M.D. Confidential: It’s All Very Hush-Hush By Lawrence Matrick, MD. Bellevue Publishing, 2020. 978-1773740577. Paperback, 242 pages. $22.28.

In this collection of short stories, Dr Lawrence Matrick explores the topic of mental illness and how it is perceived in society. Our mental health is just as important as our physical well-being, so why is it kept so very “hush-hush”? Dr Matrick’s stories examine this phenomenon and how it affects those whose mental health is in jeopardy.

The book features a series of stories about mental illness that are designed to both illustrate and educate: the uncertainty of a family facing their father’s progression into Alzheimer disease, the terror of a young man combating PTSD, and the redemption of a young woman given the care and resources she needs to overcome a substance use disorder.

Readers will learn the medical/psychiatric facts of each condition, the challenges faced by loved ones in each circumstance, and the resources available to them from professionals in the psychiatric industry.