A critical look at psychiatry and the future of mental health services. Edited by Craig Newness, Guy Holmes and Cailzie Dunn. 25 X. Craig Newnes and his colleagues have assembled a provocative series of accounts on contemporary psychiatric practice, though he also has an introductory chapter on histories of psychiatry. This makes uncomfortable reading, especially the section on psychosurgery. Contributors to this book come largely from clinical psychology and the user movement.
Psychiatrists are conspicuous by their absence.
Having read the book straight through, I noted later that it is divided into four sections. The first, Psychiatry in Context, has the historical chapter mentioned above and chapters by Jennie Williams on social inequalities and mental health and from Nimisha Patel and Iyabo Fatimilehin on racism and mental health. Part 2, What Psychiatry Does includes chapters by Mary Boyle on diagnosis, David Crepaz-Keay on drugs, Katy Arscott on ECT, Lucy Johnstone on families and schizophrenia and Marese Hudson on patients councils. The Last chapter might be better in another section. Part 3 covers Alternatives and Alliances.