The Divided Mind

By: John E. Sarno

Narrated by: Paul Hecht, James Boles

Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Divided Mind is the crowning achievement of Dr. John E. Sarno's long and successful career as a groundbreaking medical pioneer. While his earlier books dealt almost exclusively with musculoskeletal pain disorders, here Dr. Sarno addresses the entire spectrum of psychosomatic (mind-body) disorders. In Dr. Sarno's view, the crucial interaction between the reasonable, rational, ethical, moral conscious mind and the repressed feelings of emotional pain, hurt, sadness, and anger characteristic of the unconscious mind is the basis for many mind-body disorders.

The Divided Mind traces the history of psychosomatic medicine, including Freud's crucial role as well as his failures. Most important, it describes the psychology of the human condition that is responsible for the broad range of psychosomatic illness. Dr. Sarno believes that the failure of medicine's practitioners to recognize and appropriately treat mind-body disorders has produced public health and economic problems of major proportions in the United States. One of the most interesting and important aspects of psychosomatic phenomena is the fact that knowledge and awareness of the process clearly have healing powers.

©2006 John E. Sarno, M.D. (P)2006 Audio Evolution, LLC

Critic Reviews

"Dr. Sarno brilliantly explores the chasm between the conscious and unconscious minds, where psychosomatic ailments originate." (Mehmet Oz, M.D., co-author of You: The Owner's Manual)

Not the whole book

What did you like best about The Divided Mind? What did you like least?

This book was very enlightening about sources of chronic pain and how to recognize them and recover.

Would you recommend The Divided Mind to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend the book, but the audible.com is only half the book. Half the book was written by other contributors and nearly 200 pages of reading are not included in the audible.com version.

Did The Divided Mind inspire you to do anything?

The book helps me understand my partner's chronic pain and some of my less severe pain symptoms. Together I think we can work on recognizing the sources of the pain and improving our lives.

Any additional comments?

I really wish the entire book were included in audible.com. I have to say I feel a little ripped off since only half the book was recorded.

30 people found this helpful

mind/body connection

Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 10 years ago, I can truly say- this book is a miracle. I was in horrible pain when I downloaded it yesterday. Tonight I feel like I could climb a mountain. Actually I am pretty sure I did. I thought I had cracked a rib, and I planed to see my doctor in the morning. Now, I'm going swimming instead.
PLEASE - if you are suffering any pain - give this book 6 hours and 23 minutes of your life. You've tried everything else.

My Mother died last year. We didn't have a good relationship. I was at the grocery store this week trying not to see all the people buying Mother's Day flowers, cards , and gifts. Is it a coincidence that I was in my bed crying on Mother's Day - using my Ten's unit for the pain? I already knew that I had a lot of unresolved issues with myself and my life, but I really thought I was getting them nicely under control.
Because of "The Divided Mind" I feel a weight has been lifted off of me.
I will be buying a hard copy of Dr. Sarno's book. This is an abridged version - I want to read every word.
I know I sound insane. I remember seeing John Stossel on 20/20 saying Dr. Sarno cured his back pain. At the time I thought it was the power of suggestion.
Well- I definitely suggest you give this book a chance to change your life. What do you have to loose - except your pain?
I don't care if the pain comes back. I feel empowered to deal with it.
Happy Mother's Day - I have to go have a conversation with my brain now.

85 people found this helpful

Divided Opinion

I've held off weighing in with my opinion of this interesting book because I am so divided...part of me says belief should be based in empirical evidence, but a larger part of me argues that science still doesn't have their thumb on the whole mind/body connection--and I'm not yet ready to land completely on either side. There is a lot of research going on that is showing more connection than conflict with these two opposing views. Since minds far greater than mine are on it, I feel perfectly fine with my fence straddling for the time being!

My experience with this book--it reminded me a bit of what I call the Secret Dilema: 'so, if I don't live in a mansion and drive great cars, does that mean I am not good at creating the life of my dreams?' And, the broad statements that suppressed emotions cause our physical pains ('is it my own inabilities that cause my disease?--wow I REALLY suck') were a bit condemming. The repeated reminders that, "the conclusions here are not based on arm-chair deductions. They are the results of many years of experience with thousands of patients..." almost seemed to disqualify some of the information contained in the book; and there is some good mind/body information here. Carolyn Myss has been writing on this subject for years.

I've read a lot of reviews (here and on other sites as well) that are "testimonials", and of course the counter-testimonials, the Freudians views, the Jungians, etc. Carl Jung said, "The shoe that fits one person, pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases." Apply that wisdom in choosing this book's philosophy for yourself. There is no way to say this is a good book, or a bad book...you'll just have to try it on, walk around with it, see how it feels.

36 people found this helpful

TMS should get more recognition

It's all in your head. Well at least a large portion of it is in your head. Dr. Sarno's TMS hypothesis just makes sense. If you were to combine Dr. Sarno's recommended treatment for muscular pain with the dietary advice from "The China Study" written by Dr. Campbell, then you would have a winning combination for a healthy and pain free life.

