The Origins of Unhappiness

The Origins of Unhappiness

Author: David Smail

Publisher:

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780094793408

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Through his examination of how visible and invisible social power - institutions, politics, the Establishment - wields an influence over our lives often beyond our immediate control, Smail leads us to a clear understanding of distress.'


Book Synopsis The Origins of Unhappiness by : David Smail

Download or read book The Origins of Unhappiness written by David Smail and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Through his examination of how visible and invisible social power - institutions, politics, the Establishment - wields an influence over our lives often beyond our immediate control, Smail leads us to a clear understanding of distress.'


The Origins of Unhappiness

The Origins of Unhappiness

Author: David Smail

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-05-08

Total Pages: 250

ISBN-13: 0429907400

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It is the main argument of this book that emotional and psychological distress is often brought about through the operation of social-environmental powers which have their origin at a considerable distance from those ultimately subjected to them. On the whole, psychology has concerned itself very little with the field of power which stretches beyond our immediate relations with each other, and this has led to serious limitations on the explanatory power of the theories it has produced. To illustrate this, typical cases of patient distress in the 1980s are examined. The decade when the right-wing of politics proclaimed there was no such thing as society gave rise to psychological distress across social classes, as long-standing societal institutions were dismantled. This is as much a work of sociology, politics, and philosophy, as it is of psychology. Fundamentals of an environmental understanding of distress are outlined. A person is the interaction of a body with the environment.


Book Synopsis The Origins of Unhappiness by : David Smail

Download or read book The Origins of Unhappiness written by David Smail and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-05-08 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is the main argument of this book that emotional and psychological distress is often brought about through the operation of social-environmental powers which have their origin at a considerable distance from those ultimately subjected to them. On the whole, psychology has concerned itself very little with the field of power which stretches beyond our immediate relations with each other, and this has led to serious limitations on the explanatory power of the theories it has produced. To illustrate this, typical cases of patient distress in the 1980s are examined. The decade when the right-wing of politics proclaimed there was no such thing as society gave rise to psychological distress across social classes, as long-standing societal institutions were dismantled. This is as much a work of sociology, politics, and philosophy, as it is of psychology. Fundamentals of an environmental understanding of distress are outlined. A person is the interaction of a body with the environment.


The Origins of Unhappiness

The Origins of Unhappiness

Author: David John Smail

Publisher:

Published: 1993

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 9780006377979

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Book Synopsis The Origins of Unhappiness by : David John Smail

Download or read book The Origins of Unhappiness written by David John Smail and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


The Origins of Unhappiness

The Origins of Unhappiness

Author: Taylor & Francis Group

Publisher:

Published: 2019-07-31

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9780367326012

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Book Synopsis The Origins of Unhappiness by : Taylor & Francis Group

Download or read book The Origins of Unhappiness written by Taylor & Francis Group and published by . This book was released on 2019-07-31 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


The Origins of Unhappiness

The Origins of Unhappiness

Author: David Smail

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-05-08

Total Pages: 135

ISBN-13: 0429921632

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It is the main argument of this book that emotional and psychological distress is often brought about through the operation of social-environmental powers which have their origin at a considerable distance from those ultimately subjected to them. On the whole, psychology has concerned itself very little with the field of power which stretches beyond our immediate relations with each other, and this has led to serious limitations on the explanatory power of the theories it has produced. To illustrate this, typical cases of patient distress in the 1980s are examined. The decade when the right-wing of politics proclaimed there was no such thing as society gave rise to psychological distress across social classes, as long-standing societal institutions were dismantled. This is as much a work of sociology, politics, and philosophy, as it is of psychology. Fundamentals of an environmental understanding of distress are outlined. A person is the interaction of a body with the environment.


Book Synopsis The Origins of Unhappiness by : David Smail

Download or read book The Origins of Unhappiness written by David Smail and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-05-08 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is the main argument of this book that emotional and psychological distress is often brought about through the operation of social-environmental powers which have their origin at a considerable distance from those ultimately subjected to them. On the whole, psychology has concerned itself very little with the field of power which stretches beyond our immediate relations with each other, and this has led to serious limitations on the explanatory power of the theories it has produced. To illustrate this, typical cases of patient distress in the 1980s are examined. The decade when the right-wing of politics proclaimed there was no such thing as society gave rise to psychological distress across social classes, as long-standing societal institutions were dismantled. This is as much a work of sociology, politics, and philosophy, as it is of psychology. Fundamentals of an environmental understanding of distress are outlined. A person is the interaction of a body with the environment.


