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People with
mental health problems to be prescribed self-help books
September
18, 2009
by Angela Hussain
.........
People
with mental health problems are to be prescribed self-help books
by GPs.
A trial of "bibliotherapy",
which launches next month in surgeries around Westminster in London,
involves people with phobias, depression, stress and anxiety, collecting
recommended titles from their local library.
The scheme is being run by Westminster
Council and NHS Westminster. It will be piloted for six months
An approved list of 21 self-help
titles has been chosen. They include books such as Overcoming Depression
by Chris Williams, Managing Social Anxiety by Debra Hope, The Worry
Cure by Robert Leahy and Anorexia Nervosa: A Survival Guide by Janet
Treasure.
Dr Sam Rodgers of the Marven Medical
Practice, which is taking part in the trial, said: "From an
academic perspective there is evidence that books are of benefit
for conditions like anxiety and depression. A lot of patients do
not like the idea of medication and the 'talking cures' all require
several appointments and that bites into people's lives."
Some
titles chosen for the reading pilot:
DEPRESSION:
Overcoming Depression: A Five Areas Approach
(Chris Williams)
Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time
(Michael Addis and Christopher Martell)
LOW
SELF-ESTEEM:
Manage Your Mind: The Mental Fitness Guide (Gillian Butler and Tony
Hope)
ANXIETY:
The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook (Edmund J Bourne)
The Worry Cure (Robert Leahy)
Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic (David Barlow
and Michelle Craske) Managing Social Anxiety (Debra Hope, Richard
Heimburg, Harlan Juster and Cynthia Turk)
PHOBIAS:
Mastering Your Fears and Phobias (Martin Anthony, Michelle Craske
and David Barlow)
ANGER:
Overcoming Anger and Irritability (William Davies)
OCD:
Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
(David Veale and Rob Wilson)
EATING:
Overcoming Binge Eating (Christopher Fairburn)
Anorexia Nervosa: A Survival Guide (Janet Treasure)
See
also:
Diagnoses
+
service
provision
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