Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia - British Psychological Society (Meet the Author Session)

Anne was the editor of the British Psychological Society's free public information book ‘Understanding psychosis and schizophrenia: why people sometimes hear voices, believe things that others find strange, or appear out of... [ view full abstract ]

Anne was the editor of the British Psychological Society's free public information book ‘Understanding psychosis and schizophrenia: why people sometimes hear voices, believe things that others find strange, or appear out of touch with reality, and what can help’. The book was written by a group of eminent clinical psychologists drawn from eight UK universities and the UK National Health Service, together with people who had themselves experienced psychosis. It provides an accessible overview of the current state of knowledge, concluding that 'professionals should not insist that people accept any one framework of understanding, for example the idea that their problems are symptoms of an illness'. Its conclusions have profound implications both for the way we understand ‘mental illness’ and for the future of mental health services. It has been the subject of widespread media coverage and debate. Anne will briefly introduce the book, why we wrote it and some of the reactions it has received. Then you can ask her what you like! We may be joined by others from the author group who are at the conference.