From a leader in the field of psychotherapy, this new book is the first dedicated to the topic of the fear of contamination. The fear of contamination is the driving force behind compulsive washing, the most common manifestation of obsessive compulsive disorder. This is one of the most extraordinary of all human fears. It is complex, powerful, probably universal, easily provoked, intense, and difficult to control. Usually the fear is caused by physical contact with a contaminant and spreads rapidly and widely. The book starts by defining the disorder, before considering the various manifestations of this fear, examining both mental contamination and contact contamination, and feelings of disgust.Most significantly, it develops a theory for how this problem can be treated, providing clinical guidelines - based around cognitive behavioural techniques.

Alcohol has played a major part in British life for centuries. It has led to the rise and fall of governments, financed wars, provoked civil disorder and even acts of terrorism. In many countries, alcohol consumption has been decreasing in recent years but in Britain we are drinking more and more, and from an earlier age. With the relaxation of licensing hours there is real concern that the current epidemic of binge drinking will get even worse. So why has this problem not arisen in most of the continent? Why are British adolescents drinking more now than ever? What will be the effect of the relaxation of licensing hours? Why have so many city centres become no-go zones - filled with social unrest and violence? Is it just that we can't hold our drink - or that we don't know when to stop? The authors of this book are two of the leading authorities on alcohol and its problems. In this highly topical book, the first ever on binge drinking, they take a look at the UK and its alcohol problem. They review the role of alcohol in Britain in the past 1500 years. Binge Britain looks at why our drinking culture is maintained and why politicians seem reluctant to act effectively to reduce the problem. The authors examine the power of the alcohol industry, and the huge amount of money it contributes in taxes. The book provides an informed overview of recent developments in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems, together with a commentary on and critique of the development of recent policy and the national response to this policy. Informative, authoritative, and accessibly written, Binge Britain provides a fascinating look at our need for intoxication.

This is the first book in English to show how the work of Lev Vygotsky gave rise to a prolific and original school of cultural-historical psychology in Latin America. In recent decades, Latin American researchers have expanded Vygotskyan conceptualizations and applied practical theory to psychological and educational research and practice, but until now this production remained virtually unknown for English speaking audiences since it has been mainly published in Spanish and Portuguese. This timely volume contributes to change this situation by presenting a panoramic picture of the state of the art of cultural-historical psychology in Latin America. The book is divided in two parts. The first part shows how Latin American researchers used Vygotsky's work to develop new theoretical elaborations and empirical advances to deal with different political, social and cultural problems in the region. The second part presents an overview of the current state of cultural-historical psychology in Latin America. Throughout its 15 chapters, the book shows how Latin American researchers contributed to the studies of different aspects of the cultural-historical theoretical conception of the development of higher psychological functions, such as concept formation, inner speech, zone of proximal development and imagination, and how these theoretical elaborations have been applied to research and practice in fields such as sociocultural psychology, developmental psychology, psychotherapy and education in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Peru and Puerto Rico. Latin American Advances in Subjectivity and Development - Through the Vygotsky Route will be an invaluable resource to researchers, students and practitioners in the fields of psychology, education and other social sciences interested in discovering or learning more about the original Latin American school of cultural-historical psychology.

Over the past two decades, a widening gulf has emerged between illness presentation and the adequacy of traditional biomedical explanations. Currently, the UK is experiencing an "epidemic of common health problems" among people in receipt of State incapacity benefits and those who consult their general practitioners. Most do not demonstrate a recognisable pathological or organic basis which would account for the subjective complaints they report. As a result, the causes of many illnesses remain a mystery for both patient and physician, with the result that increasing numbers of people are opting for alternative or complementary medicines. To bridge this gap between illness and its explanation, without abandoning the clear benefits of the biomedical approach, many healthcare professionals have begun to consider a biopsychosocial approach. Central to this approach is the belief that illness is not just the result of discrete pathological processes but involves and can be meaningfully explained in terms of personal, psychological and socio-cultural factors. In particular, the beliefs held by patients about their health are considered central to the way they behave and respond to treatment. However, such beliefs are not specific to patients only - they can greatly influence the behaviour and reasoning of health professionals as well. Psychosocial influences such as beliefs are also relevant when considering society's views regarding the aetiology of illness, recovery and potential for treatment. At a time when public trust in doctors and science is undoubtedly diminishing, a better understanding of patients' beliefs is clearly a priority for clinical practice and research. The Power of Belief brings together a range of experts from neuroscience, rehabilitation and disability medicine and provides a unique account of the role and influence that belief plays in illness manifestation, medical training, promising biopsychosocial interventions and society at large.

