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The Open University

Challenging ideas in mental health

The Open University via OpenLearn

Overview

Take a new and different look at mental health. This free course, Challenging ideas in mental health, invites you to think differently about life's dilemmas by taking account of the views of all concerned, especially people experiencing mental distress. It explores ideas and practice in mental health, and will appeal to a wide range of people.

Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Learning outcomes
  • 1 Boundaries of explanation
  • 1 Boundaries of explanation
  • 1.1 Boundaries of exclusion
  • 1.1.1 Boundaries and terminology
  • 1.1.2 Boundaries of difference
  • 1.1.3 Boundaries of ‘normality’
  • 1.2 Ways of viewing mental distress
  • 2 Whose risk is it anyway?
  • 2 Whose risk is it anyway?
  • 2.1 What is risk?
  • 2.2 Community care, fear and the ‘high-risk’ service user
  • 3 The business of madness
  • 3 The business of madness
  • 3.1 Mental health as business: introducing the debate
  • 3.2 Mental health as business: the profit motive
  • 3.2.1 A conflict of interest
  • 3.3 Pharmaceuticals for mental health: a brief history
  • 3.4 Benzodiazepine tranquillisers, Prozac and the SSRIs
  • Conclusion
  • Sources of help
  • References
  • Acknowledgements

Reviews

4.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review

4.2 rating at OpenLearn based on 45 ratings

Start your review of Challenging ideas in mental health

  • Profile image for Shreya Salve
    Shreya Salve
    It was very helpful. Great course. Psychology is important and I think everyone should try to understand it. I definitely recommend it.

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