The Social Nature Of Mental Illness

The Social Nature of Mental Illness Debate over the true nature of mental illness is polarised between those arguing for a social and those arguing for a physiological aetiology. Psychiatry finds itself at the centre of this debate, its status called into question by those who claim that to treat mental disorder as a physiological ailment is to mask the social origin of the illness. In The Social Nature of Mental Illness, Len Bowers offers an objective and philosophical critique of the theories of mental illness as a social construct. His purpose is to examine the rationality of these theories, what they might mean, and in which cases they are to be accepted or rejected. Previous work on this issue has concentrated upon empirical evidence. All that has been generated from this are opposing interpretations of the data, rather than solutions. This book examines the common ground between the apologists for and critics of psychiatry, and discusses how debate on this issue affects research into and treatment of mental illness. Len Bowers argues that many of the assertions made about the social nature of mental illness are misguided or wrong, but he concludes that they cannot be wholly rejected. Essential reading for psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists, psychiatric nurses and social workers, The Social Nature of Mental Illness offers new perspectives on the contentious debate around the true nature of mental illness. Len Bowers is Professor of Psychiatric Nursing at St Bartholomew School of Nursing and Midwifery, City University, London. The Social Nature of Mental Illness Len Bowers First published 1998 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.” Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 First published in paperback in 2000 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group ©1998 Len Bowers All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data Bowers, Len, 1955– The social nature of mental illness/Len Bowers. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Mental illness—Etiology—Social aspects. [DNLM: 1. Mental Disorders. 2. Social Perception. 3. Psychology, Social. WM 31 B7865 1998] RC455.B68 1988 616.89–dc 97–42740 CIP ISBN 0-203-36122-9 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-37378-2 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0-415-22777-1 (Print Edition) To Eleanor Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Deviance 7 Classic labelling theory 7 Applications to mental illness: Scheff and Gove 9 Curr