This book gives advice and practical tips on how to prepare thoroughly for RCPsych's CASC exam, from six months before. It explains a range of communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal, and other preparation methods and presents twelve mock stations, with instructions, to enable trainees to practice the techniques and skills described in the book.

Sex matters! Are there differences between the sexes when it comes to brain function and the behaviours that result? This volume attempts to answer this fundamental question. If the answer is 'yes' then this should impact upon our approach to treating mental illness in humans, and to modelling it in animals, as we look for aetiological and pharmacological solutions.

Millions of individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness also suffer from an equally powerful substance use disorder. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with dual disorders, this book can help. Addiction and Mood Disorders: A Guide for Clients and Families is designed primarily to educate individuals with dual disorders and their families about mood and addictive use disorders. It not only gives a message of hope, but also provides practical suggestions on ways to manage these disorders. The author provides guidelines and strategies for recovery from dual disorders based on, and adapted from various treatments that have proven effective for addiction, mood disorders, or both. This book is filled with case examples that show growth and positive change, as well as the difficulties many individuals struggling with a dual diagnosis face. Advocating a recovery model in which the affected individual takes responsibility for getting the most out of professional treatment and self-help programs, this book shows that being an active participant is the key to getting the most out of your recovery. This book is for use not only by those individuals who suffer from addiction and mental illness, but also by their family, friends, and other members of their support system. Professionals who work with these individuals will find this book to be a useful guide in their clinical work as well.

The troubling increase in treatment resistance in psychiatry has many culprits: the rise of biomedical psychiatry and corresponding sidelining of psychodynamic and psychosocial factors; the increased emphasis on treating the symptoms rather than the person; and a greater focus on the electronic medical record rather than the patient, all of which point to a breakdown in the person-centered prescriber-patient relationship. Psychodynamic Psychopharmacology illuminates a new path forward. It examines the psychological and interpersonal mechanisms of pharmacological treatment resistance, integrating research on evidence-based prescribing processes with psychodynamic insights and skills to enhance treatment outcomes for patients who are difficult to treat. The first part of the book explores the evidence base that guides how, rather than simply what, to prescribe. It describes precisely what psychodynamic psychopharmacology is and why its emphasis on combining the often-neglected psychosocial aspects of medication with biomedical considerations provides a more optimized approach to addressing treatment resistance. Part II delves into the psychodynamics that contribute to pharmacological treatment resistance, both when patients' ambivalence about their illness, the medication itself, or their prescriber manifests in nonadherence and when medications support a negative identity or are used as replacements for healthy capacities. Readers will gain basic skills for addressing the psychological and interpersonal dynamics that underpin both scenarios and will be better positioned to ameliorate interferences with the healthy use of medications. The final section of the book offers detailed technical recommendations for addressing pharmacological treatment resistance. It tackles issues that include countertransference-driven irrational prescribing; primitive dynamics, such as splitting and projective identification; and the overlap between psychopharmacological treatment resistance and the dynamics of treatment nonadherence and nonresponse in integrated and collaborative medical care settings. By putting the individual patient back at the center of the therapeutic equation, psychodynamic psychopharmacology, as outlined in this book, offers a model that moves beyond compliance and emphasizes instead the alliance between patient and prescriber. In doing so, it empowers patients to become more active contributors in their own recovery.

This book focuses on the assessment and treatment of patients with somatic symptoms, based on biopsychosociospiritual model. Specific assessment skills and treatment techniques are required to approach them effectively. A broad spectrum of knowledge about stress is also needed because stress is closely related to the onset and course of disorders with somatic symptoms. This book consists of four parts. Part 1 'Stress' explores stress, vulnerability, and resilience; intermediate mechanisms between stress and illnesses such as psychoendocrinology and psychoimmunology; the measurement of stress; and the relationship between stress and accidents. Part 2 'Somatization' deals with the concept, mechanisms, assessment, and treatment of somatization. In addition, somatic symptom and related disorders in DSM-5 is included. However, the approach to chronic pain is separately added to this part because pain is a major concern for patients with these disorders. Part 3 'Specific physical disorders' mainly deals with common and distressing functional physical disorders as well as major physical disorders. Therapeutic approach for individuals at risk of coronary heart disease is also included. Part 4 'Religion, spirituality and psychosomatic medicine' emphasizes the importance of a biopsychosociospiritual perspective in an approach for patients with somatic symptoms, especially depressed patients with physical diseases and patients with terminal illnesses because of the growing need for spirituality in such patients. This book explores stress and a variety of issues relevant to the assessment and treatment of disorders with somatic symptoms in terms of biopsychosociospiritiual perspectives. It will be of interest to researchers and healthcare practitioners dealing with stress, health and mental health.

