Global Mental Therapy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William S. Sax
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Human History ◽  
Ritual Healing ◽  
The World

There already exists a type of global mental therapy that has used by virtually everyone, in every culture and during all periods of human history: it is called ‘ritual.’ But this is not recognised by the MGHM, nor have the therapeutic aspects of ritual been adequately investigated by psychology and psychiatry, nor are these disciplines sufficiently aware of the degree to which their own practices are ritualised. Most advocates of Global Mental Health have an extremely limited understanding of what people throughout the world actually do when they experience extreme mental suffering: they perform rituals. What explains this lack of interest in what is likely the most ubiquitous type of global mental therapy? Why does the topic remain so woefully under-researched? Can “rituals” be effective in treating mental suffering, and if so, how? Drawing on several decades of ethnographic research on ritual healing in Asia, Africa, and Europe, I suggest a number of provisional answers to these questions.

A Fallacy of the World Health Organization's Mental Health Gap Action Programme and Intervention Guide: Counseling and Psychotherapy Are Also (Western) Indigenous/Traditional Healing Methods

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-61
Author(s):  
Robinder P. Bedi ◽  
Mohit Bassi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Western Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Gap ◽  
Cultural Healing ◽  
Action Programme

This article will argue that, rather than being objective and universal treatment appro-aches, counseling and psychotherapy are indigenous/traditional (i.e., cultural) healing methods of the Euro-American West. Therefore, the World Health Organization's Mental Health Gap Action Programme (MHGAP), designed to provide increased access to reportedly highly effective Western mental health treatment services in many low- and middle-income countries, is likely to falter. It can be argued that culturally adapted counseling and psychotherapy will be most effective for individuals in non-Western countries who endorse or are somewhat acculturated to Western understandings and ways of living. Therefore, Western psychological interventions should not be at the forefront of the MHGAP in non-Western countries. Supportive evidence for this perspective is summarized and alternative approaches to promoting global mental health that draw on non-Western indigenous healing practices are presented.

scholarly journals Protecting Rights and Building Capacities: Challenges to Global Mental Health Policy in Light of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila Wildeman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
International Development ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Disabled Persons ◽  
World Health ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) has in the last decade identified mental health as a priority for global health promotion and international development, to be targeted through promulgation of evidence-based medical practices, health systems reform, and respect for human rights. Yet these overlapping strategies are marked by tensions as the historical primacy of expert-led initiatives is increasingly subject to challenge by new social movements — in particular, disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs). These tensions come into focus upon situating the WHO’s contributions to the analysis of global mental health in light of the negotiation and early stages of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), particularly as it applies to persons with mental disabilities.

scholarly journals World Mental Health Day

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dr. Meghamala. S. Tavaragi ◽  
Mrs. Sushma.C ◽  
Dr. Susheelkumar V. Ronad
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Behavioral Health ◽  
Mental Hygiene ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
World Mental Health ◽  
The World

World Mental Health Day (10 October) is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries. This day, each October thousands of supporters come to celebrate this annual awareness program to bring attention to Mental Illness and its major effects on peoples’ life worldwide. In some countries this day is part of the larger Mental Illness Awareness Week. Mental health is a level of psychological well-being, or an absence of a mental disorder it is the “psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment”. The definition of mental health highlights emotional well-being, the capacity to live a full and creative life, and the flexibility to deal with life’s inevitable challenges. A person struggling with his or her behavioral health may face stress, depression, anxiety, relationship problems, grief, addiction, ADHD or learning disabilities, mood disorders, or other psychological concerns. Counselors, therapists, life coaches, psychologists, nurse practitioners or physicians can help manage behavioral health concerns with treatments such as therapy, counseling, or medication. At the beginning of the 20th century, Clifford Beers founded the National Committee for Mental Hygiene and opened the first outpatient mental health clinic in the United States of America. The mental hygiene movement, related to the social hygiene movement, had at times been associated with advocating eugenics and sterilization of those considered too mentally deficient to be assisted into productive work and contented family life. Global mental health is the international perspective on different aspects of mental health. The overall aim of the field of global mental health is to strengthen mental health all over the world by providing information about the mental health situation in all countries, and identifying mental health care needs in order to develop cost-effective interventions to meet those specific needs.

scholarly journals The Movement for Global Mental Health

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Pharmaceutical Drugs ◽  
Biological Origin ◽  
South And Southeast Asia ◽  
The World

In this volume, prominent anthropologists, public health physicians, and psychiatrists respond sympathetically but critically to the Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH), which seeks to export psychiatry throughout the world. They question some of its fundamental assumptions: the idea that "mental disorders" can clearly be identified; that they are primarily of biological origin; that the world is currently facing an "epidemic" of them; that the most appropriate treatments for them normally involve psycho-pharmaceutical drugs; and that local or indigenous therapies are of little interest or importance for treating them. Instead, the contributors argue that labeling mental suffering as "illness" or "disorder" is often highly problematic; that the countries of South and Southeast Asia have abundant, though non- psychiatric, resources for dealing with it; that its causes are often social and biographical; and that many non-pharmacological therapies are effective for dealing with it. In short, they advocate a thoroughgoing mental health pluralism.

Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Dimension of Health: A Sensitive Issue to be Addressed at the Earliest

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 158-166
Author(s):  
Sunil Nepal ◽  
Sudip Nepal ◽  
Chakrakodi S. Shastry ◽  
Sharad Chand ◽  
U.P. Nandakumar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
High Stress ◽  
World Health ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Background: The novel coronavirus disease outbreak of 2019 was declared as a public health emergency by the World Health Organization. At present, the virus has spread throughout the world, leading to millions of cases and is further increasing. Objective: The main objective of this study is to review the impact of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the mental health of frontline workers, isolated and quarantined people and the general population. Methods: The relevant articles were extracted from PubMed, Web of Science and ScienceDirect database by using the keywords “Mental health”, “COVID-19”, “Impact of COVID-19”, “Frontline workers”, “Quarantine”, “Isolation”, “Immunity” and “Economy”. The retrieved articles were included in the study based on inclusion criteria to perform the review. All the selected scientific articles were critically reviewed and the information is summarized in this narrative review. Results: The majority of the studies stated that frontline health workers were at an increased risk of depression. The infected, suspects and quarantined people were reported with high stress, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicidal thoughts. The pandemic has devastated the world’s economy, which has severely impacted global mental health. Conclusion: Mental health should be taken into account, and necessary interventional initiatives need to be considered both by the health authorities and the government to minimize the adversity of the consequences. The pandemic may disappear with the discovery of new vaccines or medications, but its negative impact on mental health may persist, particularly among vulnerable populations. Thus, mental health must be a matter of concern in the present scenario.

scholarly journals Global Mental Health: sharing and synthesizing knowledge for sustainable development

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. O'Donnell ◽  
M. Lewis O'Donnell
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Global Integration ◽  
Global Issues ◽  
Growing Domain ◽  
The World ◽  
Relevant Context

Global mental health (GMH) is a growing domain with an increasing capacity to positively impact the world community's efforts for sustainable development and wellbeing. Sharing and synthesizing GMH and multi-sectoral knowledge, the focus of this paper, is an important way to support these global efforts. This paper consolidates some of the most recent and relevant ‘context resources’ [global multi-sector (GMS) materials, emphasizing world reports on major issues] and ‘core resources’ (GMH materials, including newsletters, texts, conferences, training, etc.). In addition to offering a guided index of materials, it presents an orientation framework (global integration) to help make important information as accessible and useful as possible. Mental health colleagues are encouraged to stay current in GMH and global issues, to engage in the emerging agendas for sustainable development and wellbeing, and to intentionally connect and contribute across sectors. Colleagues in all sectors are encouraged to do likewise, and to take advantage of the wealth of shared and synthesized knowledge in the GMH domain, such as the materials featured in this paper.

Global cultures as a consequence of globalization of mental health

2021 ◽  
pp. 45-54
Author(s):  
Driss Moussaoui ◽  
Vishal Bhavsar ◽  
Dinesh Bhugra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The World ◽  
Population Mental Health ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Health Agenda ◽  
Critical Interest

Globalization is a term used widely to describe ‘homogenization’ of the world and various cultures. Although it is to do with trade, with an impact on resources, manufacture, and consumption, its impact is often seen on economics, development, international relations, and health. However, its effect on individual and population mental health across cultures deserves detailed study. The term means different things to different people and is often misused and misinterpreted in a number of ways. The geopolitical impact of globalization on social determinants of mental health of individuals and populations is of particular interest, especially because globalization affects migration and consequent changes in well-being. Cultures vary and have various dimensions, which change in response to globalization. The challenges in the global mental health agenda are of critical interest to policymakers and service planners. Often, mental health is regarded as separate from aspects of physical health and well-being, thereby creating specific problems. In the context of globalization and resulting migration, we propose a conceptual model to understand the effects of globalization on mental health and identify some action points for future research and policy-making.

The impact in Latin America of Basaglia and Italian psychiatric reform

2020 ◽  
pp. 95-112
Author(s):  
José Miguel Caldas de Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Reforms ◽  
The World ◽  
Main Factors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Lasting Influence

Latin America is one of the regions of the world where Franco Basaglia’s vision found a more fertile ground and exerted a more fruitful and lasting influence. This chapter describes the process of transformation of mental healthcare that has taken place in Latin America in the last four decades. It analyses the main factors that made it possible, and discusses how it was influenced by Basaglia’s conceptualization of the reform. It critically reviews the advances and shortcomings of mental healthcare reforms carried out in the region, taking into consideration the specific political and social context of the countries in which they have taken place, as well as the direct and indirect influences of Basaglia’s concepts and the Italian reform. Finally, it describes how the implementation of the reforms in Latin America have contributed to the development of a comprehensive approach to mental healthcare that continues to be one of the most stimulating and comprehensive approaches in global mental health at the present time.

Mental Health Systems Around the World

2019 ◽  
pp. 467-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shekhar Saxena ◽  
Jeremy Kane ◽  
Noa Krawczyk ◽  
Judith K. Bass
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The United Nations

This chapter discusses the concepts, definitions, measurement instruments, and sources of data bearing on global mental health and mental illness. The discussion reveals the limited use of system-level instruments and readily comparable global data to help guide international public mental health policy. The chapter includes selected data on mental health systems around the world and gives an overview of mental health–related activities by leading international agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, the United Nations Interagency Task Force (UNIATF) on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases, the United Nations International Children’s Educational Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and a range of international research consortia. The presence or absence of mental health policy, the presence of law relevant to mental health, and the presence of mental health care facilities around the world are reviewed.

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