I think that a little Prozac, maybe some cyclobenzaprine, quite a few prayers to Jesus, a mostly non-animal product diet, a smoke free and booze free lifestyle, and some psychotherapy can go a long way to solving most peoples pain problems. I'm no doctor, but I do very intense manual labor and this combination has done miracles for me, and I haven't found a physician yet who would refute my winning combination, though there might be a few surgeons that would be disappointed at the loss of business. In the long run it will save you and your insurance company a hell of a lot of money to do a few simple things. Even if you take out the psychotherapy and talk to a priest or pastor instead....all the rest of my suggestions are pretty much low cost or no cost. If you don't like praying to Jesus or Allah, then Buddhist meditations are said to work very well also, they just take more concentration than I can muster; it's all the same brain mechanisms at work no matter whether you pray or meditate and it is all said to be beneficial no matter what book you read.

At any rate, non-Dr. Mike will get back to the book review, so any-who, this book was very helpful. Half of all injuries have no identifiable cause, but Dr. Sarno and his Freudian approach gives a treatment to this unknown other half. I also strongly, very strongly recommend reading "The China Study". The combination of these two books will change your health and your life for the better if you implement them into your lifestyle.

15 people found this helpful

Paradigm shift -a book of deep insight and utility

If you could sum up The Divided Mind in three words, what would they be?

Paradigm Shift Book

What other book might you compare The Divided Mind to and why?

This author is in a class by himself but "Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain" by Fred Amir documents the effectiveness of Dr. Sarno's approach.

Which character – as performed by Paul Hecht and James Boles – was your favorite?

this is not a novel

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

not a novel

Any additional comments?

The material in this book is difficult for most people to understand and accept. Having the text as an audio-book helps with the appreciation and assimilation of the material. Still only one or two people out of twenty will have open enough minds to carefully consider the material and actually apply it in their lives.

3 people found this helpful

I wanted to love it

I really wanted to love this book. I've seen how the mind-body connection causes so much suffering that is inadequately treated by considering it a purely physical phenomenon. I listened to The Body Keeps the Score first (really fabulous book, highly recommend) and I think that's why I'm disappointed in this one. In TBKTS, the author covered some of the same information but managed to mix personal anecdotes and data in a way that was far more convincing and even though he also discussed what's wrong with modern Western medicine, it was never in a condemning way. I did appreciate that Sarno seemed sympathetic to his patients but by essentially saying that everything (from pain to cancer) is due to suppressed rage, I really felt like he was missing the true suffering of the patient. And labeling what is probably a trauma reaction as suppressed rage is not adequate imo.

Sarno is certainly a trailblazer in mind-body medicine but I returned the book and will be trying a different one. If you or someone you love suffers from chronic pain and this book or learning about TMS has helped you, I'd highly recommend following it up with The Body Keeps the Score.

2 people found this helpful

A Knew Way To Look Illness

For anyone who lives with chronic pain or illness this book is worth reading. It asks you to look at the effect of the unconscious mind on the body.

My only disappointment is that the last three chapters of the paper copy were not on my audible and that the chapter numbers on the audible did not always coinside with my paper copy.

2 people found this helpful

powerful knowledge

A very informative and helpful book. I have read most of Dr. Sarno's books and can certainly feel the difference in how I feel. I believe I am healing and part of it is due to the information I have learned.

1 person found this helpful

Amazing book

People dealing with pain for years it is hard to believe that there is a simple cure, but there is; considering the pain is psychological. I was dealing with acid reflux for 9 years. I went to many doctors but nothing worked. I even got an endoscopy and they told me everything was normal.

Reading the book made me realize I had a lot of emotional pain that needed addressing. I can’t believe I’m back to normal now is time to live life.

1 person found this helpful

Must read, will change your life

This book helps to understand the connection between our mind and body and how to fix the previously thought to be unfixable.

1 person found this helpful

Life-changing book

John Sarno's work has set me on the road to recovery after 3 years of debilitating tendon pain. Given their abysmal record in treating chronic pain I am astounded that the traditional medical community hasn't embraced his approach. I guess there isn't as much money in looking at emotions as there is in manufacturing drugs - unfortunately it's patients who suffer. Thank you Dr Sarno from the bottom of my heart.

4 people found this helpful

highly recommended

it makes you understand how your physical pain is originated from an emotional pain and stress.

3 people found this helpful

Incredible...

Hi, I listened to this book because it was suggested to me. The concepts in the book and possibilities are indescribably positive for the human race. They are no less than this. The book offers a radical reframing of health and wellbeing and the treatment of many common conditions. I am left stunned but at the same time there is logic in what is proposed.
I found the first four chapters harder going but something intrigued me to stick with it. The latter chapters and much more engaging and energising. The additional interview with the author at the end is beautiful. His authenticity shines though. As a sufferer if anxiety, insomnia and IBS for several decades it is really making me think. Highly recommend the book and highly recommend you stay with it until the end.

1 person found this helpful

Thank you Dr Sarno

Dr John Sarno will eventually go down in history as an amazing pioneer. Shame his work is not recognised sooner. He is the best doctor you will ever know.

3 people found this helpful

Needlessly long and repetitive

The narrator did a good job of constantly paraphrasing the same anecdotes. This book could easily be halved in length.

The worst book of its type I've ever read

Very biased, poor quality arguments and levels of proof. I could not put up with it beyond chapter 4. And no, this isn't an example of the 'rage' which the author thinks is at the bottom of most conditions.