Over recent decades, tremendous advances in the prevention, medical treatment, and quality of life issues in children and adolescents surviving cancer have spawned a host of research on pediatric psychosocial oncology. This important volume fulfills the clear need for an up-to-date, comprehensive handbook for practitioners that delineates the most recent research in the field--the first of its kind in over a decade. Over 60 renowned authors have been assembled to provide a thorough presentation of the state-of-the art research and literature, with topics including:
-Neuropsychological effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy
-Bone marrow transplantation
-Important issues about quality of life during and following treatment
-Collaborative research among child-focused psychologists
-Standards of psychological care for children and adolescents
-Stress and coping in the pediatric cancer experience
-The role of family and peer relationships
The Comprehensive Handbook of Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Disease represents both multidisciplinary and international efforts, an alliance between physicians and parents, and a combination of research and service. With a wealth of information of great interest to patients and their families, this volume will also be a welcome resource to the psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, oncologists, nurses, and social workers who confront these issues as they help children and their families through the treatment, recovery, and grieving processes.

This book explores social constructionism and the language of mental distress. Mental health research has traditionally been dominated by genetic and biomedical explanations that provide only partial explanations. However, process research that utilises qualitative methods has grown in popularity. Situated within this new strand of research, the authors examine and critically assess some of the different contributions that social constructionism has made to the study of mental distress and to how those diagnosed are conceptualized and labeled. This will be an invaluable introduction and source of practical strategies for academics, researchers and students as well as clinical practitioners, mental health professionals, and others working with mental health such as educationalists and social workers.

This volume connects current ideas and concepts about sleep functions and circadian rhythms with the search for novel target-selective sleep-wake therapeutics. To do so, it provides a timely, state-of-the-art overview of sleep-wake mechanisms in health and disease, ongoing developments in drug discovery, and their prospects for the clinical treatment of sleep-disordered patients. It particularly focuses on the concept that sleep and wakefulness mutually affect each other, and the future therapeutic interventions with either sleep- or wake-promoting agents that are expected to not only improve the quality of sleep but also the waking behavior, cognition, mood and other sleep-associated physiological functions. The chapter 'Sleep Physiology, Circadian Rhythms, Waking Performance and the Development of Sleep-Wake Therapeutics' available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com

This book critiques the use of psychiatric labelling and psychiatric narratives in everyday areas of institutional and social life across the globe. It engages an interpretive sociology, emphasising the medial and individual everyday practices of medicalisation, and their role in establishing and diffusing conceptions of mental (ab)normality. The reconstruction of psychiatric narratives is currently taking place in multiple contexts, many of which are no longer strictly psychiatric. On the one hand, psychiatric narratives now pervade contemporary public discourses and institutions though advertising, news and internet sites. On the other hand, professionals like social workers, teachers, counsellors, disability advisors, lawyers, nurses and/or health insurance staff dealing with psychiatric narratives are becoming servants of the psychiatric discourse within "troubled person's industries". Abstract academic categories get turned into concrete aggrieved victims of these categorisations and academic formulas turned into individual narratives. To receive support it seems, one must be labelled. The practice-oriented micro-sociological field with which this volume is concerned has only recently begun to integrate itself into public and academic debates regarding medicalisation and the social role of psychiatry. Discussions on the evolution and expansion of official diagnoses within academia, and society in general, frequently overlook the individualised roles of psychiatric diagnoses and the experiences of those involved and affected by these processes, an oversight which this volume seeks to both highlight and address.

Profiles of Drug Substances, Excipients, and Related Methodology, Volume 44, presents comprehensive reviews of drug substances and additional materials, with critical review chapters that summarize information related to the characterization of drug substances and excipients. The series encompasses review articles, with this release focusing on Cefpodoxime proxetil, Levetiracetam, Paclitaxel, Sorafenib, Sucrose octaacetate, Thiouracil, Topiramate, Spectrophotometric analysis, and Cocrystal Systems of Pharmaceutical Interest: 2012-2014.

