First Aid to Mental Illness: A Practical Guide for Patients and Caregivers

Patricia Ross is a professor of psychology at Laurentian University.

First Aid to Mental Illness should be on the shelf in every household,
alongside the medical first-aid books. The guide describes the signs and
symptoms of a host of mental illnesses that people are likely to
encounter in their own lives or in those close to them. It also provides
hands-on advice that leaves readers with a better understanding of
mental illness and equips them with specific tools they can use to
remedy a situation. Numerous case examples are given to help readers
cope better when dealing with a mental problem.

Often books of this nature help increase one’s understanding, but
also leave one with a sense of “okay, now what?” First Aid to Mental
Illness answers this question in a variety of situations and with an
abundance of practical advice. The reader is left with a sense of
empowerment at a time when he or she might be facing a crisis.