You know you wouldn't do that, Derek Haughton hopes he might not! In this follow up to What Are Yer? Bleeder! the struggle to maintain selfhood against convention and imposed morality continues. Disaffected, disgusted and delinquent after a young life of hospitals, special education, 'bleeding' and self questioning the haemophilic author does his best to live up to his own hard won maxim: Forget should and shouldn't. Do what you can.

A supportive guide filled with actionable tips and advice to open up the conversation around men's mental health The most powerful thing we can do to support our mental health is to talk about it For all of us, our mental health is just as important as our physical health - so why do we feel so ashamed to talk about it? It's time to end the stigma and the silence around mental health, and this clear, approachable guide is here to show you how. From tips on navigating mental-health issues to advice on reaching out to others, this book is packed with guidance on how to look out for your well-being - as well as how you can help those around you. Topics covered include: Anxiety, stress and depression Suicidal thoughts Self-care and mindfulness methods How to open up and communicate Where to seek further advice With practical tips and valuable insights, this book will improve your awareness of mental health, offer tools and techniques to enable you to manage it better, and empower you to live a happier, healthier life.

A practical, supportive and easy-to-read guide to help you understand and overcome stress, filled with helpful tips and actionable advice Feeling overwhelmed? This little book is here to help. How to Understand and Deal with Stress is a friendly, accessible guide with all the information and advice you need to identify the source of your struggles, and to take practical steps to reduce or manage the burden. By learning the science behind stress and understanding how it affects your mind and body, you'll start to dismantle its hold on you. And with practical ways to manage the condition - including physical, medical and therapeutic perspectives - this book will help you work out the best ways you can support your mental health and improve your overall well-being. By the end of this book, you will: Understand the science behind stress, how it manifests, what causes it, and how to identify symptoms and triggers Be armed with physical and practical steps you can take to alleviate stress, from breathing exercises and healthy lifestyle choices to problem-solving techniques and coping mechanisms Have a host of holistic remedies up your sleeve for when stress strikes, such as mindfulness, visualization and breathwork Know about the medical treatments and therapies available, and know how and when to seek professional help or support With the right knowledge and guidance, you can learn to understand and manage stress so that you can get back to feeling like you again.

One women's journey of menopause and vaginal atrophy. Written in collaboration with her daughter in a `tongue in cheek' way to help break taboos of vaginal atrophy. This book is informative, serious, tear-jerking and guaranteed to make you laugh. Through this book you'll learn the hidden secrets of menopause aimed to help you during your own experiences, informing women, men and health professionals of all ages. "An amazing piece of work. It made me smile and cry at the same time and really feel every woman on the planet needs to read it" - Dr Louise Newson. "If you have a vagina, know or love somebody with a vagina, you need to read this." Diane Danzebrink, The Menopause Counsellor "This extraordinary, outstanding book is refreshingly candid and one of a kind. It is the sort of book you will buy extra copies of, to give to your daughters, your sisters and your friends." Julie Bennett, Educational Author "I love the book and already have patients and friends in mind that I can recommend it to." Fiona Mitchell, Women's Health Physiotherapist "I would recommend it to everyone." Amanda Tozer, Consultant Gynaecologist "Absolutely love it! Such an honest and informative read, smashing the taboo surrounding the conversation about our vaginas." Sam Evans, Sexual Health Expert

Supporting a family member or friend with depression can be demanding and draining. This book looks at the sometimes forgotten population involved in depression, and emphasises that if someone in the family is suffering, it's not your fault.

Chronic illness takes many forms - such as migraine, epilepsy, diabetes, persisting fatigue, arthritis, cancer, and pain - and involves huge stress and uncertainty, especially when you come to the end of what the doctor can offer. This book aims to empower those with chronic illness, and to explore the health possibilities open to them.

Treatment for fibromyalgia has progressed in leaps and bounds over the past 10 years as recognition of the condition increases. FM is now the second or third most common diagnosis made by British rheumatologists, and was listed as one of the three most common diagnoses in a survey of Canadian rheumatologists. It is probably more common than these figures suggest. It's now recognised that symptoms can be greatly improved by proper management. This book is packed with information about the best medications and self-help therapies available, with a strong focus on improving symptoms, including pain and aching muscles, fatigue and poor sleep, IBS, joint stiffness, headaches and migraine, urinary frequency, dizziness, sensitivity and cognitive problems. Other topics include: neurological dysfunctions in fibromyalgia; how to reduce stiffness and fatigue; coping with other problems such as addressing anxiety, depression and stress; how exercise can help; pacing and relaxation; a healthy diet, including intolerances, allergies and supplements; natural remedies.

