
A Straight Talking Introduction to the Causes of Mental Health Problems (2nd edition)
PCCS Books (Publisher)
2nd Edition
Published on 3. November 2022
Book
Paperback/Softback
180 pages
978-1-915220-19-6 (ISBN)
Description
What causes mental health problems? Nature or nurture? Brain and biology? Genetic inheritance or social environment? Revised and updated, this concise book explains what we know today about the origins of mental distress, drawing on the latest research from across the world. The answer is of course a bit of everything in combination - because the human body and brain are shaped by the environments we inhabit and what happens to us. Human distress is caused by loss, trauma, violence, childhood abuse, social injustices, poverty and deprivation. How well we are able to cope with these stressors likewise depends on a multiplicity of factors and is unique to each individual. An essential addition to the Straight Talking Introduction series, the book supports the call for more understanding of the social determinants of mental wellbeing. It adds to the arguments for treatments that do not rely on the busted hypothesis of neurochemical imbalances.
Reviews / Votes
'An accessible look at complex issues that empowers the reader to start thinking for themselves. A refreshing antidote to the simplistic and pessimistic biomedical model.' - Jacqui Dillon, activist, writer, speaker and former Chair, Hearing Voices Network. 'Brilliantly engaging, understandable and thoughtful... will equip service users, carers and professionals alike with empowering knowledge.' - Tony Morrison, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Manchester. 'Perfect for the non-professional. Bought this book while studying level 2 counselling. It's well written and easy to understand, without all the technical jargon.' - Online reviewer. 'What causes mental health problems? Lots of things combining together. This book describes them, clearly and systematically, and how they interact.' - David Kingdon, Emeritus Professor of Mental Health Care Delivery, University of SouthamptonMore details
Series
Edition
2nd Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Manchester
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Edition type
Revised edition
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Dimensions
Height: 194 mm
Width: 125 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
212 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-915220-19-6 (9781915220196)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

John Read | Pete Sanders
A Straight Talking Introduction to the Causes of Mental Health Problems (second edition) 2022
E-Book
11/2022
2nd Edition
PCCS Books
€16.99
Available for download
Previous edition

John Read | Pete Sanders
A Straight Talking Introduction to the Causes of Mental Health Problems
Book
11/2010
PCCS Books
€15.00
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Persons
Dr John Read has worked in the UK, USA and New Zealand for 20 years as a clinical psychologist. He is currently Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of East London. He has edited several books, including Models of Madness (2013). He has been editor of the research journal Psychosis: Psychological, social and integrative approaches since 2009. John is Chair of the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal (www.iipdw.org). - Pete Sanders worked as a volunteer at 'Off The Record', Newcastle upon Tyne, in 1972 before completing a degree in psychology at the university there, and then the Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling at Aston University. He practised as a counsellor, educator and clinical supervisor for more than 30 years. He wrote, co-wrote and edited numerous books, chapters and papers on many aspects of counselling, psychotherapy and mental health, and in particular developing person-centred theory, the politics of counselling and psychotherapy, and the demedicalisation of distress.
Content
Series introduction - Richard Bentall and Pete Sanders, 1. Our beliefs and values, 2. A brief history of beliefs about the causes of human distress, 3. The 20th century and beyond: The illness model, 4. Do diagnoses help us understand causes?, 5. Public opinion: Depression is caused by depressing things happening, 6. What does the research say about the causes of mental health problems?, 7. Psychological theories: How events operate on us to create problems. 8. Putting things together: Formulating depression, 9. 2010-2022 and looking to the future: A call for action, Further reading and resources, Indices