The Mental Health Section

In the mental health section you will find discussions and articles that will hopefully develop your understanding of mental illness, its historical value, and how this leads to contemporary inequality.

Mental health 'problems' or mental health 'difficulties' are phrases that would be used to describe a person's reactions to certain events. These can consist of painful, emotional losses such as the death of a family member; substance misuse such as abusing alcohol or addiction to drugs; stress such as unresolved work related problems; and any other significant occasions that can cause a person to experience great difficulties in coping. However, not all mental health 'difficulties' or mental health 'problems' are caused by life events, or traumas: some just occur without any identifiable cause.


Therefore, the mental health section will focus on discussing many of the social issues around mental ill-health and/or mental health problems that can affect people such as (to use their diagnostic labels) Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, and Depression. The mental health discussions will then be put into context by applying them to the separate categories: the history of mental illness; perspectives and diagnosis; legislation and policy; research; and sources of support. It is important to note that the mental health section is underpinned by the social model; therefore, reference will not often be made to "medicalised" perspectives. This enables Talking Minds to deliver subjects that look beyond a diagnostic label: maintaining a belief in seeing the person before the illness.

This information is an overview providing some details on mental health, along with some of the mental health conditions that can be experienced. Further information on these conditions is discussed in more depth throughout the mental health sections: Mental Health; Legislation; and Sources of Support.

Furthermore, in the main mental health section, you will also find the category, Substance Misuse. The following slide outlines additional information that correlates mental health with the subject of substance misuse, explaining its importance with regards to mental health.

Substance Misuse is an issue that can have a serious and detrimental impact on individuals, families, and society.

The term "substance misuse" refers to the non-medical use of substances that, when taken into the human body, can seriously have a substantial and damaging affect on the psychological (mental health) and physical functions of that person.

In the substance misuse category you will find articles that discuss the impact of alcohol and drug misuse, including addiction to these substances. Alcohol and drug (substance) misuse results in serious issues for the individual user, their families, their community, and society in general. The substance misuse category hopes to develop your understanding of alcohol, drugs, legislation, and available sources of support, by balancing and correlating it with the mental health and the community sections. Additionally, the substance misuse articles will continue to be underpinned by the social model, containing frank discussions that recognise people do not choose to become dependent (addicted) on a particular substance. It is often life circumstance, poor mental health, or peer pressure that influences people to misuse substances.

Alcohol and drug (substance) misuse results in serious issues for the individual user, their families, their community, and society in general. To develop an understanding of these problems it is important to recognise that there are three categories ascribed to drug and alcohol (substance) misuse: experimental, recreational, and dependant. That said, there is no clear and defined progression from experimental through to dependant - each category has its own problems.

Government figures representing substance misuse for the United Kingdom show an increase over recent years. Alcohol misuse has risen by as much as seventy-four percent since the 1950's, and Home Office registered Heroin users have shown a similar, if not greater percentage increase. These figures also highlight that alcohol and drug (substance) misuse is occurring more often in younger people and at increasingly younger ages.

If you require any further information or support you can contact Talking Minds at anytime