Psychiatry: a Very Short Introduction Tom Burns, Oxford University Press 2006, £6.99 pb, 144 pp. ISBN: 0 19 280727 7

This book is a part of a series called ‘Very Short Introductions’ which is aimed at novices and covers diverse subjects in history, philosophy, religion, science and the humanities. The publishers claim that the books will deliver knowledge in a stimulating manner and in a practical ‘easy to carry format’. Psychiatry: A Very Short Introduction is no exception. Although it appears to target a general readership, it also provides useful insights for specialist readers.

The book begins by defining the roles of various mental health professionals and also by highlighting age-old difficulties in the diagnostic processes in psychiatry. It then describes the major milestones in the development of psychiatric methods over the past 200 years, from the era of asylums to the introduction of imaging techniques and the understanding of genetic causes of mental illnesses. As we know, contemporary psychiatry differs vastly from psychiatric practices in the 19th century. This book succeeds in drawing important theories together that underpin the growth of psychiatry over the past two centuries. It helps readers to understand the sequence of events logically and the rationale behind present-day psychiatry.

The author describes the community psychiatry movement that resulted in large numbers of patients being discharged from big institutions. He also discusses various forms of psychotherapies, with particular emphasis on the psychodynamic approach, and the clinical situations in which they are used. We should commend the author for a stimulating description of these important topics but it is disappointing that drug treatments receive very little attention. Psychotropic medications have undoubtedly revolutionised the treatment of people with mental illness and continue to play a significant role in its bio-psychosocial management.

Finally, the author sensitively describes controversial matters such as the antipsychiatry movement, the medicalisation of normal experiences and the abuse of patients with mental illness. Intermittent deviations of psychiatric treatment from a humane approach are likely to cause apprehension. The author's candid highlighting of the influences of society and the pharmaceutical industry on psychiatric practices enhances the credibility of the text.

This book is thought-provoking and will surely help people to understand psychiatry as a distinct specialty.