Understanding Mental Illness 6th edition: Mental Health Awareness For Self Teaching

By Marianne Richards

As I've retired, I'm reducing the price of my books as a 'thank you' for the kind support of readers over many years with one exception - see bottom of page ]

BOOK CONTENT:
A comprehensive, guide to mental illness for beginners - written for new patients, carers, volunteers, paramedicsa brief history of mental illness & historic treatmentsmodels of care - social, medical, talking therapies, complementary treatmentsdescriptions of major mental illnesses with fictionalised case studiesabout stigma and social exclusionan overview of The Mental Health Act 1983, updates, why a MHA is needed organisations - World Mental Health, pharmaceutical, mental health charitiesabout stress, tips for maintaining mental healthback matter; resources, glossary, suggested reading, index.Intended Readers
Understanding Mental Illness is the 6th edition of my professionally acclaimed book (see bottom of summary), first published by Straightforward in 2000. I am a former clinician (not an academic) & wrote this for lay readers as a broad-based, jargon-free guide to mental illness and connected topics. My intended readers are newly diagnosed patients, carers, ancilliary staff & paramedics. It might suit students as an overview before they begin in-depth studies. The fictionalized case histories clarify disorders that are often difficult to understand.

When I wrote this book, I had been a mental health professional 10 years. Like many, I joined the field after personal experience of mental illness. My aunt committed suicide; mother endured depressive illness life-long. In the 1950's depression was termed, 'nerves' and treated with Valium. My depression began age 10 but was misperceived as laziness. Shortly after I attempted suicide. At University I was diagnosed with autism (Asperger Syndrome) and this understanding helped me turn my life around. It is likely my father and brother were autistic; the former classic (majorly non-speaking), the latter wrongly diagnosed with schizophrenia. I tried to find information in plain English without success. With a love for writing, I wrote the book I would have wanted, after finding a publisher in 2000. I remain proud of this book.

Re 2024 Virulent Review
I refute Ms Sutherland's bitchy, unwarranted review. This Cambridge academic has a habit of trashing works or over praising them - this is known as 'black and white thinking, ' unhelpful to the authors. I refer potential readers to the many professional & lay reviews for my book since it was first published in 2000. Many readers wrote to myself and the publisher to thank us for publishing material that 'helped them through.'

What Sutherland terms, 'superficial discussion' and 'musings' are my personal experiences of mental illness- not academic dissertation. My book describes the brain's frailty but its amazing capacity for endurance (spirit). This is for the comfort and reassurance of lay readers, not for academics to trash for spite. Enough said If you are still unsure, borrow a copy from a library to see if it meets your needs. Thank you for reading this. As Amazon refused to remove this nasty review, this is my only means of response

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1517443474
• ISBN13: 9781517443474
• Release Date: September 2015
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 190 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"