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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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About this listen

 * 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 Mental Health Funny Inspiring Thought-Provoking Witty

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Critic reviews

"Poignant, funny, engrossing." (Jo Brand)
All stars
Most relevant  
Will definitely be listening to this one again. So many stories!! Really well told and read. Thought provoking and funny in places.

Loved it

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It’s a talent to be able to write like this. It took me into the experience completely. A joy to read!

Beautifully written.

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Loved the patient stories and Ben’s sense of humour, this book really details the reality of mental health struggles for some people and the amazing work psychiatrists and their nurses do to help and treat with no judgement.
I did shed a few tears at the end when he described his thoughts when sitting on his Dads bench

Fascinating book and life story

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Loved it, scary but also great and funny too, the narrator deserves a special call out as well.

Amazing book

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I liked how real the account Ben Cave has given. it felt very raw so very believable and gives great insight into the thoughts of a such a Doctor. Great piece of work

thoroughly enjoyable

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I thought this was a very well written, thought provoking and humorously narrated book. Definitely worth a listen.

Really interesting book

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very much enjoyed this. The gentle humour in the telling helps alleviate what could be pretty hard going in places.

Narration while generally good could have done without the awful accents!

Great insight

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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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I am a consultant psychologist so I was ready to think “nothing new here” but not at all, this is absolutely one of the very best books in psychology or Psychiatry I have ever come across in 50 years.
Written in a straightforward chronological way from start to finish of this part of his career, but written so well, and such insight into what is going on with each patient, and linking that unobtrusively with relevant legal concepts, diagnostic ones, and Psychological ones that it is just masterful.
For me the whole thing is just so enjoyable I’m tempted to start again at the beginning immediately! And, because I have been dictating this, it has immediately started again. Clever, this audible app!

Brilliant case studies.

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Funny but honest, the authors describes interesting cases from his work as well as honest experiences from his own life. Very well written, and very well read as well! The voice of the narrator really became the voice of the author for me. Can recommend!

Interesting and funny

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