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Book review: Living with Schizophrenia by Dr Neel Burton

Anyone would find this book excellent. Written by two psychiatrists and now in its second edition, it offers simple, practical and down to earth advice. Alongside it presents scientific and cultural views. This slim, reasonably priced paperback would not only be of use and interest to sufferers and their families and helpers, but also anyone who would like to have a better understanding of a common and disabling condition.

The acronyms used by service providers and commissioners, the symptoms, the full range of therapies, how medications help, and the Mental Health Act are all straightforwardly explained.

The illustrations, mainly of works of art, are interesting. Some are by sufferers affiliated to SANE (Schizophrenia a National Emergency).

At the back of the book is a useful list of helpful organisations. I liked the highly practical advice for sufferers on simple issues such as sleeping problems, identifying depression when it develops as a separate condition, smoking cessation, and crucially, preventing relapses.

This book would be invaluable for any practice team for some time to come and would be an essential addition to any public library.

10/10

Dr Grace Gibson is a GP in Hull


          

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