Head First

'Wise, timely and eloquent... A joy to read.' GuardianWhat does it mean to be well? Is it something in our body? Or, is it rather something subjective - something of the mind? In this profound collection of clinical stories, eminent psychiatrist Dr Alastair Santhouse draws on his experience of treating thousands of hospital patients to show how our emotions are inextricably linked to our physical wellbeing. Our minds shape the way we understand and react to symptoms that we develop, dictate the treatments we receive, and influence whether they work. They even influence whether we develop symptoms at all. Written with brutal honesty, deep compassion, and a wry sense of humour, Head First examines difficult cases that illuminate some of our most puzzling and controversial medical issues-from the tragedy of suicide, to the stigma surrounding obesity, to the ongoing misery of chronic fatigue. Ultimately he finds that our medical model has failed us by promoting specialization and overlooking perhaps the single most important component of our health: our state of mind.

Incredibly moving... As you would expect from a psychiatrist, Santhouse's wonderful descriptions of his patients focus on the minutiae, the tiny details of appearance, speech and demeanour, details that often go unnoticed, but which are far more telling than anything you might find in a thick folder of patient medical notes. A wise, timely and eloquent book... A joy to read., Santhouse brilliantly illuminates the extraordinary and mysterious ways that our personal stories affect bothour mental and our physical health. Compassionate, insightful, and riveting., A wonderful and humane look inside and outside the head by an experienced psychiatrist. Santhouse's deep dive into how the mind shapes an individual's perception of their body and illness is a welcome retreat, particularly in the age of "self"., Thought-provoking... it's evident throughout that Santhouse is an intensely sympathetic physician., Alastair Santhouse is a superb storyteller...it is a rewarding experience throughout to read, not just about the medicine but also Santhouse's colourful tales, his own life and his vast case-book.

Alastair Santhouse is a consultant psychiatrist at both Guy's Hospital and the Maudsley Hospital in London. He was Vice Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Faculty of Liaison Psychiatry between 2013 and 2017, and in 2016 was elected President of the Psychiatry Section of the Royal Society of Medicine. His clinical work focusses on the intersection of physical and mental health.