The Family Guide to Mental Health Care is the best book I've ever read for family and friends of people who have a mental illness. It covers the most prevalent mood and thought disorders (major depression, PTSD, anxiety, borderline and narcissistic personality disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder) and how to determine if a family member or close friend might be afflicted. (For example, how can you tell if your teenage son is just being a moody teenager or is actually struggling with depression?)

Also covered is information on different types of therapy, medications and hospitalization options. Additionally, the author does a good job explaining confidentiality and consent issues which details exactly what family members can do to intervene in the treatment of a loved one.

While some of the insurance aspects of this book may become dated over time, I appreciated that the book attempted to stay away from any medication or policy specific information, which means that this book will stay relevant longer than if it had included, say, information about certain types of medications that may not be the standard of care in a few years time.

Highly recommended for anybody who has a loved one suffering from a mental illness and doesn't know what they can do about it, or who just wants to become more informed on the topic in general. ( )

This book is a very thorough overview of what is available out there for mental health care in the USA. While there is a large section that describes the various mental disorders, what symptoms the patient is apt to display, and what therapies (both medications and talk therapies) are useful for those disorders, this is not a self help book – there are no work sheets or exercises for the mentally ill. This is for helping the family (or the patient) find professional aid. This book can help save precious time and money by seeking the correct treatment right off the bat. If you have a family member or friend with a mental illness and they aren’t getting help, this can help guide you. ( )