The Age of Insanity: Modernity and Mental Health

(Hardback)

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Focuses on the psychological and emotional relationship of individuals impacted by the conditions of modern society. The often misunderstood "modern person syndrome" is a disorder linked to the conditions of living in our contemporary society. The author argues that the conditions of modernity have introduced new processes, forces, and cultura' motivations that have major implications for all aspects of mental health and social well being. While modernity offers unprecedented opportunities for personal enhancement and creative expression, there is mounting evdence of a mental health crisis that demands the immediate attention of mental health professionals. In order to address the new challenges that have arisen under conditions of modernity, mental health professionals must rethink fundamental assumptions about the relationship between society and mental health, as well as the impact of modern social concerns upon individual behavior and psychological well being. This innovative approach to mental health seeks to explain a variety of psychological trends, including the steep rise in depression, the sharp increase in the prevalence of existential disorders, and the emergence of consumption disorders. By shedding light on the interaction between modernity and mental health, Schumaker illuminates the emerging patterns of mental disturbance while also offering new and more effective intervention and preventior.

Reviews

I found Shumaker's book to be readable, interesting throughout, at times fasinating, and a touch profound.-APA Review of Books
Large collections at all levels.-Choice
This thoughtful, provocative volume explores the generalized psychological effects of living in the modern world....This book provides the framework, the context, for further work to be done in this field. I expect volumes to follow in Schumaker's footsteps-volumes dedicated explicity to addressing and resolving the breakdown of mental health associated with modern living. Before such volumes can be written, someone must show that modernity is indeed the culprit behind a cluster of psychopathologies, which is what this superb book from Schumaker does so convincingly.-mentalhelp.net
Large collections at all levels.Choice
"I found Shumaker's book to be readable, interesting throughout, at times fasinating, and a touch profound."-APA Review of Books
"Large collections at all levels."-Choice
"This thoughtful, provocative volume explores the generalized psychological effects of living in the modern world....This book provides the framework, the context, for further work to be done in this field. I expect volumes to follow in Schumaker's footsteps-volumes dedicated explicity to addressing and resolving the breakdown of mental health associated with modern living. Before such volumes can be written, someone must show that modernity is indeed the culprit behind a cluster of psychopathologies, which is what this superb book from Schumaker does so convincingly."-mentalhelp.net

Author Bio

JOHN F. SCHUMAKER is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. He has authored and edited nine books and numerous chapters and journal articles.