"Most books about psychopharmacology focus heavily on the basic science involved and describe the currently available medications, including brief rationales for their use as well as their dosages and their side effects. Others are more for the general public, intended to help them understand how psychopharmacology might be helpful. This book is different. The goal is to teach the reader what medicines are available and what their characteristics are as well as teach very valuable skills: how to think thoroughly and methodically when assessing a patient, when reviewing research data (both basic and clinical), and when thinking through, developing, and monitoring the most effective clinical recommendations for patients. Rather than a lesson in elementary patient assessment, this book is an attempt to help readers identify weaknesses in their practice style and improve them where psychopharmacology is involved"--