Socioeconomics of mental health

Photo of a man holding laundry in a dimly lit room with shelves, a microwave and a curtain on the left.
MENTAL HEALTH ACROSS CULTURES

What do Japan’s hikikomori reveal about our lonely world?

Unemployed and isolated, the residents of a hikikomori rehab centre hold up a mirror to a society that’s failing them

by Alain Julian

Illustration of a giant camera with a set inside, showing a person filming and another entering, with autumn leaves and street lamps outside.
SOCIOECONOMICS OF MENTAL HEALTH

The therapeutic power in learning to make a film together

A collaboration among workers in India showed the power of making and discussing films for sharing life’s inner challenges

by Varun Kurtkoti

Black and white photo of a family dining, with a man in a checked shirt, a woman drinking tea and a girl looking on.
SOCIOECONOMICS OF MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health is not an individual matter, but a political one

Decades ago, pioneering research linked mental illness and economic deprivation. It’s time to take the implications seriously

by Matthew Smith

Photo of a person having their throat examined with an otoscope, wearing glasses and a patterned shirt, mouth open.
THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIPS

Homeless, delusional, and brave, Mrs A taught me a powerful lesson

How a homeless woman with frostbitten feet taught me what it means to stand up for another when the stakes are high

by Patricia Steckler

Photo of a child in a pink coat holding an adult’s hand in a room with crates containing canned goods.
SOCIOECONOMICS OF MENTAL HEALTH

Why we shouldn’t push a positive mindset on those in poverty

Living in poverty is not caused by a faulty mindset, it’s a response to scarcity and marginalisation

by Jennifer Sheehy-Skeffington

Two people squatting next to large bins in an alley named Bothwell Lane, with old brick buildings in the background.
ADDICTION

Recognising the rhythm in addiction offers new ways to escape it

Addiction is not just about biochemistry – it’s also about time, and its hamster-wheel rhythm can suggest other treatments

by Eana Meng & Johannes Lenhard

Photo of people relaxing on tiered grassy steps in a public space with railings, cyclists below, and some pigeons present.
MENTAL HEALTH

If you stay mentally well your entire life, you’re not normal

Surveys suggest only a minority of people live lives entirely free from mental disorder. What can we learn from them?

by Jonathan D Schaefer

Photo of a man examining a child with special needs held by a woman in a floral dress indoors.
THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIPS

Slow medicine, like slow food, puts people ahead of profit

The physical and mental health of patients are deeply intertwined. GPs are best-placed to help, but they need more time

by Mariam Tokhi

Photo of a woman and two children sitting in an armchair in a dimly lit room with red curtains and a framed painting.
SOCIOECONOMICS OF MENTAL HEALTH

Rural life can intensify the stigma and loneliness of mental illness

Heightened stigma, a lack of privacy and inadequate support services add to mental health challenges in rural communities

by Allison Crowe