Mental Health Still Matters - Softcover

In a collection of more than 50 readings, Mental Health Still Matters reflects the wide diversity of views about how best to understand and explain mental health and distress. Drawing on writings from a range of academic sources, as well as the rich and compelling stories of mental health service users themselves, it provides a sharp challenge to traditional understandings of mental illness and aims to illuminate future thinking, policy and practice.

As a sister volume to the best-selling Mental Health Matters, it combines classic writings about mental health theories, perspectives and practices from psychiatry, sociology, psychology and service users, alongside newly commissioned readings. The book is divided into four parts:

· Part I discusses and critiques mental health theory in an exploration of contemporary debates.
· Part II considers social inclusion as a goal for mental health services and reviews aspects of the services in which inequality continues to dominate.
· Part III offers accounts of mental distress by service users, many of whom have used their experience to become teachers, researchers and innovators in mental health work.
· Part IV considers some of the challenges faced by practitioners alongside professional responses to the major changes we are seeing in the landscape of mental health.

This is an important and innovative collection of readings which has strong cross-disciplinary relevance and appeal. It is essential reading for everyone studying, training or practising in the field of mental health, whether your background is in social studies, health science, medicine or psychology.

JILL REYNOLDS is Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Social Care at The Open University, UK. TOM HELLER is Senior Lecturer in Health Studies at the Faculty of Health and Social Care at The Open University, UK. ROSEMARY MUSTON is Course Manager in the Faculty of Health and Social Care at The Open University, UK. JONATHAN LEACH is Lecturer in health and social care at The Open University, UK. MICK MCCORMICK is Lecturer in social work with The Faculty of Health and Social Care at The Open University, UK. JAN WALLCRAFT is a freelance consultant.  MARK WALSH is a writer, teacher and mental health nurse.