A new initiative suggests that those suffering with mental health issues can be provided with prescriptions to visit their local library to read from a range of 30 approved texts in a bid to reduce some of their symptoms. Funded by the Arts Council with nearly £20,000, this will be rolled out in every public library and will have a designated list of titles for participants to read from, with the subject matter ranging from anger and worry, to relationship problems, social phobias and stress.
Each of the books assigned will be assessed as effective in helping to treat mental health problems, with the initiative backed by the Royal College of GPs. The Reading Agency suggested the idea of prescription titles as a way of helping people to treat certain aspects of their condition with a form of self-help and therapy. The books will be prescribed as part of a waiting period, while GPs are assessing whether their patient needs more in-depth treatment.
All 30 of the books are been assigned as a way of helping people to treat their condition without feeling as though they are at risk of being stigmatised for the issue of mental health problems. Library staff are set to become highly valued members of the scheme. They will be seen as information navigators, to help readers fill in forms online and guide them to the best texts for their condition. From May, these self-help books will be available for mild and moderate mental health conditions. Those involved will also be encouraged to join reading groups to further their treatment. Some of the texts offered will include ‘Overcoming relationship problems’ by Michael Crowe, ‘The feeling good handbook’ by David Burns and ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’ by Susan Jeffers. There will also be a selection of texts to boost the mood of the reader, such as poems and short stories.
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