Straight Talking Introduction to the Causes of Mental Health Problems (2nd edition)

What causes mental health problems? Nature or nurture? Brain and biology? Genetic inheritance or social environment? Revised and updated, this concise book explains what we know today about the origins of mental distress, drawing on the latest research from across the world. The answer is of course a bit of everything in combination - because the human body and brain are shaped by the environments we inhabit and what happens to us. Human distress is caused by loss, trauma, violence, childhood abuse, social injustices, poverty and deprivation. How well we are able to cope with these stressors likewise depends on a multiplicity of factors and is unique to each individual. An essential addition to the Straight Talking Introduction series, the book supports the call for more understanding of the social determinants of mental wellbeing. It adds to the arguments for treatments that do not rely on the busted hypothesis of neurochemical imbalances.

'An accessible look at complex issues that empowers the reader to start thinking for themselves. A refreshing antidote to the simplistic and pessimistic biomedical model.' - Jacqui Dillon, activist, writer, speaker and former Chair, Hearing Voices Network. 'Brilliantly engaging, understandable and thoughtful... will equip service users, carers and professionals alike with empowering knowledge.' - Tony Morrison, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Manchester. 'Perfect for the non-professional. Bought this book while studying level 2 counselling. It's well written and easy to understand, without all the technical jargon.' - Online reviewer. 'What causes mental health problems? Lots of things combining together. This book describes them, clearly and systematically, and how they interact.' - David Kingdon, Emeritus Professor of Mental Health Care Delivery, University of Southampton

Dr John Read has worked in the UK, USA and New Zealand for 20 years as a clinical psychologist. He is currently Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of East London. He has edited several books, including Models of Madness (2013). He has been editor of the research journal Psychosis: Psychological, social and integrative approaches since 2009. John is Chair of the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal (www.iipdw.org). - Pete Sanders worked as a volunteer at 'Off The Record', Newcastle upon Tyne, in 1972 before completing a degree in psychology at the university there, and then the Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling at Aston University. He practised as a counsellor, educator and clinical supervisor for more than 30 years. He wrote, co-wrote and edited numerous books, chapters and papers on many aspects of counselling, psychotherapy and mental health, and in particular developing person-centred theory, the politics of counselling and psychotherapy, and the demedicalisation of distress.