This book has helped many thousands of those who have depression. This new edition, written by a leading consultant psychiatrist, explains that depression tests the strongest of us. Dr Cantopher guides the reader through the nature of depression, its history, symptoms, causes and treatments. He covers the latest information on medications, new guidelines as to the management of depression, and stresses that no one should be to blame for succumbing to depression.

The Treating Arthritis books draw on more than 25 years of experience at the renowned Margaret Hills clinic, and have helped hundreds of thousands of people with arthritis. The new edition of this book looks at research which suggests that the Margaret Hills programme is effective in treating arthritis, with some patients having impressive improvements after just a few weeks. The link between exceptional stress and arthritis is also explored. Other topics include: pain relief and better mobility; medication and side-effects; improved quality of life; new section on troubleshooting, which considers situations such as joint pain from other health conditions, digestive health, arthritis in later life, arthritis in children and young people, and co-existing conditions such as high blood pressure, depression and weight problems.

Born a haemophiliac in 1944, not long before the end of WW11 when treatment of the condition was primitive if not altogether absent, a boy had to learn his limitations and when to push through the boundaries utilising a mix of cunning, observational skills, obscenity and charm to frustrate the efforts of the adult world to contain him. Having heard at too young an age a prediction that he would not survive to see his fourteenth birthday, anger simmered below the surface to break free in awe of no-one, puzzled by many and sent away to Corley Open Air School for the first five years of his education, then persecuted in an orthopaedic children's hospital he learned to mistrust authority in general, and developed a defiant attitude, determined to prove everyone wrong in every way. Even those he loved were viewed with suspicion and every word they uttered tested, accepted or rejected as he found necessary. Three years of the home tuition he loved followed the open air school; then special school tested his endurance and improved his patience but taught him little else.

Being diagnosed with cancer, even an incurable form, isn't necessarily the end of the world. Having lived with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow, for three years (and still counting!) the author shows that with a positive attitude and the right support it is still possible to cope and enjoy life. The book is intended to illustrate this to anyone finding themselves in a similar situation, to thank all who have helped him, a self-confessed coward, to keeping going, and to raise money for appropriate charities. The story begins with his admission to hospital where he spent five months, during which time he had an operation to remove at tumour from his spine, began radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments and almost died from a combination of pneumonia and septic shock. A transfer to a nursing-home for seven months followed, bringing with it more setbacks before he was able to move back home. Three years after his initial diagnosis, he is still defying the odds and he tells his tale in such a light-hearted way that despite the seriousness of the subject matter the overall feeling that the reader is left with is a very positive one and no-one could fail to be affected by such a heart-warming account. The author was diagnosed with an incurable, though thankfully treatable, form of cancer just before his 61st birthday while serving his notice after forty-three years working for the Lancashire Library service. This is the heart-warming and surprisingly amusing story of how this self-confessed coward managed to overcome his lifelong phobia of anything medical with the help of Su, his wife of almost forty years, his family and a loyal band of friends so that he continues to enjoy his retirement, though maybe not quite in the same way as he and Su might have expected it to be.

Being diagnosed with cancer is a shock for patient, family and friends. But modern medicine ensures that many people with cancer can be cured or go on to enjoy many more years of active and fulfilling life. Fiona Castle experienced living alongside a cancer patient when her husband, Roy, was diagnosed. In this positive and informative guide she combines the practical and emotional aspects to provide resourceful and supportive help for anyone coping with the illness. She includes: * Taking it in and asking the right questions * Understanding the facts * How to get information and support * Treatments and their side effects * Living with cancer and the needs of carers * How to help yourself with complementary therapies * Terminal cancer, the fears and preparations * Getting back to ordinary life All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to The Roy Castle Fund for Cancer Research UK.

The Brightness of Healing is an illuminating and breakthrough book that will bring hope to thousands who are wishing to recover from the painful bladder condition interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. Elspeth Scott suffered this chronic condition for a number of years, as well as other symptoms indicating a compromised immune system struggling to cope. After exploring many avenues and using a combination of alternative treatments and approaches, her health gradually began to improve and is now better than she could previously have imagined. This is her uplifting account of her recovery. It gives a personal approach to overcoming a problem that many people suffer from, offering advice to other sufferers. In it are outlined the remedies, treatments and changes to lifestyle that she undertook to heal the problem, but this book can also be used by those simply wishing to find ways to maintain a balanced and healthy body.

A raw, honest and heartfelt poetry collection from Taz Alam - for the tough times, the great times, and everything in between. Depressed, but it's fine. Anxious, but it's fine. Heartbroken, but it's fine. When you're ready to embrace how you really feel, I hope this book helps you connect, reflect, and be seen. What matters is that you're here. Maybe we can be fine, together.