This volume provides practicing clinicians and researchers with an update on treatments found to be effective in pediatric psychology as well as those that are emerging in the field and have promise of being proven effective as additional research is conducted. Several chapters contain descriptions of different treatment protocols as well as specific scripts for certain procedures. These materials will be useful to clinicians in their day-to-day practice and clinical researchers in implementing and/or developing research protocols. Leading pediatric psychology intervention researchers generously provide details of their treatments for a number of pediatric problems. This book provides a means by which treatment manuals and related data on the outcomes of interventions can be disseminated to practicing pediatric psychologists and to investigators. Readers can gain access to treatment protocols developed by leading pediatric psychology researchers at a website specifically developed for this book. Readers may use these manuals in clinical work or contact the manual developers if interested in using/adapting the manuals for research protocols. This website will be updated with additional treatment manuals for problems encountered in the practice of pediatric psychology.

This volume provides practicing clinicians and researchers with an update on treatments found to be effective in pediatric psychology, as well as those that are emerging in the field and have promise of being proven effective as additional research is conducted. Several chapters contain descriptions of different treatment protocols as well as specific scripts for certain procedures. These materials will be useful to clinicians in their day-to-day practice and clinical researchers in implementing and/or developing research protocols. Leading pediatric psychology intervention researchers generously provide details of their treatments for a number of pediatric problems. This book provides a means by which treatment manuals and related data on the outcomes of interventions can be disseminated to practicing pediatric psychologists and to investigators. Readers can gain access to treatment protocols developed by leading pediatric psychology researchers at a website specifically developed for this book. Readers may use these manuals in clinical work or contact the manual developers if interested in using/adapting the manuals for research protocols. This website will be updated with additional treatment manuals for problems encountered in the practice of pediatric psychology.

This far-reaching volume analyzes the social, cultural, political, and economic factors contributing to mental health issues and shaping treatment options in the Asian and Pacific world. Multiple lenses examine complex experiences and needs in this vast region, identifying not only cultural issues at the individual and collective levels, but also the impacts of colonial history, effects of war and disasters, and the current climate of globalization on mental illness and its care. These concerns are located in the larger context of physical health and its determinants, worldwide goals such as reducing global poverty, and the evolving mental health response to meet rising challenges affecting the diverse populations of the region. Chapters focus on countries in East, Southeast, and South Asia plus Oceania and Australia, describing: * National history of psychiatry and its acceptance. * Present-day mental health practice and services. * Mental/physical health impact of recent social change. * Disparities in accessibility, service delivery, and quality of care. * Collaborations with indigenous and community approaches to healing. * Current mental health resources, the state of policy, and areas for intervention. A welcome addition to the global health literature, Mental Health in Asia and the Pacific brings historical depth and present-day insight to practitioners providing services in this diverse area of the world as well as researchers and policymakers studying the region.

Alzheimer's disease can be thought of as a multi-faceted neuropsychological disorder, with diverse impairments in cognitive abilities, such as attention, memory, language and executive functioning. Over the last decade cognitive neuropsychology has provided a far richer understanding of these impairments, and this book describes these advances, placing them in their clinical context. The first section deals with background theoretical and clinical issues, such as the extent to which Alzheimer's disease can be considered as a single entity or whether it is more fruitful to explore the neuropsychology of individual patients. It considers the diagnostic aspects of Alzheimer's disease, the natural history of the disease, how it progresses over time and the characteristics of the prodromal phase. A second section, the core of the book, covers major cognitive functions and delineates how impairments can be differentiated from each other. A third portion integrates what is known about cognitive decline with the underlying neurobiological basis, including pathological structural brain abnormality and neuropharmacological changes. A final section explores the clinical implications of the research with an overview of the neuropsychological assessment of this disease, cognitive approaches to management, and neurobiological treatment.
As an introduction to this field, The Cognitive Neuropsychology of Alzheimer's Disease brings together the opinion of leading researchers in a book that will provide a useful source of information for neurologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists and neuroscientists who wish to broaden their knowledge concerning this debilitating illness.

