Head First

A Psychiatrist's Stories of Mind and Body

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Head First

By: Alastair Santhouse

Narrated by: Alastair Santhouse

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About this listen

What does it mean to be well? Is it something in our body? Or, is it rather something subjective - something of the mind? In this profound collection of clinical stories, eminent psychiatrist Dr Alastair Santhouse draws on his experience of treating thousands of hospital patients to show how our emotions are inextricably linked to our physical wellbeing.

Our minds shape the way we understand and react to symptoms that we develop, dictate the treatments we receive and influence whether they work. They even influence whether we develop symptoms at all. Written with brutal honesty, deep compassion and a wry sense of humour, Head First examines difficult cases that illuminate some of our most puzzling and controversial medical issues - from the tragedy of suicide, to the stigma surrounding obesity, to the ongoing misery of chronic fatigue. Ultimately he finds that our medical model has failed us by promoting specialisation and overlooking perhaps the single most important component of our health: our state of mind.

Brain & Nervous System

Mental Health

Neuroscience & Neuropsychology

Physical Illness & Disease

Psychology

Psychology & Mental Health

Health

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Most relevant

This book is so interesting and relevant to everyone.
We all get tension headaches or stomach aches from anxiety etc, as our mind has a huge effect on our body.
Santhouse takes us on this incredible jouney via the patients that he has helped over the years and clearly explains what goes on in the lives of us, normal real people.
He genuinely cares about his patients and their futures. He is wise and reflective and shares his thoughts in a simple easy to read way. His thoughts on Covid too are fascinating.
He is reading this book himself and it is as though he is on the phone recounting his story.

Best book I have read in absolutely ages.