GPs prescribe self help books for mental health problems
BMJ 2003; 326 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.7402.1285-b (Published 12 June 2003) Cite this as: BMJ 2003;326:1285All rapid responses
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I'd like to draw your attention to a 1000+ page online book,
Psychological Self-Help (http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/). It is
comprehensive, covering unwanted behavior, anxiety, depression, anger,
dependency, personality and interpersonal problems, and
dating/marriage/love/sex. There are also chapters describing useful self-
help methods, such as skills, cognitive methods, insight, and so on. To
the extent possible it is science-based but still written in simple
language. The directions for self-change are explicit and doable, not
necessarily easy.
The book is searchable and has detailed chapter indices. It is
updated periodically. Reader feedback is very positive. I hope it serves
you well for a long time; it is a reference and not something most people
would read all at one time cover to cover.
Clay Tucker-Ladd, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist and Author
drclay@charter.net
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
The Cardiff book prescription list put together by psychologists Dr
Neil Frude and colleagues
(prices are UK):
Overcoming Irritability and Anger
Davies, Will
2000 Robinson
1854875957 £ 7.99
Managing Anger
Lindenfield, Gael
2000 Thorsons 0007100345 £ 6.99
Anorexia Nervosa: A Survival Guide for Families, Friends and
Sufferers
Treasure, Janet
1997 Psychology Press 0863777600 £ 9.95
Overcoming Anorexia Nervosa
Freeman, Christopher and Cooper, Peter
2000 Robinson 1854879693 £ 7.99
Overcoming Anxiety
Kennerley, Helen
1997
Robinson 1854874225 £ 7.99
Woman in Your Own Right
Dickson, Anne
1982 Quartet Books 0704334208 £ 6.00
Living with Loss
McNeill Taylor, Liz
2000
Robinson 1841191051 £ 6.49
Bulimia Nervosa & Binge Eating
Cooper, Peter
1995 Robinson 1854871714 £ 6.99
Overcoming Binge Eating
Fairburn, Chris
1995 Guilford Press 0898621798 £ 9.95
Getting Better Bit(e) by Bit(e
Schmidt, Ulrike
& Treasure, Janet
1993 Erlbaum 0863773222 £ 9.95
Overcoming Depression
Gilbert, Paul
2000 Robinson 1841191256 £ 7.99
Mind Over Mood
Greenberger, Dennis. & Padesky, Christine
1995
Guilford 0898621283 £ 15.95
The Feeling Good Handbook
Burns, David
2000 Plume Books 0452281326 £ 12.99
Overcoming Compulsive Gambling
Blazszynski, Alex
1998
Robinson 1854874845 £ 7.99
How To Cope When The Going Gets Tough
Dryden, Windy & Gordon,
Jack
1994 Sheldon 0859697010 £ 5.99
Emotional Confidence
Lindenfield, Gael
2000 Thorsons 0007100361 £ 6.99
Head Injury: A Practical Guide
Powell, Trevor
2001 Speechmark 0863883257 £ 15.99
Stop Worrying About Your Health!
