Steve Ellen, Catherine Deveny Head of Zeus, an Anima book, 2019, PB, 416pp, £9.99, 978-1789540673
Mental is a good basic introduction into mental health care from the patient‘s perspective. The book would be ideal for a person with a new mental health diagnosis or family member/carer. The authors, who have themselves had mental health problems, speak in a personal way, as reflected in their stories. This book would make a good assistant for someone going through the journey from diagnosis to treatment, answering a lot of the questions it may be difficult to find online. The book has more detailed subsections that work through a basic guide to different mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, psychosis, as well as personality disorders and addictions. There is also information on organic brain disorders such as Parkinson’s and dementia. One obvious topic that seems to be missed is self-harm. As GPs we see a large number of patients who self-harm, and the book would benefit from a section on this with some self-help advice on how to reduce harmful thoughts. The authors focus on the adult population, and, although it does have a brief section on child and adolescent mental health, parents may be better off looking elsewhere for substantial information.
The medication section features some useful tables on the likelihood of experiencing certain side effects, which could be helpful for decision making and planning. These are presented in a visual style that makes it easier to understand for patients. The book also goes through the mysteries of psychotherapy, which as GPs we don’t always understand. The final section contains a unique guide to self-help, detailing suggestions for patients to help manage symptoms and aid recovery, such as writing, physical exercise, courses, and music. Finding a good guide to mental health problems can be difficult but this book offers up a fresh presentation of the key facts and information for patients in a friendly and helpful way.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2019