Illusion and Reality

Illusion and Reality

Author: David Smail

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-05-08

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 0429914733

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This work challenges the notion that anxiety and depression amount to a mental illness denoting that something is wrong with the individual sufferer. Instead, anxiety and depression are described as perfectly rational responses to difficulties in the sufferer's world, experienced subjectively by that person. An essential contrast is drawn between objective conceptions of normality (what reality ought to be as per commercial and other objectifying sources) and the reality of the individual's subjective experience of the world (abuse, unemployment, and so on). Chapters include tackling the myth of normality; examining shyness; and analysing the way in which assumptions behind the use of language can foster anxiety and depression. The book's primary purpose is to explain the meaning of anxiety as experienced by the sufferer. These insights also lead to a view, by way of secondary purpose, that the role of the therapist is not in 'curing' the individual, but rather to negotiate demystification and to provide insight into the effects of the problems in the sufferer's world, based on the sufferer and the therapist's shared subjective understanding.


Book Synopsis Illusion and Reality by : David Smail

Download or read book Illusion and Reality written by David Smail and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-05-08 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work challenges the notion that anxiety and depression amount to a mental illness denoting that something is wrong with the individual sufferer. Instead, anxiety and depression are described as perfectly rational responses to difficulties in the sufferer's world, experienced subjectively by that person. An essential contrast is drawn between objective conceptions of normality (what reality ought to be as per commercial and other objectifying sources) and the reality of the individual's subjective experience of the world (abuse, unemployment, and so on). Chapters include tackling the myth of normality; examining shyness; and analysing the way in which assumptions behind the use of language can foster anxiety and depression. The book's primary purpose is to explain the meaning of anxiety as experienced by the sufferer. These insights also lead to a view, by way of secondary purpose, that the role of the therapist is not in 'curing' the individual, but rather to negotiate demystification and to provide insight into the effects of the problems in the sufferer's world, based on the sufferer and the therapist's shared subjective understanding.


How to Survive Without Psychotherapy

How to Survive Without Psychotherapy

Author: David Smail

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-05-08

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 0429914644

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This book is directly aimed at sufferers of mental distress. The book's aim is to remove from sufferers the burden of 'fault' for their pain and to demystify some of the practices that surround the 'treatment' of mental illness. It is not exactly a self-help book because it is a false claim of any 'treatment' of mental illness that 'cure' can be brought about by exercise of will. Much of what causes mental distress is lack of power and resource, outside the control of the sufferer. Surviving without psychotherapy involves the appreciation of several things. First, the limited nature of therapeutic assistance - whilst clarification and support may help the sufferer understand his/her predicament and encourage the use of what resources the sufferer has, therapy cannot change the distal root causes of distress. Second, that only socio-political solutions can address some of the most powerful causes of distress, e.g., redundancy, housing and poverty. In sounding a cautionary note about psychoanalysis, Smail observes that mental distress is far more about money than sex.


Book Synopsis How to Survive Without Psychotherapy by : David Smail

Download or read book How to Survive Without Psychotherapy written by David Smail and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-05-08 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is directly aimed at sufferers of mental distress. The book's aim is to remove from sufferers the burden of 'fault' for their pain and to demystify some of the practices that surround the 'treatment' of mental illness. It is not exactly a self-help book because it is a false claim of any 'treatment' of mental illness that 'cure' can be brought about by exercise of will. Much of what causes mental distress is lack of power and resource, outside the control of the sufferer. Surviving without psychotherapy involves the appreciation of several things. First, the limited nature of therapeutic assistance - whilst clarification and support may help the sufferer understand his/her predicament and encourage the use of what resources the sufferer has, therapy cannot change the distal root causes of distress. Second, that only socio-political solutions can address some of the most powerful causes of distress, e.g., redundancy, housing and poverty. In sounding a cautionary note about psychoanalysis, Smail observes that mental distress is far more about money than sex.


