We Dont Use Words Like Crazy On the Frontline of Mental Health.

by Elliot Sweeney

Blink Publishing We Dont Use Words Like Crazy On the Frontline of Mental Health ABISBOOK Blink Publishing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mental Health, Audiobook, Memoir, Psychology

304 pages, Hardcover

Published April 24, 2025

Reviews

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️]

This book covers well-trodden ground if you have read anything in mental health literature.
However, it takes a humane approach, highlighting individual patients to make it more personal.

It is accessible and the main message is compassion, patience, and perseverance.

I have to admit there were certain situations I was really shocked at the narrator’s own reactions and behaviour. I have some experience with the mental health services and a few instances made me hmmm at his responses.

It is true they are understaffed and underskilled. Mental health is often misunderstood.
However, I do think this account vacillated between understanding and compassion to anger and being fed up.

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[Archie Harding]

This is a really raw and honest book. I’ve always been fascinated by mental health care and this really was an unfiltered insight. If I’m so honest it has made me rethink my desires to work in mental health care

[Tayla McCloud]

Thoughtful and compassionate accounts of the different types of patients Elliot encounters as a mental health nurse. Some interesting examples but didn't fully connect with me or draw me in - that might be because I work in mental health, though (sorry!)

[Rachael]

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC. Tender, raw and compelling it highlights the humanity in an often inhumane system and the light the punctures even the darkest of places.

[Lauren]

I am consistently in awe of those who dedicate their lives to being on the frontline of some of the most vulnerable and unheard members of society and this novel by Elliot Sweeney is no different. Shining a light on so many shaded aspects of the human psyche, empathy, compassion, patience - this book explores life as a Mental Health Nurse. The good, the bad and the ugly. I think books like this, are truly part of the journey towards understanding and appreciating the hidden roles in our society that truly make it go round. If anyone has any other recommendations for similar books I’d love to hear them!

[Kate Henderson]

I'm always interested in books relating to mental health and especially within the mental health profession.
However, I didn't overly enjoy this book - I was hoping for some more humour and more in depth stories. (I always find myself comparing any books within health frontline genre to 'This is going to Hurt" by Adam Kay)

I liked reading, but I was left missing something. I'm not sure if it was the lack of empathy with case studies, or lack of humour - but there was something that I didn't particularly connect with here.

[Helen]

Interesting book and I enjoyed reading it although it made me rather sad at times. It is difficult when people don’t get the support they need - on both sides.
I think it started off more cheery than it ended. Maybe this is a reflective of the current world we live in. I would recommend everyone gives this a read to try and break down the stigma of mental health.

[Jessica]

Books like that are usually a hit or miss for me, I’m always uncomfortable when medical providers use patients for content (even if they try to hide their identities), sometimes - and they don’t really realise it - they also talk about the patients like they’re some kind of wild animals in the zoo. That’s not the case here, the author talks about patients sure but it’s always very respectful, and I feel like the book is mostly about him and about how working in that field might have affected him. I found the part about Covid and after Covid really interesting.

Nice to see people talking about psychiatry, we are currently going through a pretty obvious mental health crisis (and Covid didn’t help), we need to make the field “sexy” again so that patients get the medical care they need, right now in too many countries, there’s just no option for people who need it.

[Reuben Thomas]

This made me go through the entire spectrum of human emotion. It’s not like it was really telling me anything new, as the stories he recounted tracked with my own experience both as a patient and a professional within mental health systems, but the way he wrote really brought it all to life and struck the perfect balance between shining a light on the harrowing truths of it all and finding the glimmers of joy, humour, beauty, and connection in the work. I read it largely as another reference for my current uni assignment, but it quickly became a book that I was just thoroughly gripped by, and I think it’ll stay with me for a while.

[Amelia]

This is a memoir about the author's experiences as a mental health nurse, and I thought it was great. He writes with kindness, empathy and compassion and the book is a nice blend of case stories, discussion of the state of mental health care in Britain, and the author's personal life. It's a hard read, very sad in places and frustrating in others, but it's definitely worth reading whether you have experience with the NHS mental health services or not. Highly recommended.

