Dr Lucy Johnstone is a consultant clinical psychologist, author of Users and Abusers of Psychiatry (classic edition, Routledge, 2022), and co-editor of Formulation in Psychology and Psychotherapy: Making sense of people's problems (2nd edition, Routledge, 2013) along with numerous other chapters and articles taking a critical perspective on mental health theory and practice. As one of the lead authors of the Power Threat Meaning Framework, an influential project outlining a conceptual alternative to the diagnostic model of distress, she is also co-author of A Straight Talking Introduction To The Power Threat Meaning Framework (PCCS Books, 2021) with Professor Mary Boyle. She is the former Programme Director of the Bristol Clinical Psychology Doctorate and spent many years working in adult mental health settings. She is now an independent trainer, writer and campaigner.

'Lucy Johnstone's insights into psychiatric diagnosis are brilliant in their clarity and incisiveness. Anyone wishing to understand the failings of our current diagnostic system could not hope for a better guide. I cannot recommend this excellent book highly enough.' James Davies, Reader in Medical Anthropology & Psychology, University of Roehampton and author of Sedated - How modern capitalism created our mental health crisis and Cracked - Why psychiatry is doing more harm than good

• Series introduction - Richard Bentall and Pete Sanders, 1. What this book aims to do, 2. Psychiatric diagnosis: The current context, 3. What are the problems with psychiatric diagnosis?, 4. For and against psychiatric diagnosis in more detail, 5. The wider impact of psychiatric diagnosis, 6. The personal impact of psychiatric diagnosis, 7. Alternatives to psychiatric diagnosis - finding your own story, 8. Personal stories, 9. The wider context of psychiatric diagnosis, 10. Where do we go next?, Further reading and resources

Dr Lucy Johnstone is a consultant clinical psychologist, author of Users and Abusers of Psychiatry (classic edition, Routledge, 2022), and co-editor of Formulation in Psychology and Psychotherapy: Making sense of people's problems (2nd edition, Routledge, 2013) along with numerous other chapters and articles taking a critical perspective on mental health theory and practice. As one of the lead authors of the Power Threat Meaning Framework, an influential project outlining a conceptual alternative to the diagnostic model of distress, she is also co-author of A Straight Talking Introduction To The Power Threat Meaning Framework (PCCS Books, 2021) with Professor Mary Boyle. She is the former Programme Director of the Bristol Clinical Psychology Doctorate and spent many years working in adult mental health settings. She is now an independent trainer, writer and campaigner.

'Lucy Johnstone's insights into psychiatric diagnosis are brilliant in their clarity and incisiveness. Anyone wishing to understand the failings of our current diagnostic system could not hope for a better guide. I cannot recommend this excellent book highly enough.' James Davies, Reader in Medical Anthropology & Psychology, University of Roehampton and author of Sedated - How modern capitalism created our mental health crisis and Cracked - Why psychiatry is doing more harm than good

• Series introduction - Richard Bentall and Pete Sanders, 1. What this book aims to do, 2. Psychiatric diagnosis: The current context, 3. What are the problems with psychiatric diagnosis?, 4. For and against psychiatric diagnosis in more detail, 5. The wider impact of psychiatric diagnosis, 6. The personal impact of psychiatric diagnosis, 7. Alternatives to psychiatric diagnosis - finding your own story, 8. Personal stories, 9. The wider context of psychiatric diagnosis, 10. Where do we go next?, Further reading and resources

Dr Lucy Johnstone is a consultant clinical psychologist, author of Users and Abusers of Psychiatry (classic edition, Routledge, 2022), and co-editor of Formulation in Psychology and Psychotherapy: Making sense of people's problems (2nd edition, Routledge, 2013) along with numerous other chapters and articles taking a critical perspective on mental health theory and practice. As one of the lead authors of the Power Threat Meaning Framework, an influential project outlining a conceptual alternative to the diagnostic model of distress, she is also co-author of A Straight Talking Introduction To The Power Threat Meaning Framework (PCCS Books, 2021) with Professor Mary Boyle. She is the former Programme Director of the Bristol Clinical Psychology Doctorate and spent many years working in adult mental health settings. She is now an independent trainer, writer and campaigner.

'Lucy Johnstone's insights into psychiatric diagnosis are brilliant in their clarity and incisiveness. Anyone wishing to understand the failings of our current diagnostic system could not hope for a better guide. I cannot recommend this excellent book highly enough.' James Davies, Reader in Medical Anthropology & Psychology, University of Roehampton and author of Sedated - How modern capitalism created our mental health crisis and Cracked - Why psychiatry is doing more harm than good

• Series introduction - Richard Bentall and Pete Sanders, 1. What this book aims to do, 2. Psychiatric diagnosis: The current context, 3. What are the problems with psychiatric diagnosis?, 4. For and against psychiatric diagnosis in more detail, 5. The wider impact of psychiatric diagnosis, 6. The personal impact of psychiatric diagnosis, 7. Alternatives to psychiatric diagnosis - finding your own story, 8. Personal stories, 9. The wider context of psychiatric diagnosis, 10. Where do we go next?, Further reading and resources