Zgourides, George
2002 New
Harbinger 157724285X £ 11.99
Overcoming Mood Swings
Scott, Jan
2001
Constable and Robinson 1841190179 £ 7.99
Understanding Obsessions & Compulsions
Tallis, Frank
1992 Sheldon
Publishing 0859696529 £ 6.99
Overcoming Panic
Silove, Derrick
1997
Robinson 1854877011 £ 7.99
Panic Attacks
Ingham, Christine
1997
Thorsons 0722526989 £ 5.99
Overcoming Traumatic Stress
Herbert, Claudia & Wetmore, Ann
1999
Robinson 1841190160 £ 7.99
Overcoming Low Self-Esteem
Fennell, Melanie
1999
Robinson 1854877259 £ 7.99
The Feeling Good Handbook
Burns, David
2000 Plume Books 0452281326 £ 12.99
Self-Esteem For Women
Field, Lynda
2001 Vermilion 009187632X £ 6.99
Self-Esteem
Lindenfield, Gael
2000
Thorsons 0722540078 £ 6.99
10 Days to Great Self-Esteem
Burns, David
2000 Vermilion 0091825628 £ 9.99
Breaking Free
Ainscough, Carolyn & Toon, Kay
2000
Sheldon 0859698106 £ 12.99
Beginning to Heal
Bass, Ellen & Davies, Laura
1993 Mandarin 0749316551 £ 4.99
The Courage to Heal
Bass, Ellen & Davies, Laura
2002 Vermilion 0091884209 £ 12.99
Overcoming Social Anxiety & Shyness
Butler, Gillian
1999 Robinson 1856877038 £ 7.99
The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook
Davis, Robbins,
Eshelman & McKay
1995 New Harbinger
1879237822 £ 14.99
Managing Stress: Teach Yourself
Looker, Terry & Gragson, Olga
1997 Teach Yourself Books 0340663766 £ 7.99
How to Stop Worrying
Tallis, Frank
1990 Sheldon 0859696103 £ 6.99
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
This approach seems very consistent with the recovery approach to
mental illness. Where can I get a list of the 30 books available in
Cardiff?
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Could I add my name to the growing list of people who would like to
see which books are being prescribed? I have just started looking into
what is available in the self-help field, and knowing what is working
already would be very helpful.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
I was interested to read the article about self help books for a
range of common mental disorder. We have just started a new service at the
surgery offering a mental health promotion service to new patients
registering with us who rate their emotional well being as fair or poor
(as opposed to good or excellent).
The service offers local resources as a way of improving mental
health. It is also aiming to empower people, reduce stigma, reduce
incidence of mental illness (primary prevention)and foster an openess
about discussing mental health problems.
It would therefore be very useful to obtain the book list to add to
our resource portfolio.
Rose de Boer
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Talking Life has been working with the Royal College of Psychiatrists
and The Pain Relief Foundation to produce patient self-help audio tapes on
depression, anxiety, pain management etc since 1990. The tapes contain
advice and self-help techniques which are simple for the patient to
follow. Many of these tapes are in public libraries, like the books
referred to in the Cardiff trial. In particular, Coping with Depression
has been the subject of two GP trials, one of which was supervised by a
Consultant Psychiatrist and published in the BMJ.
I would be happy to send
copies of this to anyone interested. In Northamptonshire, the health
authority funded the distribution of Coping with Depression & Coping
with Anxiety in GP surgeries, available for patients to borrow. The 'lead'
GP remains convinced that for mild to moderate depression allowing
patients access to self help advice is a good alternative to medication
and counselling. Wendy Lloyd
Competing interests:
I am Editorial Director of Talking Life & we have been producing patient self help tapes for 13 years which are widely used by GPs
Competing interests: No competing interests
I am interested in this innovative project. I would be particularly
interested to hear how the book list was selected, and whether it can be
made available for others.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
The NHS Expert Patients Programme (self-management programme)
The NHS Expert Patients Programme (self-management programme) is also
a useful resource for people who live with a long-term health condition.
Low self-esteem, depression is common and can help them to manage their
depression, anxiety, stress, and many other symtoms.
The Expert Patient and self-management
Living with a long-term chronic condition has become a strong feature of
modern society. Physical and psychological difficulties, socio-economic
problems, and social exclusion often lead to a reduction in the quality of
life.
An observation made frequently by doctors who take care of patients with
long-term chronic disease is "my patients understand their disease better
than I do". Many patients are, indeed, "experts" in their own right, for
they have gained the life skills to cope with a chronic condition.
There is increasing evidence that patients - with proper support - can
take a lead in managing their own conditions. This can help to improve
health, quality of life and reduce incapacity.
For more information about the EPP please go to
http://www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/progress/expertpatient/epp6.htm
Pete Moore
Senior Trainer
ESSEX
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests