Psychosocial problems appear within a medical context worldwide, and are a major burden to health. Psychosomatic Medicine: An International Primer for the Primary Care Setting takes a uniquely global approach in laying the foundations of bio psychosocial basic care (such as recognizing psychosocial and psychosomatic problems, basic counseling and collaboration with mental health specialists) and provides relevant information about the most common mental and psychosomatic problems and disorders. The scope of the book is intercultural—it addresses global cultures, subcultures living in a single country and strengthening the care given by physicians working abroad. This clinically useful book outlines best practices for diagnosing the most common bio psychosocial problems and mastering the most common communication challenges (e.g. doctor-patient conversation, breaking bad news, dealing with difficult patients, family and health systems communication and collaboration). Every chapter integrates basic theoretical background and practical skills and includes trans-culturally sensitive material, important for work with patients from different cultures. Psychosomatic Medicine: An International Primer for the Primary Care Setting serves as an excellent resource for clinicians hoping to gain and develop knowledge and skills in psychosomatic medicine.

The brain-gut connection has been increasingly implicated in biopsychosocial well-being. While there are numerous factors that directly and indirectly impact on how the gut and the brain interact, there is a growing awareness that gastrointestinal conditions need to be viewed and treated as part of a multidisciplinary approach. Psychogastroenterology for Adults: A Handbook for Mental Health Professionals is the first book to provide mental health professionals with an evidence-based, practical guide for working with patients living with gastrointestinal conditions. Timely and accessibly written, this book provides a unique, comprehensive introduction to psychogastroenterology, offering a step-by-step guide to evidence-based psychological treatment protocols. Broad in scope and expertise, the book is divided into four parts. It opens with an overview of the field, moving on to outline psychological concerns and conditions in gastroenterological (GI) cohorts. Further, it covers various approaches to psychogastroenterology, including psychopharmacological and eHealth practices. In closing, the book looks to the future, providing guidance on supervision in psychogastroenterology, and exploring challenges in the field. Written by experts in the field, this book will be an indispensable resource for those who wish to enhance their knowledge and practice of psychogastroenterology in the mental health profession, including psychologists, psychiatrists, psychosomatic medicine specialists, nurses and social workers.

Well-Being Therapy (WBT) is the psychotherapeutic approach developed by Giovanni Fava, a world-renowned psychiatrist and psychotherapist, and the editor-in-chief of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. WBT is an innovative strategy that is based on monitoring psychological well-being, whereby the patient progressively learns how to make it grow. This type of therapy has enjoyed much success and is increasing in popularity around the world. The first part of this long-awaited book describes how the idea for WBT was formed, the first patient treated, and the current evidence that supports this approach. In Part II, Giovanni Fava provides the treatment manual of WBT, describing what each session entails, and includes many examples from his own cases. The last part covers some of the specific conditions for which WBT can be used and how sessions can be conducted. It includes sections on depression, mood swings, generalized anxiety disorder, panic and agoraphobia, and posttraumatic stress disorder. There is also information on the application of WBT in interventions in school settings. Throughout the book, Dr. Fava keeps things interesting by peppering his narrative with anecdotes from his medical career. The primary audience for this book is professionals within psychology, psychiatry, and other fields of medicine (e.g., family practice, pediatrics, and rehabilitation). However, the book is written in a relaxed, clear, and accessible style that also makes it of interest to counselors, educators, and family and friends of patients, not to mention patients themselves.

Psychosomatic medicine or consultation-liaison psychiatry is the branch of psychiatry that focuses on the mental health issues which accompany, or develop as a result of, other medical disorders. This subdiscipline forms an important part of training in psychiatry. This book provides an ideal first exposure to the inseparable nature of physical and psychological health and illness, and a comprehensive introduction to the broad range of disorders seen on the psychiatric consult service. Organized into a series of bitesized chapters, each focusing on a typical consult question, this handbook provides a practical and portable reference which should set both strategy and tactics for the next generation of consulting psychiatrists. Essential reading for medical students, psychiatry residents and psychosomatic fellows, this manual will provide immediate, in-the-field guidance on the evaluation and management of common consultation requests.

The role of stress in the development of certain medical illnesses is increasingly recognised and there is a growing need to find effective psychological treatments that can address this factor in physical illness. This text considers the ways in which stressful situations can interact with individuals to cause bodily changes that result in illness or physical symptoms. Accessible and fully up-to-date, this engaging text offers, in particular: - An analysis of neuroscientific bases for understanding psycho somatic reactions - Full clinical accounts of disorders, including telling case study material - An original approach to understanding mind-body medicine - A clear account of the development of psychoanalytic approaches to this complex field Trainees and practitioners in counselling, psychotherapy, healthcare and medicine will find this a fascinating text that both deepens their understanding and enriches their practice.

How can scientific theories contribute to contemporary accounts of embodiment in the humanities and social sciences? In particular, how does neuroscientific research facilitate new approaches to theories of mind and body? Feminists have frequently criticized the neurosciences for biological reductionism, yet, Elizabeth A. Wilson argues, neurological theories—especially certain accounts of depression, sexuality, and emotion—are useful to feminist theories of the body. Rather than pointing toward the conventionalizing tendencies of the neurosciences, Wilson emphasizes their capacity for reinvention and transformation. Focusing on the details of neuronal connections, subcortical pathways, and reflex actions, she suggests that the central and peripheral nervous systems are powerfully allied with sexuality, the affects, emotional states, cognitive appetites, and other organs and bodies in ways not fully appreciated in the feminist literature. Whether reflecting on Simon LeVay’s hypothesis about the brains of gay men, Peter Kramer’s model of depression, or Charles Darwin’s account of trembling and blushing, Wilson is able to show how the neurosciences can be used to reinvigorate feminist theories of the body.

Now in a new Fourth Edition, Psychiatry remains the leading reference on all aspects of the current practice and latest developments in psychiatry. From an international team of recognised expert editors and contributors, Psychiatry provides a truly comprehensive overview of the entire field of psychiatry in 132 chapters across two volumes. It includes two new sections, on psychosomatic medicine and collaborative care, and on emergency psychiatry, and compares Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD10) classifications for every psychiatric disorder. Psychiatry, Fourth Edition is an essential reference for psychiatrists in clinical practice and clinical research, residents in training, and for all those involved in the treatment psychiatric disorders. Includes a a companion website at www.tasmanpsychiatry.com featuring PDFs of each chapter and downloadable images

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.

One in six people in the US are currently taking psychotropic drugs. In 80% of cases, the medication is taken for long-term use and predominantly involves new-generation antidepressants, such as SSRIs (e.g. paroxetine) and SNRIs (e.g. venlafaxine). When patients want to stop taking these drugs and/or their physicians decide it is time for them to stop, substantial problems often can ensue. About 50% of patients experience withdrawal symptoms that do not necessarily subside after a few days or weeks and may be severe and debilitating. Physicians often do not know what to do in these situations. As a result, patients experiencing the anguish and mental pain of withdrawal syndromes are unlikely to receive appropriate medical attention. Discontinuing antidepressants is a highly technical challenge that requires specific strategies. This handbook guides clinicians through each clinical step (assessment; what the counter-indications would be for stopping or continuing; and how discontinuation can best be achieved). It provides a detailed account of the assessment and management strategies, with many case illustrations and clinical examples, drawing from the literature that is available and the extensive personal experience of the author.