Sociological Insights on Mental Health and Distress

Introduces students to the study of the social forces that shape mental health and distress, and offers a global perspective on mental health issues, reforms, and cross-cultural initiatives

Sociological Insights on Mental Health and Distress helps students understand the connections between individual mental health issues and their social and structural determinants. With a relatable, easily accessible narrative style, this concise textbook examines mental health from four key sociological perspectives—social context, social integration, stress, and stigma—with a special focus on the role of global sources of anxiety such as COVID-19, climate change, violence, terrorism, and immigration.

Integrating classical and contemporary sociological theory, Sociological Insights on Mental Health and Distress explores a uniquely wide range of emerging topics, such as neuro-divergencies and mental health problems, work stress and mental health workforce issues, criminalization, social media and cyberbullying, suicide in LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, and the role of peer supports. Throughout the text, students are shown how the current crisis in mental health is a result of rapid social change, structural strains, and social inequality.

Highlighting how larger social forces have affected the mental health of a new generation of college students, Sociological Insights on Mental Health and Distress:

• Helps students take control of their mental health and contribute to a social environment that promotes positive mental health systems
• Discusses the wider cultural and historical context of various mental health problems
• Emphasizes the importance of advocacy and empowerment in resisting the stigmas attached to mental health issues
• Contains an array of pedagogical tools, including learning activities, key references, documentaries, discussion topics, and cultural comparisons
• Includes access to an extensive companion website with definitions and examples of mental health diagnoses and conditions, summaries of mental health trends, PowerPoint lectures, learning objectives and additional discussion questions, interactive class activities, writing assignments, suggestions for further reading, and links engaging to digital resources

Sociological Insights on Mental Health and Distress is an ideal textbook for undergraduate courses in the sociology of mental health, health and illness, psychological and sociological deviance, and social problems, as well as interdisciplinary programs in criminal justice, public health, social work, psychology, and applied counselling.