Thursday 29 April 2010

Psychiatric Tales: Out At Last

At long last my graphic novel Psychiatric Tales has been published.

Psychiatric Tales by Darryl Cunningham

Psychiatric Tales is a book that attempts to demythologise mental illness. Forget what you've seen in movies or on TV. This book shows what the experience of mental illness actually is for both patients and the staff who treat them.

Media representations of people who suffer mental illness tend to be appalling. We live in an age where racism and sexism is considered unacceptable. Yet the mentally ill are still considered fair game for ridicule and are subject to the worst kind of prejudice. I had an e-mail recently from a young man who intended to buy two copies of the book when it came out. One for his mother, and one for his step-father. He wanted to show his family that the bipolar disorder he'd been diagnosed with, was a real illness, and that he needed their understanding not hostility.

We still live in a world, sadly, where depression is seen as weakness of character, and psychosis (such as hearing voices) is considered proof of dangerousness. Even the psychiatric nursing profession itself suffers prejudice. I've worked with many general nurses who considered psychiatric nurses not to be real nurses at all.

I'm hoping that Psychiatric Tales will be a real stigma-busting book. An empowering book for those who suffer the illnesses described, and a insight into a much-misunderstood world, for those who know little of the subject.

Buy it here from Forbidden Planet

10 comments:

franhilz said...

super congrats!

Funcanny said...

Congratulations, Darryl. This is a fantastic achievement. I'm buying one right now.

Margaret Maloney said...

Congratulations! And next year you'll be able to add the American edition to that pile.

E. Will said...

Congrats, Darryl! I've just ordered one as well, can't wait to read it!

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to have it in my hands.

Unknown said...

I'm just out of a psychiatric hospital after a three month stay and a course of ECT. This looks *excellent* and I'm bloody thrilled it's been published and can't wait to read it. I've been blogging (a little) on the experience - of hospital, depression, mental illnesses, the things that put various people in hospital, et cetera and a bit part of my motivation is demystifying mental illness and having people understand it for what it is instead of some 'weakness' or scary psycho thing.

Just. KUDOS :)

- K

WG said...

Congrats! I'm so glad this is out now - I am buying this in another window as I type. :)

Anonymous said...

"demythologise mental illness" - i agree with everything you said on the subject and am looking forward to reading your book at some point. congratulations!

rachael said...

Just got the book yesterday, it is wonderful... my mind is brimming with ideas for who I'd like to pass it on to!

John Owens said...

I bought your book from Amazon. I have read 2/3 of the book and I have to say I am very impressed with your work.

It's an excellent read.

John