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1 - Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2009

Craig Morgan
Affiliation:
Section of Social and Cultural Psychiatry, Health Service and Population Research Department Box 33, Institute of Psychiatry De Crespigny Park, London, UK
Kwame McKenzie
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College, London (Hampstead Campus), Rowland Hill Street, London, UK
Paul Fearon
Affiliation:
Section of Epidemiology and Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine Box 63, Institute of Psychiatry De Crespigny Park, London, UK
Craig Morgan
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London
Kwame McKenzie
Affiliation:
University College London
Paul Fearon
Affiliation:
Trinity College, Dublin
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Summary

Psychiatry has recently rediscovered its roots. It seemed as if its long history of interest in the impact of society on the rates and course of serious mental illness had been forgotten, overtaken by the inexorable advance of neuroscience and genetics. However, as our knowledge of the physiological and genetic processes linked to psychosis has advanced, it has become increasingly clear that social conditions and experiences over the life course are important in the aetiology of psychosis. Old dichotomies and controversies are giving way to genuinely integrated models, in which social, psychological and biological factors are seen to interact over time, culminating in the onset of psychosis. The influence of society extends beyond onset to shape course and outcome, with important implications for public policy and service delivery. In this context, it is useful to take stock of what is currently known about the links between society and psychosis, limitations to this knowledge, unanswered questions and future research priorities. Society and Psychosis aims to do this.

Categories and continua

There have been many attempts to define psychosis. Wing (1978), for example, gave a relatively narrow description: ‘A ‘psychotic’ state is one characterised by delusions or hallucinations, in which the individual is unable to differentiate his grossly abnormal thought processes from external reality and remains unaware of his deficiency.’ (pp. 44–5.) Less restrictive definitions include hallucinatory experiences that the sufferer realises are abnormal and, more broadly still, others include disorganised speech and grossly disorganised behaviour (APA, 1994).

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

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  • Introduction
    • By Craig Morgan, Section of Social and Cultural Psychiatry, Health Service and Population Research Department Box 33, Institute of Psychiatry De Crespigny Park, London, UK, Kwame McKenzie, Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College, London (Hampstead Campus), Rowland Hill Street, London, UK, Paul Fearon, Section of Epidemiology and Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine Box 63, Institute of Psychiatry De Crespigny Park, London, UK
  • Edited by Craig Morgan, Kwame McKenzie, University College London, Paul Fearon
  • Book: Society and Psychosis
  • Online publication: 07 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544064.001
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  • Introduction
    • By Craig Morgan, Section of Social and Cultural Psychiatry, Health Service and Population Research Department Box 33, Institute of Psychiatry De Crespigny Park, London, UK, Kwame McKenzie, Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College, London (Hampstead Campus), Rowland Hill Street, London, UK, Paul Fearon, Section of Epidemiology and Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine Box 63, Institute of Psychiatry De Crespigny Park, London, UK
  • Edited by Craig Morgan, Kwame McKenzie, University College London, Paul Fearon
  • Book: Society and Psychosis
  • Online publication: 07 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544064.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
    • By Craig Morgan, Section of Social and Cultural Psychiatry, Health Service and Population Research Department Box 33, Institute of Psychiatry De Crespigny Park, London, UK, Kwame McKenzie, Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College, London (Hampstead Campus), Rowland Hill Street, London, UK, Paul Fearon, Section of Epidemiology and Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine Box 63, Institute of Psychiatry De Crespigny Park, London, UK
  • Edited by Craig Morgan, Kwame McKenzie, University College London, Paul Fearon
  • Book: Society and Psychosis
  • Online publication: 07 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544064.001
Available formats
×