I had an arc of this one so thank you to the publishers and Netgalley. My review is entirely voluntary.

[Joanna Davies]

I don't work in mental health, but it was super interesting to hear about the experiences/challenges!

[Anggi]

This is such a moving and thought-provoking book about working in the mental health sector. Some of the stories made me weep while others made me chuckle. Please do give it a read!

[Lyndsey]

excellent insights into a job which overlaps with my own. compassionate, funny and important.

[foxy]

As an ex CPN I found this book realistic and highlighting the difficulties people face either as a mental health patient or a mental health professional.

[Sophie Drt-Pmllr]

A book I'm unlikely to forget any time soon.

[Jenny Stapleton]

superb book.

superb book as a mental health nurse I found it such an accurate depiction of the profession. highly recommend. All readers will find this well written and interesting.

[Julie Berzins]

An honest view from Elliot on his career as a mental health worker, starting from his first day where his preconceived thoughts were challenged about what he thought would be involved. While he felt he could make a difference, Elliot didn't come off as having that notion he could save the world and revolutionise mental health care that other authors I have read have. He showed us his compassion for those who needed help, felt anger and frustration at a system that fell short of supporting patients and staff, and gave us a glimpse into his daily life. Doing his best to support his clients, he learned to connect to them individually, offering them the version of him they needed - supportive, firm, quirky, willing, authoritative and constant. Giving us a snapshot of some of his most memorable clients - their triumphs and their struggles. Painting an honest picture - not everyone is willing or able to be saved, some need tough love and others will sadly cycle through the system as mental health care can only achieve so much when society as a whole is failing certain people. He shows of a workforce willing to push forward for their patients, but broken by a system that fails to support them leading to further shortfalls and struggles within the department. Having been supported through mental health struggles myself, it is refreshing to know that the nurses and support workers are trying their best within a broken system - as often it can feel like no one cares at all & you're just a burden on the world.

[Philip William]

Elliot Sweeney has worked for 20 years as an NHS mental health nurse and uses this book to explain the job and the challenges that both he and his patients face.

The book is very good at giving us typical examples of the extreme mental health problems that are faced by some within Britain today. Elliot is realistic about the situations that he faces and does not try to cover up the failures of some members of staff or the NHS but remains in love with the concept of mental health nursing and the NHS and at times he is funny and eloquent with his use of the English language.

This book does not present any solution to the increasing mental health problems that are being faced within Britain today (other than more money is needed) but to be fair to be Elliot the book does not seek to give an answer to this.

[Emma Walsh]

Wonderful.

As someone who works in a mental health hospital, I knew how all of these stories were going to end. I say that not as a negative but rather to shows how accurate and honest this book is. Nothing about this feels exaggerated or unrealistic.

What stood out to me was how you could feel the author’s love and desire to continuing working as a mental health nurse but austerity has just made it so challenging. Each chapter something gets stripped away and yet there is the expectation to uphold the same standards. The section on CAMHS hit me the hardest.

I recommend to anyone with any kind of interest in the subject of mental health. Especially those working in the sector that may think they are going a bit ‘crazy’.

[Kayleigh Lafferty]

beautifully written ! capturing the realist moments of traing, qualifying as a mental health nurse. Address and giving a hauntingly accurate account of the struggles NHS mental health nurses face... as a seasoned HCA/NA and a student nurse due to qualify in 5 months time I am greatful and applaud the realness of Elliot's writings 🤍

[Lucy Carey]

The state of NHS mental health services described in this book is pretty much as I expected, sadly. However, it's still bleak when you actually see it written down. I take my hat off to anyone working in this field and send my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of them.

[Angela Lewis]

Elliot walks us through some of his experiences as a psychiatric nurse introducing some of his charges. Moving, disturbing account honestly delivered. Some eye opening stories of how the mental health act deals with people.

[Diane]

Excellent insight into life as a mental health nurse and very readable. I enjoyed this book.

[Wren McNally]

Super Frank. Refreshing and insightful.