Globalisation and psychiatry

Abstract

Globalisation means crossing borders. It is a complex, large-scale social phenomenon that presents to mental health services both challenges and opportunities. These relate to the increased cultural diversity of service users and service providers; the effects of migration on mental health; and the implementation of international protocols in relation to training, policy and education. In the aftermath of 11 September 2001 in the USA, the relationship between large-scale social change and mental health has also focused attention on the concepts of anomie and social capital. An explicit return to the principles of biopsychosocial psychiatry and a positive engagement with globalisation will advance the development of effective, evidence-based models of care appropriate to the changing needs of patients.

Pathological Journeys or Help Seeking Behavior: The Case of Travelers to Geneva, An International City

“…Of course, this may lead to a rise in pathological journeys as explained above, but traveling to an international city such as Geneva may also express help seeking behavior, for example because of human rights abuse in the subject's country of origin [13]. One should be careful not to stigmatize such behaviors, no matter whether this is done in an appropriate manner or not.…”

When social sustainability becomes politics – perspectives from Greenlandic fisheries governance

“…Migration and movement, combined with "poor social ties and large, unpredictable events" can evoke anomie (Kelly 2003: 468). As Kelly describes (Kelly 2003), Durkheim used the term in his work to "describe a state in which norms are confused, unclear or absent, and where there are large-scale social changes that the individual cannot understand, let alone control" (Kelly 2003: 468). Though Kelly is writing about mental illness and Durkheim spoke of suicides, the concept is an important one for resource-dependent communities, especially in this era of globalisation.…”

“…Though Kelly is writing about mental illness and Durkheim spoke of suicides, the concept is an important one for resource-dependent communities, especially in this era of globalisation. In a world in which the life of the individual is shaped by global events which seem to lie beyond the individual's control, feelings of anomie increase (Kelly 2003). Symptoms of anomie can be seen socially through rising crime rates and increased substance (alcohol and drug) abuse.…”

Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Historical and Biopsychosocial Perspective

“…This could be a result of natural difficulty with disclosing problems or sharing emotions in this group or inadequacy of existing services to address their psychological needs. In his timely review Brendan Kelly (Kelly, 2003) highlighted that globalisation and large-scale social changes could induce a wave of 'anomie'in migrants, that is in essance a breakdown of social values (Durkheim, 1947). For Durkheim, in 1897 anomie arised more generally from a mismatch between personal or group standards and wider social standards, or from the lack of a social ethic, which produced moral deregulation and an absence of legitimate aspirations.…”