A Book Review for the New Year

In 2009 a fellow psychiatrist's book will be on the shelves - ‘The Meaning of Madness’ by Dr Neel Burton. This book aims to explore what mental disorders can teach us about human nature and the human condition. For example, what is schizophrenia? Why is it so common? Why does it affect human beings and not animals? What might this tell us about mind and body, language and creativity, music and religion? What are the boundaries between mental disorder and ‘normality’? Is there a relationship between mental disorder and genius?

The book looks behind the usual categories to ask: why does this mental disorder exist and what adaptive or evolutionary advantage, if any, could it have? It’s an interesting way of looking at things, and one that puts a much needed positive spin on illnesses which are usually portrayed as being nothing but negative.

According to Professor Bill Fulford of Oxford University, ‘The Meaning of Madness’ contrasts from other books on mental disorder in that it neither polemical nor over-technical. Instead, it provides a highly readable and at the same time authoritative account that, by combining literary, philosophical, and scientific sources, shows the deep connections between ‘madness’ and some of most important attributes as human beings. The book’s central message that mental disorders are an expression of our deepest human nature is both important and timely, and one that can make a real difference to the perception, experience, and outcome of mental disorder.

Well done to Dr Neel Burton, it certainly makes an interesting read. Hot of the press it can be pre-ordered here.

A Bipolar Economy?

During the present glum destructive nature of the economy, histrionic panic should be avoided. It’s similar to treating an economy with bipolar disorder. Suffering a crash after a prolonged ‘high’ or manic episode. Going from euphoria to despair. During the years of boom and mania, there was inflated opinion, increased self-esteem, carefree joviality, boorish behaviour, over-optimistic ideas and reckless acts without thinking of the consequences. Now we stare in the face of depression. The market suffers the bipolar opposite feelings of recession. Suffering with guilt, lack of self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness and a bleak and pessimistic view about the future.

Politicians need to communicate and co-ordinate. Any psychiatrist will tell you, inconsistency and uncertainty are to be avoided. Casino party capitalism has no chips left to place on the table. Initial stabilisation must occur, and confidence in the Treasury is now paramount. I hope they prescribe the correct treatment at the right dose!

Conservative Health Debate

Last night I was kindly hosted by Beaconsfield Conservatives and spoke with Dominic Grieve MP (Shadow Home Secretary). Many thanks to all the people who came along to join in the health debate.

Doctors Car Stolen

News from Greater Manchester Police is that a doctor left the car running whilst she did the decent thing and rushed over to help a man in his 70's suffering a serious head injury. Being a good samaritan she pulled up in her red Renault Clio leaving the keys in the ignition.

Unfortunately, a thief jumped in her car and drove off! The incident happened at 4.50pm on Wednesday, on Eccles New Road, near Hope Hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester. The car's registration is NY05 RZN and police would like to hear from anybody who has seen it.

Book Review

‘Why Lawyers Should Surf’ has been reviewed by:
Times online and Swordplay.

The Future?

Barack Obama and David Cameron share political dreams with confidence and the audacity of hope. Perhaps the next time they meet, both will be elected leaders.

A Brief History of Childhood Behaviour

As childhood knife crime is dominating the headlines, perhaps it's worthwhile remembering the words of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He believed infants were born infinitely malleable with the potential for moral goodness that experience of life corrupted. "Everything is good" he wrote in 1762 "that leaves the Creator's hands: everything degenerates in the hands of man."

Since the end of the eighteenth century, the concept of childhood as a time of extreme impressionability, and of crucial significance for personality development, has been a powerful force politically and socially. Descriptions by Charles Dickens of the terrible living conditions of the poor were meant to move politicians, and they did. It was known then that only social reform and active measures could solve the problem.

Knife Crime in A&E

This picture was taken during the 'doctors march', March 2007. It illustrated how the then health secretary Patricia Hewitt treated junior doctors over Modernising Medical Careers (MMC).

In 20o8 may I remind the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that A&E is for an accident and/or an emergency. It is not, and never will be, part of the criminal justice system.

The Quango Theme

Today Kathy Gyngell discusses quangos, see here.

Quangos Cost More Than Our Armed Forces.

Alan Duncan today announced that Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), are evolving into an executive arm of government instead of being “a business-led force for good”. He fears RDAs have become “increasingly politicised” and that the government’s plans to give them strategic planning powers is “a huge mistake...ingraining a tier of regional government with no mandate, no legitimacy and no accountability”.

To me RDAs sound like yet another unaccountable, unelected, undemogratic quango. Perhaps it's worth remembering that the Labour government spend more on quangos, than on our own armed forces.