Question: What does politics have to do with mental health?
Possible answers:
A: Nothing. They are two separate fields.
B: Everything. Mental health is very political.
C: Politics has to do with how people view the world, and these views have a huge influence on one's well being and mental health.
D: Politics and mental health should be like religion and the state, and recognize that they best function without the infuence of the other and should be separate.
For the correct answer, click on comments.
This is article #20 in a series on Are You As Smart As A Behavioral Health Professional?
Correct answer: C: Politics has to do with how people view the world, and these views have a huge influence on one's well being and mental health.
ReplyDeleteThe post modern view is that identity is a social construction and so how a person views oneself and views the world is directly related to the person's interactions with his/her external environment. The meaning attributed to social experiences are directly related to one's experience of oneself and others. This meaning can be toxic or beneficial depending on the politics of experience as R.D. Laing so wisely taught us in the 60s.