This book explores how technology can foster interaction between children and their peers, teachers and other adults. It presents the Co-EnACT framework to explain how technology can support children to collaborate, so helping them to learn and engage enjoyably with the world, in both work and play. The focus is on children, rather than young people, but the principles of supporting interaction apply throughout all life stages. Chapters on classrooms and on autism explain principles behind using technology in ways that support, rather than obstruct, social interaction in diverse populations. Collaborative interaction involves both verbal and non-verbal behaviour and this book presents evidence from closely analysing children's behaviour in natural settings. Examples from cutting-edge technology illustrate principles applicable to more widely-available technology. The book will be of interest to psychologists, educators, researchers in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), particularly those designing with children in mind, and practitioners working with children who want to deepen their understanding of using technology for collaboration.

How can we better understand and treat those suffering from schizophrenia and manic-depressive illnesses? This important new book takes us into the world of those suffering from such disorders. Using self-descriptions, its emphasis is not on how mental health professional's view sufferers, but on how the patients themselves experience their disorder. Central to the book is the idea that schizophrenic persons live like disembodies spirits or deanimated bodies. As disembodies spirits, they feel like abstract entities that contemplate their own existence and the world from outside. As deanimated bodies, schizophrenic people feel deprived of the possibility of living personal experiences - perceptions, thoughts, emotions - as their own. A new volume in the International Perspectives in Philosophy and Psychiatry series, this book will be of great interest to all those working with sufferers from such disorders - helping them to better understand their mental lives and providing important insights into how best to treat them.

This volume contains up-to-date contributions written by leading experts in the role played by various microorganisms in psychiatric and neurological illness. The initial chapters present an evolutionary framework for the impact of microorganisms on behavior. This is followed by historical and epidemiological perspectives of the role of viruses in psychiatric illness. Subsequent chapters focus on different classes of microorganisms and psychiatric illnesses and emphasize diverse research approaches ranging from preclinical models to therapeutic interventions.

This book contributes to the retrieval of the alienated through the author's own acts of interpretation of ideas introduced by Melanie Klein, Donald Winnicott, Ronald Fairbairn, and Wilfred Bion. It is offered as an act of interpretation.

We live in an aging world. Illnesses that are prevalent and cause significant morbidity and mortality in older people will consume an increasing share of health care resources. One such illness is depression. This illness has a particularly devastating impact in the elderly because it is often undiagnosed or inadequately treated. Depression not only has a profound impact on quality of life but it is associated with an increased risk of mortality from suicide and vascular disease. In fact for every medical illness studied, e.g. heart disease, diabetes, cancer, individuals who are depressed have a worse prognosis. Research has illuminated the physiological and behavioral effects of depression that accounts for these poor outcomes. The deleterious relationship between depression and other illnesses has changed the concept of late-life depression from a "psychiatric disorder" that is diagnosed and treated by a psychiatrist to a common and serious disorder that is the responsibility of all physicians who care for patients over the age of 60.
This is the first volume devoted to the epidemiology, phenomenology, psychobiology, treatment and consequences of late-life depression. Although much has been written about depressive disorders, the focus has been primarily on the illness as experienced in younger adults. The effects of aging on the brain, the physiological and behavioral consequences of recurrent depression, and the impact of other diseases common in the elderly, make late-life depression a distinct entity. There is a compelling need for a separate research program, specialized treatments, and a book dedicated to this disorder. This book will be invaluable to psychiatrists, gerontologists, clinical psychologists, social workers, students, trainees, and others who care for individuals over the age of sixty.

This book examines early interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with the goal to enable primary care physicians as well as other clinicians, therapists, and practitioners to assist parents in making informed decisions based on current research. It provides a map for successfully navigating the maze of early interventions for ASD, focusing on evidence. Chapters review the similarities and differences between current evidence-based treatments, how these treatments work, the factors that facilitate their effectiveness, and the pros and cons of their use for different children and different needs. In addition, chapters discuss the services, laws, policies, and societal issues related to early intervention in ASD. Featured topics include: Criteria to evaluate evidence in ASD interventions. Effective approaches for Social communication difficulties in ASD. Effective approaches for Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) in ASD. Naturalistic, developmental approaches to early intervention for children with ASD The TEACCH approach and other visually based approaches for children with ASD. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) approaches to early intervention for children with ASD. What works for whom in ASD early intervention Clinical Guide to Early Interventions for Children with Autism is an essential resource for clinicians, primary care providers, and other practitioners as well as researchers, professors, and graduate students in the fields of child, school, and developmental psychology, pediatrics, social work, child and adolescent psychiatry, primary care medicine, and related disciplines.