Feminist and Anti-Psychiatry Perspectives on 'Social Anxiety Disorder'
Beschreibung
This book conceptualises the diagnosis 'Social Anxiety Disorder' (SAD) in women as a rational response to life in postfeminist, neoliberal, twenty-first century Britain. By speaking to women with this diagnosis, and drawing on the author's lived experience, it investigates the interplay between women's social anxiety and Western culture. It argues that societal factors are implicated in women's mental distress to a far greater extent than dominant (especially psychiatric) narratives would hold-narratives which, premised on individual pathology, often present a biologically reductionist and medicalised account. Through deploying a unique blend of feminism and anti-psychiatry, this book critiques the framework which exists around diagnosing and treating SAD, but without dismissing distress. Inspired by feminist critiques of other gendered psychiatric diagnoses, such as Anorexia Nervosa, it conceptualises 'SAD' in women as a 'culture-bound syndrome'.
This book will interest students and scholars of gender studies and sociology.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
"A bold new feminist voice has joined the anti-psychiatry movement! Katie Masters asks us whether Social Anxiety Disorder is best considered as a psychiatric disorder or as a gendered cultural phenomenon. Drawing on interviews, she keeps young women's experiences centre stage while rejecting the idea that medicalisation and drug treatment are the only way forward. A must-read for psychologists, GPs, and teachers and students of gender studies, and anyone with an interest in mental health today." (Professor Rosalind Gill, City, University of London, UK)
"This fascinating discussion of social anxiety disorder reveals a multifaceted, gendered and culture-bound syndrome. Weaving together strands from feminist theory and anti-psychiatry, Katie Masters explores how women negotiate the meanings of diagnosis, follow pathways to (non-)treatment, navigate the male gaze through disciplined self-surveillance, and reconcile dilemmas of personal identity. The book makes a welcome and important contribution to sociological research." (Professor Susie Scott, University of Sussex, UK)
Weitere Details
Weitere Ausgaben
Person
Katie Masters is a UK-based interdisciplinary researcher with a PhD in Sexuality and Gender Studies and a first-class BSc in Physics. She has held Teaching Fellow positions at the University of Birmingham and LSE.
Inhalt
1. Introduction.- 2. Gender, Psychiatry, and Social Anxiety.- 3. 'Co-morbidities', Femininities, and Non-normativities.- 4. Diagnosis, Treatment, and Contingency on (Gendered) Culture.- 5. Watching Women's Bodies, Watching Women's Selves.- 6. The Ideal Self.- 7. Conclusion.
