Review of All in the mind

Abstract

Reviews the book, All in the mind by Alastair Campbell (2008). Alastair Campbell, well known for his political career, forays into biographical publication, public speaking and, crucially, his own mental health and alcohol problems, makes his first journey into fiction with this novel. With Campbell being recently named Mind Champion of the Year 2009, All in the Mind has evidently captured not only literary imaginations but those of the UK's most prominent mental health charity. Campbell deserves a great deal of praise for exposing an under-acknowledged element of psychiatry - that being a psychiatric clinician does not provide immunity from mental illness. If I had to make a small complaint with regards to this text, it comes from my own experience of working within an inner city London psychiatric team. It is not made explicit whether Sturrock is a National Health Service consultant, although he does receive referrals about individuals who seemingly would not be able to afford private treatment. It remains to be seen whether Campbell continues in his new identity as novelist - I look forward to his next novel. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)