Summary
Contents
Subject index
Western countries face the biggest national mental health crisis in their history. Never have so many individuals needed mental health care – with almost one in two individuals now reporting severe psychological problems during their life time. Despite this pressing need, however, the mental health care systems in many countries are confronting grave financial threats along with long waiting lists and insufficient care. This book brings together empirical research to argue that 10 key socio-political, economic and medical crises have lead to this crisis in mental health care. In the final chapter the authors begin to look to alternatives that could help resolve this crisis.
Biomedical and Drug Crisis
Biomedical and Drug Crisis
Over the last 10 years criticism of psychiatric diagnosis has grown in both volume and credibility. In regard to the controversy surrounding the 2013 publication of DSM-5, in that year alone over 100 critical editorials, op-eds and articles were published in the press, alongside an array of articles in academic journals (Ledford, 2013; Bracken et al., 2012). These charged DSM-5 with over-medicalising human suffering by lowering diagnostic thresholds and expanding the number of ‘mental disorders’ with which people can be diagnosed. Such criticisms gained unprecedented professional support in late 2012, when over 50 mental health organisations internationally (including British Psychological Society, American Psychoanalytic Association, Danish Psychological Society and American Counselling Association) signed an online petition calling for ...
- Loading...