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The Last Taboo: A Survival Guide to Mental Health Care in Canada
At any given time, three million Canadians are living with some kind of mental illness. But despite its prevalence, the public and even some health practitioners are badly misinformed about its causes and treatment.
This book is an essential road map to hope and recovery. It tells the reader where to get help and what pitfalls to avoid. It defines the most common forms of mental illness, discusses the advantages and drawbacks of medication, and tackles the ultimate taboo of suicide. It offers coping strategies for consumers, family members, friends, and employers, and demonstrates how they can all contribute to the recovery of a person with a mental illness. Medication and psychotherapy only go so far – housing, meaningful activity, and friendships are as crucial to recovery as any drug.
In The Last Taboo , Scott Simmie recounts his own battle with a serious mental disorder, and his partner, Julia Nunes, provides a care-giver and supporter’s perspective on living with a mentally ill loved-one. Throughout they include the real stories of other Canadians, who give their own perspectives on the successes and failures of the health care system.
• In any given year, one in five Canadians will experience symptoms of mental disorder
• The Last Taboo provides sympathetic advice and practical information the causes of mental disorder/mood disorders, including depression and bipolar affective disorder / anxiety disorders / substance abuse / eating disorders / personality disorders / schizophrenia / where to go for help / giving help / medication / psychotherapy / alternative medicine / stigma / suicide
• Includes Appendix, Glossary, Useful Books, and Useful Websites
This book is an essential road map to hope and recovery. It tells the reader where to get help and what pitfalls to avoid. It defines the most common forms of mental illness, discusses the advantages and drawbacks of medication, and tackles the ultimate taboo of suicide. It offers coping strategies for consumers, family members, friends, and employers, and demonstrates how they can all contribute to the recovery of a person with a mental illness. Medication and psychotherapy only go so far – housing, meaningful activity, and friendships are as crucial to recovery as any drug.
In The Last Taboo , Scott Simmie recounts his own battle with a serious mental disorder, and his partner, Julia Nunes, provides a care-giver and supporter’s perspective on living with a mentally ill loved-one. Throughout they include the real stories of other Canadians, who give their own perspectives on the successes and failures of the health care system.
• In any given year, one in five Canadians will experience symptoms of mental disorder
• The Last Taboo provides sympathetic advice and practical information the causes of mental disorder/mood disorders, including depression and bipolar affective disorder / anxiety disorders / substance abuse / eating disorders / personality disorders / schizophrenia / where to go for help / giving help / medication / psychotherapy / alternative medicine / stigma / suicide
• Includes Appendix, Glossary, Useful Books, and Useful Websites
352 pages, Paperback
First published December 19, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 18, 2023
Excellent resource for anyone seeking mental health care in Canada.
September 27, 2014
Scott Simmie wrotes The Last Taboo as part of an Atkinson Foundation project which provides a journalist with the opportunity to write about a topic of their choosing and to do so within a year so that they can become immersed in the subject matter.
Simmie writes about his own depressive episodes and also includes much needed information about navigating the services that are available in Canada. He also includes the personal narratives of mental health survivors. One heartbreaking story is about a woman who lives in a rooming house and whose mental health troubles worsen because the house is infested with vermin. When she finally gets a new case worker who finds her new housing, one can see her condition improve.
Worth reading, especially for those who work with individuals who have mental health concerns. The book is highly accessible and provides good advice, especially to those who want to be supportive rather than enabling. Simmie is looking at updating the book since this was originally published in 2001.
Simmie writes about his own depressive episodes and also includes much needed information about navigating the services that are available in Canada. He also includes the personal narratives of mental health survivors. One heartbreaking story is about a woman who lives in a rooming house and whose mental health troubles worsen because the house is infested with vermin. When she finally gets a new case worker who finds her new housing, one can see her condition improve.
Worth reading, especially for those who work with individuals who have mental health concerns. The book is highly accessible and provides good advice, especially to those who want to be supportive rather than enabling. Simmie is looking at updating the book since this was originally published in 2001.
February 3, 2012
The authors describe their personal experiences with mental illness (the first is a respected journalist with bipolar illness and the second is his common law wife and support person). The first person account is engaging. Their subsequent outlines of the mental health field are not exhaustive, and some of the data could use updating. The final chapters on suicide and stigma are insightful. This book can be a useful resource for someone with mental illness, for a friend or family member, and for the general public. I had the wonderful opportunity to hear the first author speak some years ago!
April 1, 2010
The book was spread out into mental health stories and then the science behind them.
Ok, but ultimately lost my interest when it got into the technical parts which I have read before. Was hoping for much more stories, like in Beyond Crazy. Ended up reading about 2/3 of the book before I had to return it.
Ok, but ultimately lost my interest when it got into the technical parts which I have read before. Was hoping for much more stories, like in Beyond Crazy. Ended up reading about 2/3 of the book before I had to return it.
May 29, 2017
This book was fantastic. This book really explains what it is like to live with and through mental health issues. It really touches on the impacts of stigma and the importance of informal supports. Excellent blend of personal stories and factual information. The info on specific disorders and medications was a review for me but it was told in a great way that anyone could understand.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews