S. Megan Smith - Böcker

Introduces students to the study of the social forces that shape mental health and empowers the next generation to make an impact on mental health management As the prevalence of mental health issues worldwide continues to grow, an active area of sociology is investigating the social causes and consequences of mental health and illness. Young people are especially vulnerable to the current mental health crisis—they are more frequently experiencing social isolation, family stressors, difficulties establishing social relationships, and heightened levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicidal thoughts. Using a relatable and accessible narrative style, Sociological Insights on Mental Health and Distress helps students understand the connections between mental health issues and their social and structural determinants. Integrating classical and contemporary sociological theory, this concise textbook examines mental health from four key sociological perspectives: social context, social integration, stress, and stigma. Special emphasis is placed on the role of social media and cyberbullying in mental health concerns, global sources of anxiety such as COVID-19 and climate change, and emerging topics including neuro-divergencies in mental health problems and suicide in LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. Supported by a wealth of pedagogical tools and an extensive companion website, Sociological Insights on Mental Health and Distress is the perfect textbook for undergraduate courses in the sociology of mental health, health and illness, psychological and sociological deviance, and social problems, as well as interdisciplinary courses in criminal justice, public health, social work, and psychology.

Ties that Enable is written for students, providers, and advocates seeking to understand how best to improve mental health care – be it for themselves, their loved ones, their clients, or for the wider community. The authors integrate their knowledge of mental health care as researchers, teachers, and advocates and rely on the experiences of people living with severe mental health problems to help understand the sources of community solidarity. Communities are the primary source of social solidarity, and given the diversity of communities, solutions to the problems faced by individuals living with severe mental health problems must start with community level initiatives. "Ties that Enable" examines the role of a faith-based community group in providing a sense of place and belonging as well as reinforcing a valued social identity. The authors argue that mental health reform efforts need to move beyond a focus on individual recovery to more complex understandings of the meaning of community care. In addition, mental health care needs to move from a medical model to a social model which sees the roots of mental illness and recovery as lying in society, not the individual. It is our society's inability to provide inclusive supportive environments which restrict the ability of individuals to recover. This book provides insights into how communities and system level reforms can promote justice and the higher ideals we aspire to as a society.