with the concept of such reits, how American capitalism sometimes works, toxic environments, and impossibilty of safe escape? Why is there such scant mental health professional research into the gang-stalking/TI phenomenon distinguishing between what might be paranoid in a TI's descriptions and what might not be given the context in which he or she finds himself or herself? Do foreign born and trained mental health workers in the USA need training in American culture/capitalism and certain concepts before being allowed to practice here? These questions might become more reflined as might this review generally if I have time to do that later. There are small areas of the book I feel might deserve at least a few cons.

This book is a pretty easy read about the ways that people with character deficiencies manipulate and lie to get through life and avoid consistently meeting their responsibilities. One part I found most interesting is that people with defective character know what they are doing so it's not denial or repression or confusion it's just straight lying and manipulation. They view conforming to the norms of society and loving relationships as submission, which they resist. And in relationships, a person with defective character often pairs with a weaker or naive person who is unable or unwilling to stand up for him or herself, creating chaos. The person with the defective character doesn't need insights or help or understanding in the way that therapists typically offer, he or she needs to be confronted skillfully by someone calling them out on all the ways they try to deflect being held accountable for their poor choices. For a long time now I've had the feeling that my friend knew exactly what he was doing when we discussed the issues in our relationship, but I just couldn't figure out why because I was naïvely assuming he was coming from a place of love and caring and honestly trying to figure things out and resolve them. He just didn't seem to have empathy for me when I needed support or he had treated me badly. I thought he just didn't understand the impact of his behavior on me and our relationship. Really he just didn't want to be held accountable for it and had many ways to deflect and confuse and spin the blame back on me for his bad behavior. I finally get it, I wish I would have read this book years ago. In some ways the conclusions of this book are ridiculously obvious, If someone is treating you badly, don't bother trying to understand why, just set boundaries firmly and call them out on it. For those of us who need it, this book is eye-opening in describing how some people think and act, which is very helpful in either moving on or if needed, being able to see and refute the various excuses and manipulations and lies.

Great book. I am almost finished after having it for a number of months and Dr. George Simon is spot on in his assessments about us in how we behave and those that have those "extra issues" that take them out of normal behavioral issues. I guarantee you'll think of someone, in your past or present, that you'll think of when reading this book. You may also read a few points that you will recognize about yourself. I did. There were some definite personality issues that I had back in my younger days but not so much anymore because I moved from home, went to Iraq for a year, and grew up. As always there is much more growth to go but this book is a great start to look at myself, others, and learn how to deal with those disturbed characters and know how to apply myself more aptly as a neurotic. I cannot determine who is or who isn't a neurotic or has a bad character, but the outlines that Dr. Simon details has allowed me to recognize some of these elements in others that I either work with or have as friends back home -- and even the acquaintences that I meet. It doesn't disuade me from being friends or being work associates with them, but it helps me to learn how to be around them and not become aggravated and over-anxious around them and I can improve my acceptance of them also and it helps my behavior also. Instead of being "put off" by someone different, I can just blow it off and be positive about it and I have noticed that some of my acquaintences at work have become my friends because I have changed toward them also. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you deeply for this insightful and deep work 🫶🏼💕 Such a beautiful and straightforward guide to build a healthy character and relationships. Thanx!

Excelente livro para todos os profissionais e leigos que queiram entender a sociedade em que vivemos e como se posicionar vantajosamente nela, para construirmos uma sociedade mais justa para todos. Recomendo

Very clear and helpful view of the otherwise by classical approaches misinterpreted problematic behaviors. Most of people treated by classical psychology aren't that much suffering of unconscious disorders but very much aware of their wrongs. They just don't want to change because it works for them whereas their environment suffers from their behavior. It's character disturbance not neuroses that must be addressed to help. That's only possible if the patient accepts to change

This is a great book, tells it how it is and has helped me enormously to deal with some very challenging people in my life, as well as gain some insights into my own character.

Highly recommended for professionals working with Addiction clients, Community services and the Justice system. As a College professor and practicing Mental Health practitioner, I am impressed at how readily this book lends itself to study and to immediate clinical utility. This book is a boon of valuable practical information and will help you understand and better work with disturbed character clients. Cheaper than a workshop and worth 100 times the money. Thank you GKS!