If you have arthritis, it's all too easy to let pain and restricted activity become a way of life. With this illustrated collection of easy-to-follow exercises, you can gently boost levels of fitness and flexibility. The exercises balance rest, movement and relaxation in a way adapted to the needs of those with arthritis. Topics include; Assessing your fitness level and how arthritis affects you; Getting started and keeping going; Warming up; Stretches and strengtheners; Checkpoints for each set of exercises; Relaxation techniques; Other forms of exercise you can do, including walking, swimming, cycling, yoga, Alexander technique and t'ai chi.

Tinnitus can be a terrible affliction, both for the individual, and also for friends and family. Hyperacusis, acute sensitivity to noise, can also seriously interfere with everyday life. These conditions are common in adults and may affect children, too. The good news is that prospects for recovery have never been better, thanks to advances in scientific understanding and therapy. There are techniques that can be used to help minimize the distressing effects of these disorders, which can range from lack of sleep and irritability, to loss of concentration and confidence. Living with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis looks at strategies for coping and includes a complete self-help programme. Topics include; causes and mechanisms of tinnitus and hyperacusis, the impact of these hearing disorders, effective treatments, relaxation and sound therapy, relieving the stress of tinnitus and hyperacusis and avoiding relapse.

Diabetes is on the increase in all age groups and is described by the World Health Organisation as an epidemic. The good news is that effective control can greatly improve life expectancy, as well as reducing the risk of complications such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney disease and blindness. This book explains how to tackle type one diabetes in adults and teenagers; it also looks at type two diabetes and explains why the dividing line between types one and two is not always easy to draw. Topics include: Late-onset type one diabetes; Organising your insulin; Pumps and transplants; Type two diabetes and the metabolic syndrome; Why so many more people with type two diabetes now need insulin for control; Managing type two diabetes - keeping the glucose levels down; Diet and weight control; Why you mustn't smoke - and how to stop if you do; Preventing complications; Diabetes in pregnancy.

This classic book, first published in 1997, provides comprehensive and sympathetic coverage of a distressing subject. Every year many thousands of people have a stoma - colostomy and ileostomy are the commonest types. But, while the surgery may be life-saving, the results can be hard to adjust to. Professor White explains in clear, straightforward terms all aspects of living with a stoma, including ways to make you feel more comfortable with it, overcome embarrassment, and get the best support.

Each year nearly 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Of these, more than 10,000 die from the disease, and figures are rising. But better awareness, earlier diagnosis and more sophisticated treatments can save lives, and have already reduced death rates in some countries. This new edition of Coping Successfully with Prostate Cancer presents the latest research on prostate cancer and describes the many treatments available. Topics include; symptoms and stages of the disease, other prostate problems, the possible influence of diet, geography and viral factors, screening and investigation, including PSA, the decision to treat, or not to treat, treatments, including surgery and radiation therapy, branchytherapy and laser, dealing with advanced prostate cancer, lifestyle measures, coping with sex, research and the future. In this thoroughly updated and positive book, Dr Tom Smith says that it is possible for men with prostate cancer to lead successful, happy and fufilled lives.

"Alison, I’ve got bad news."

The voice of the pathologist at the other end of the telephone confirmed for Alison Tucker the news no woman ever wants to hear: she had breast cancer. Once the shock had settled, Alison decided that she would take charge. Not only would she take ownership of the dreaded disease, but she would do so with a positive mindset and prepare herself as best she could for what was to come. She did detailed research and paid close heed to what she was told by others who had walked the path before her. As she navigated her way through surgery and the chemotherapy and radiotherapy that followed, Alison’s determination paid off. Not only did she make new friends, but she learnt valuable life lessons too: acceptance of the illness for what it was, the amazing impact of ongoing advances in medical science, and the importance of being able to ask for – and receive – help.

In My Best Worst Year – A Breast Cancer Story, Alison gives us an authentic account of her experience, offering insights and advice for others who might one day face the same diagnosis. You will accompany her on her highs, empathise with her lows, and be amused by humorous anecdotes along the way. Through the generous support of family and friends, she has amassed a collection of practical tips for both patients and supporters which she shares with open-hearted honesty:

• What to take to chemotherapy sessions
• What to look for when choosing a wig
• What side effects a person can expect when having the various types of cancer treatment
• What to say, and what not to say, to a cancer patient
• How to remove stress from a cancer patient’s life
• What kind of gifts and gestures are most appreciated

Contrary to Alison’s expectations, her year of treatment turned out to be her best worst year. By telling her story, she underlines the importance of a positive attitude and hopes to show that a person can still lead a productive and enjoyable life even after being diagnosed with cancer.