What does it mean to be "well"? Is it in our body - or in our mind? What is the most important component of our health?
Alastair is a consultant neuropsychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital in London, and for almost 20 years was the psychiatrist for Guy's Hospital, London working at the interface between physical and mental health.
In his new book, Alastair draws on his experience of treating thousands of patients to show how our emotions are inextricably linked to our physical wellbeing. He shows us how our minds shape the way we understand and react to the symptoms that we develop, dictate the treatments we receive and influence whether they work. Our mind even influences whether we develop symptoms at all. Written with brutal honesty, deep compassion and a wry sense of humour, Head First examines difficult cases that illuminate some of our most puzzling and controversial medical issues - from the tragedy of suicide to the stigma surrounding obesity, to the ongoing misery of chronic pain.
