The Madness of Prince Hamlet & Other Extraordinary States of Mind

This is an account of some of the most bizarre areas of human psychology, ranging from extraordinary states of mind such as love, faith and anger to full-blown psychosis. It examines disorders such as schizophrenia or Tourette's syndrome and bizarre mental states that lead to dancing mania, demonic possession, hypocondria or self-mutilation. The author discusses the unusual mental make-ups of criminals, saints, paedophiles and mediums and the extraordinary mental states most of us experience - self delusion as a defense mechanism.