Publisher Description

This book contests how both society and Mental Health Services conceptualise and respond to madness. Despite sustained criticisms from academia, survivor groups and practitioners, the bio-genetic model of madness prevails and therefore shapes our very notions of what madness is, who the mad are and how to respond. This dominant yet narrow view, at the heart of the psychiatric system, is misinformed and misleading as well as fraught with tensions between the provision of care and the function of social control. How and why does this system continue? What can be done to change it? Encompassing both academic analysis and practical application, Madness Contested brings together nurses, service-users, psychiatrists, psychologists, practitioners, and academics who promote alternative ways to understand and approach madness. Their contributions debate questions such as: What are the processes and forms of power involved in the current system? What interests are at play in maintaining dominant theories and practices? What are the alternative conceptualizations of madness? Can practice incorporate openness, modesty and a desire for equality? The perspectives are broad yet complimentary.Contributors include Peter Beresford, Mary Boyle, John Cromby, Jacqui Dillon, Dave Harper, Eleanor Longden, Midlands Psychology group, Joanna Moncrieff, David Pilgrim, Phil Thomas and Jan Wallcraft.

Author Biography

Steven Coles is a Clinical Psychologist in adult mental health services in Nottingham. He is questioning of how power is used and misused within mental health services and society. The stories recounted to him of fear, misery and madness has helped him to understand the social and material nature of these experiences; as well as how current cultural values and morality shape the responses of society and mental health services. Steven attempts to bring issues of power, the social - material world and ethics to the forefront of his role, including publications, debates, conferences, as well as sharing and reflecting on ideas with staff, people within services and those outside the organisation. Sarah Keenan is a clinical psychologist working in Nottingham city community mental health services with people who experience enduring mental health difficulties. Sarah's previous publications and clinical interests focus on how social context influences distress, and how and why these influences and expressions of distress are often medicalised or minimised within mental health services. Sarah has also taken an active role in helping to bring people together who have experiences of mental health services to share knowledge and support each other through informal meetings, formal debates on key issues and the successful Psychosis in Context conference series. Bob Diamond is a Clinical Psychologist and Mental Health Advisor currently working in Higher Education. He is interested in enduring mental health difficulties and drawing on the ideas and practice from critical and community psychology. When previously working in adult mental health services, he sought to establish a psychological presence whilst questioning the oppressive dominance of psychiatry. He advocates more personally meaningful supportive services that acknowledge and where possible address historical, material and social injustices. He is a member of the Midlands Psychology Group.

Table of Contents

Editorial Steven Coles, Sarah Keenan and Bob Diamond Part One: Questioning the Domination of Madness Chapter 1: Persistence of Medicalisation: Is the presentation of alternatives part of the problem? Mary Boyle Chapter 2: Paranoia: Contested and contextualised. John Cromby and Dave Harper Chapter 3: Meaning, Madness and Marginalisation. Steven Coles Chapter 4: From Constructive Engagement to Coerced Recovery. Alastair Morgan and Anne Felton Chapter 5: Mental Disorder and the Socioethical Challenge of Reasonableness. David Pilgrim and Floris Tomsini Chapter 6: The Pharmaceutical Industry and Mental Disorder. Joan Busfield Chapter 7: Clinical Psychology in Psychiatric Services: The magician's assistant? Steven Coles, Bob Diamond and Sarah Keenan Chapter 8: Manifesto for a Social Materialist Psychology of Distress. Midlands Psychology Group Chapter 9: Soteria: Context, practice and philosophy. Philip Thomas Part Two: Exploring the Liberation of Madness Chapter 10: Recovery, Discovery and Revolution: The work of intervoice and the hearing voices movement. Eleanor Longden, Dirk Corstens and Jacqui Dillon Chapter 11: Experiential Knowledge and the Reconception of Madness. Peter Beresford Chapter 12: Service User Led Research on Psychosis: Marginalisation and the struggle for progression. Jan Wallcraft Chapter 13: The Patient's Dilemma: An analysis of user's experiences of taking neuroleptic drugs. Joanna Moncrieff, David Cohen and John Mason Chapter 14: Speaking Out Against the Apartheid Approach to our Minds. Rufus May, Rebecca Smith, Sophie Ashton, Ivan Fontaine, Chris Rushworth and Pete Bull Chapter 15: Toxic Mental Environments and other Psychology in the Real World Groups. Guy Holmes Chapter 16: Readdressing the Balance of power: Psychiatric medication in Nottingham. Nottingham Mind Medication Group Chapter 17: Ordinary and Extraordinary People: Acting to make a difference. Leicester Living with Psychiatric Medication Group Chapter 18: Peer Support. Becky Shaw Chapter 19: A Critical Journey from Involvement to Emancipation: A narrative account. Theo Stickley Chapter 20: Rebuilding the House of Mental Health services with Home Truths. Bob Diamond Chapter 21: A Beacon of Hope: Alternative approaches to crisis. Fiona Venner and Michelle Noad

Review

This impressive volume not only comprehensively critiques the simplistic, pessimistic medical model that dominates the mental health world, but provides an array of exciting exceptions and alternatives. A must read for all interested in creating more effective, humane, evidence-based approaches to madness. Professor John Read, University of Auckland Madness Contested is a thought-provoking, informed manifesto for rethinking what we call madness and how best to treat such psychiatric distress. As the writers of this book convincingly argue, science, philosophy, and the lived experience of those who have known such states all tell of how our current "medical model" of madness fails us, and of the benefit that could come from a reconceptualization of what it means to be "mad." Robert Whitaker, Journalist and author of Mad in America and Anatomy of an Epidemic This inspiring collection of essays is a welcome addition to the growing literature on critical and alternative approaches to psychiatry. The authors, some well-known and some speaking out for the first time, cover topics ranging from the experience of taking neuroleptics to new ways of understanding paranoia - The book is particularly strong on service user perspectives and projects. In fact, there is something for everyone here - it is unfailingly lively, challenging and thought-provoking. Lucy Johnstone, Clinical Psychologist and author of Users and Abusers of Psychiatry.

Description for Sales People

'This impressive volume not only comprehensively critiques the simplistic, pessimistic medical model that dominates the mental health world, but provides an array of exciting exceptions and alternatives. A must-read for all interested increating more effective, humane, evidence-based approaches to madness.' Professor John Read, Psychology Department, University of Auckland

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