Mental Health problems are becoming increasingly common, ranging in severity from transient stress reactions to those that have a serious impact on day-to-day living. The medicalisation of daily problems is a prevalent issue and a book that helps people understand the nature of different mental health conditions can help enlighten attitudes to mental illness, making for an empowering read.

Fears, Phobias and Fantasies, written by well-known psychiatrist Patricia Casey, deals with the organisation of psychiatric services, offering guidance on how to gain access to a mental health professional, the consultation process, the various psychiatric disorders and the legal and ethical issues in mental health. It seeks to clarify the various symptoms and therapies and explore some of the common myths surrounding mental illness. 

A handy reference guide full of case vignettes and tips on how family and friends can best help, this book is accessible to the non-medical reader, and to those who either suffer with mental health problems or who are caring for somebody who does.