Better Than Normal, Dale Archer, MD
Better Than Normal, Dale Archer, MD
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Better Than Normal
How What Makes You Different Can Make You Exceptional

Author: Dale Archer, MD

Narrator: Marc Cashman

Unabridged: 7 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/13/2012

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

A New York Times Bestseller

A groundbreaking new view of human psychology that shows how eight key traits of human behavior—long perceived as liabilities—can be important hidden strengths.

What if the inattentiveness that makes school or work a challenge holds the secret to your future as an entrepreneur? What if the shyness in groups that you hate is the source of deep compassion for others? What if the anxiety and nervousness you often feel can actually help energize you? What if the mood swings you sometimes experience can
be the source of tremendous creativity?

Renowned psychiatrist and popular on-air personality Dr. Dale Archer believes that labels for behavior like “ADHD,” “bipolar,” and “OCD” are normal human qualities—and contends that we all experience these and other psychological traits to some extent, yet fail to leverage the significant advantages they can offer. Worse, we stigmatize one another for these prevalent, widely shared aspects of our personalities.

In Better Than Normal, Dr. Archer offers an empowering framework for redefining what constitutes mental health. Drawing on his twenty years of clinical experience, he describes eight traits of human behavior—heretofore known
only as psychiatric diagnoses. Each of these occurs along a continuum rather than as a simple on-off switch (where “off ” means we’re fine, and “on” means we’ve got a problem). These are the aspects of our personality that we worry about the most, but these are also the very things that make us distinctive and different.

According to Dr. Archer, each of us has a unique personality that emerges from our hardwired genetics and individual life experiences. With Better Than Normal, you can map your individual characteristics by taking the eight trait
self-assessment quiz and see how what makes you different can indeed make you exceptional. Filled with engaging anecdotes and practical tools to help you capitalize on your unique characteristics, Better Than Normal offers a new and liberating way to look at ourselves and others.

Includes a bonus PDF with worksheets from the book

About The Author

DALE ARCHER, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist and distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, founded the Institute for Neuropsychiatry and the psychiatric program at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital. He also the author of The ADHD Advantage and runs DrDaleArcher.com, a free advice website.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Laurie

Dr. Archer is a psychiatrist with a lot of achievements. He founded the Institute for Neuropyschiatry and the psychiatric program at a hospital. He runs a free advice website, DrDaleArcher. He makes numerous television appearances. He was also a professional poker player. Wait, what? Dr. Archer, who......more

Goodreads review by Kim

This is a great book to read if you have to deal with people, EVER! So many people are seeing their doctors about physiological issues and it's gotten out of control. This book teaches you how to deal with your own personality traits and those of others. They also include a self test that shows you on......more

Goodreads review by Terri

Even Dr. Dale Archer's introduction to his book had me hooked, you know, the part we all usually skip. Archer's premise is that while there are definitely some people in need of clinical help and medication for mental health, many people simply do not need that sort of intervention. Not only have we......more

Goodreads review by Greg

This was a fun book with good insights into personality characteristics and how they can all be beneficial. It was a really fun read.......more


Quotes

“A psychiatric pep talk guaranteed to rev up any reader.” – Booklist
 
“Archer’s creative redressing of these pathologically considered conditions is compelling and will definitely capture the attention of readers eager to “re-diagnose” themselves using his spectrum scale.” – Kirkus Reviews

“[An] extraordinary book.” -LibraryJournal.com

"With his fresh approach and some interesting ideas, Archer normalizes personality characteristics too often seen as pathological." -Publishers Weekly