Must read

Mental Health Nursing,  Nov 2004  by Johnson, Paul

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Must read Every family in the land: Understanding prejudice and discrimination against people with mental illness. (Revised Edition) Edited by Arthur H Crisp, Royal Society of Medicine Press Ltd (2003) ISBN 185315573 X, 35.00, pp400

This books aims to give the reader an understanding of the prejudice, discrimination and social exclusion that people with mental ill health can suffer. It gives a well balanced view from service users', carers' and professionals' perspectives and aims to cover the difficulties faced on a daily basis by people suffering from mental health problems ranging from mild mental health problems dealt with in primary care to severe and enduring mental health issues as well as personality disorders to dementia.

We are enlightened to the history of stigmatisation of mental illness and its cultural and sociological aspects that have moulded misguided perceptions and prejudices. Most interestingly, the book gives real life views from service users and carers and how excluded they can feel not only from society but also from the very services that are there to help them. It also offers views on creativity and mental illness and that creativity itself can provide psychological protection from adversity. This later leads the reader onto strategies to tackle stigma and discrimination throughout society.

It examines the impact that religious, cultural and spiritual needs of people have on perceptions, stigma and treatment of those who suffer from mental illness. It gives a balanced view of medical and social models that hit me as a professional, as a service user but more as a person, that mental illness/health does not belong in a silo to be offered 'treatment'. It says to me that 'the mental illness' should not be the recipient of treatment but a whole systems approach that acknowledges all of life's influences that make you a whole person, should be incorporated into any treatment plan.

After reading this book I feel that mental health and social well being is an intrinsic thread that runs through the web of life and stigma, discrimination and prejudice will have an impact on recovery at any point along this thread. I feel strongly that this book should be made mandatory reading for all people training in every health or social care setting.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is a service user development lead, NIMHE North East, Yorkshire & Humber

Copyright Community Psychiatric Nurses Association Nov 2004
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