Abraham Low
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Abraham A. Low (1891-1954), is a neuro psychiatrist who is noted for his work in self-help for the mentally ill. He was born February 28, 1891 in Baranow, Poland. He attended grade school and high school in France from 1898-1910.
From 1910-1913 he attended medical school in France. He also studied his medical education in Austria. In 1918 he served in the Medical Corps of the Austrian Army. He graduated with his medical degree in 1919, after his military service, from the University of Vienna Medical School. After serving an internship in Vienna, Austria 1919-1920, he immigrated to the United States, obtaining his U.S. citizenship in 1927.
From 1921 to 1925 he practiced medicine in both New York, New York and Chicago, Illinois. In 1925 he was appointed as an instructor of neurology at the University of Illinois Medical School. As he worked at the University of Illinois he eventually obtained the title of Associate Professor of Psychiatry.
From 1931-1941 he supervised the Illinois State Hospitals. During this time he conducted demanding seminars with the staffs and interviewed the most severe mental patients in the wards.
In 1936, Dr. Low's Studies in Infant Speech and Thought was published by the University of Illinois Press. Some sixty papers are by Dr. Low dealing variously with such topics as: Histopathology of brain and spinal cord, studies on speech disturbances (aphasias) in brain lesions, clinical testing of psychiatric and neurological conditions, studies in shock treatment, laboratory investigations of mental diseases and several articles on group psychotherapy had been published in medical periodicals.[1]
[edit] Founding and work with "Recovery Inc."
In 1937, Dr. Low founded Recovery, Inc.. He served as its medical director from 1937 to 1954. During this time he presented lectures to relatives of former patients on his work with these patients and the before and after scenarios. In 1941, Recovery Inc. became an independent organization. Dr. Low's three volumes of The Technique of Self-help in Psychiatric Aftercare (including "Lectures to Relatives of Former Patients") were published by Recovery, Inc. in 1943. Recovery's main text, Mental Health Through Will-Training, Christopher Publishing Co., was published in 1950. Dr. Low wrote numerous articles and presented hundreds of lectures on the Recovery system of self-help aftercare between 1937 and 1954. He also developed the Recovery Self Help Model, used in the Recovery, Inc. support groups to the present throughout the United States and other countries.
In 1954 Dr. Low passed away at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. His contributions to the psychiatric and mental health communities are often not well known, but his work has and continues to assist numerous individuals live better lives through his work in the area of mental health. [2]
