'Psychosis' literally means 'out of touch with reality'. The main psychotic symptoms, delusions and hallucinations, can occur in many conditions, but especially bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. In The Beginner's Guide to Sanity, Erica Crompton, a journalist with a history of paranoid schizophrenia, and Professor Stephen Lawrie, an academic psychiatrist, share what they know about psychosis drawn from over 50 years' combined experience. Whether you've just been diagnosed and are looking for relatable stories that will help you feel less alone, or are further into the course of your illness and wish to explore causes, diagnostics or why this might have happened to you, they discuss what they know about this complex illness and what we can all do about it. They look at what psychosis actually is and Erica draws on her experience of a first episode of the illness, before it turned into a full-blown schizophrenia diagnosis. She also details all the weird and wonderful techniques she's tried to stay well and Stephen gives them a 'sanity check'. Stephen looks at different diagnoses, causes, symptoms and illnesses that he's seen in his clinic during his career as a psychiatrist. So, put the kettle on and lie back on the psychiatrist's couch as Erica and Stephen start to relay all they know about psychosis… or, at least, everything they think you might want or need to know.