The Empire of Depression

The Empire of Depression

Author: Jonathan Sadowsky

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2020-10-22

Total Pages: 196

ISBN-13: 1509531661

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Depression has colonized the world. Today, more than 300 million of us have been diagnosed as depressed. But 150 years ago, "depression" referred to a mood, not a sickness. Does that mean people weren't sick before, only sad? Of course not. Mental illness is a complex thing, part biological, part social, its definition dependent on time and place. But in the mid-twentieth century, even as European empires were crumbling, new Western clinical models and treatments for mental health spread across the world. In so doing, "depression" began to displace older ideas like "melancholia," the Japanese "utsushô," or the Punjabi "sinking heart" syndrome. Award-winning historian Jonathan Sadowsky tells this global story, chronicling the path-breaking work of psychiatrists and pharmacists, and the intimate sufferings of patients. Revealing the continuity of human distress across time and place, he shows us how different cultures have experienced intense mental anguish, and how they have tried to alleviate it. He reaches an unflinching conclusion: the devastating effects of depression are real. A number of treatments do reduce suffering, but a permanent cure remains elusive. Throughout the history of depression, there have been overzealous promoters of particular approaches, but history shows us that there is no single way to get better that works for everyone. Like successful psychotherapy, history can liberate us from the negative patterns of the past.


Book Synopsis The Empire of Depression by : Jonathan Sadowsky

Download or read book The Empire of Depression written by Jonathan Sadowsky and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-10-22 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Depression has colonized the world. Today, more than 300 million of us have been diagnosed as depressed. But 150 years ago, "depression" referred to a mood, not a sickness. Does that mean people weren't sick before, only sad? Of course not. Mental illness is a complex thing, part biological, part social, its definition dependent on time and place. But in the mid-twentieth century, even as European empires were crumbling, new Western clinical models and treatments for mental health spread across the world. In so doing, "depression" began to displace older ideas like "melancholia," the Japanese "utsushô," or the Punjabi "sinking heart" syndrome. Award-winning historian Jonathan Sadowsky tells this global story, chronicling the path-breaking work of psychiatrists and pharmacists, and the intimate sufferings of patients. Revealing the continuity of human distress across time and place, he shows us how different cultures have experienced intense mental anguish, and how they have tried to alleviate it. He reaches an unflinching conclusion: the devastating effects of depression are real. A number of treatments do reduce suffering, but a permanent cure remains elusive. Throughout the history of depression, there have been overzealous promoters of particular approaches, but history shows us that there is no single way to get better that works for everyone. Like successful psychotherapy, history can liberate us from the negative patterns of the past.


Power, Interest and Psychology

Power, Interest and Psychology

Author: David John Smail

Publisher: Pccs Books

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13:

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Smail establishes a compelling framework that makes sense of our emotional distress as the outcome of contextual, social pressures.


Book Synopsis Power, Interest and Psychology by : David John Smail

Download or read book Power, Interest and Psychology written by David John Smail and published by Pccs Books. This book was released on 2005 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Smail establishes a compelling framework that makes sense of our emotional distress as the outcome of contextual, social pressures.


Taking Care

Taking Care

Author: David Smail

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-05-08

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 0429919778

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Taking Care established the author as an important social and political analyst whose background happened to be in clinical psychology. In this work the author develops the analysis of mental illness, and psychology in general, in the contexts of society, power and interest. People's experience is embodied in the world in which they exist. Notwithstanding the claims of some, psychology cannot, in the same way that magic cannot, change the nature of that experience fundamentally. At best, psychotherapy might provide a degree of understanding about that limitation. The historical relationship between psychology and magic is examined. The socio-political and economic structures of the society in which we live have the greatest influence on mental health, as on many other matters. Therefore, the individuation of focus in psychology on personal relationships, happiness, and sexuality can significantly miss the point. We need to develop political and social structures that 'take care' of people, to enable them to have meaningful 'public' lives.


Book Synopsis Taking Care by : David Smail

Download or read book Taking Care written by David Smail and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-05-08 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Taking Care established the author as an important social and political analyst whose background happened to be in clinical psychology. In this work the author develops the analysis of mental illness, and psychology in general, in the contexts of society, power and interest. People's experience is embodied in the world in which they exist. Notwithstanding the claims of some, psychology cannot, in the same way that magic cannot, change the nature of that experience fundamentally. At best, psychotherapy might provide a degree of understanding about that limitation. The historical relationship between psychology and magic is examined. The socio-political and economic structures of the society in which we live have the greatest influence on mental health, as on many other matters. Therefore, the individuation of focus in psychology on personal relationships, happiness, and sexuality can significantly miss the point. We need to develop political and social structures that 'take care' of people, to enable them to have meaningful 'public' lives.