Clinical Manual of Prevention in Mental Health

According to David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., the 16th U.S. Surgeon General, we know
a great deal more about treating mental illnesses than about preventing them and
promoting mental health. In his foreword to Clinical Manual of Prevention in
Mental Health, Dr. Satcher applauds this guide as timely and vital, as it
provides new and emerging research on the importance of prevention in mental
health.

Clinical Manual of Prevention in Mental Health was conceived
through discussions within the Prevention Committee of the Group for the
Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP), and features contributions from 30 highly
regarded clinicians and researchers who are experienced in the treatment and
prevention of specific types of mental illnesses.

Clinical Manual of
Prevention in Mental Health will help you move toward widespread adoption of
mental illness prevention in your own practice setting. This important new
reference provides practical suggestions to help you work toward preventing, or
implementing preventive measures in the treatment of Mood disorders Anxiety
disorders Schizophrenia Substance use disorders Suicidality Family
violence Conduct disorder and other adolescent disorders Late-life depression,
dementia, and mild cognitive impairment Physical illnesses in psychiatric
settings Cigarette smoking

Compared with other areas of medicine, such
as the prevention of infectious disease, our understanding of the prevention of
mental illnesses remains in a relatively nascent state, especially in terms of
how prevention can be incorporated into routine clinical practice. The authors
of the various chapters have endeavored to balance reviewing the available
research knowledge with providing guidance for practicing clinicians on how such
knowledge can be incorporated into everyday practice.

Clinical Manual of
Prevention in Mental Health urges clinicians everywhere to inquire about risk
factors and protective factors in patients' lives in addition to focusing on the
presenting problem. It is the authors' intent to provide mental health
professionals with the knowledge and practical applications necessary to be
prevention-minded in all of their interactions with patients, families, and the
community.