Global Mental Health Movement (GMH)

03/01/2007 (Circa)


The high burden imposed by mental disorders according to epidemiological estimates coexists with the secondary place of mental health in global health agendas and policies. The Global Mental Health (GMH) movement, which was most visibly launched by the British medical journal The Lancet in 2007, highlights the “treatment gap” between the need for and the availability of mental health services, especially in low- and middle-income countries.


Disputes about technical aspects ultimately concern the conceptual framework that merges mental distress with neurological disorder, the fundamental assumption that mental illnesses are essentially disorders of the brain.

Such convictions about causality (to which we shall return) are relevant for the quest, present in the GMH movement, to reconcile biological universality and cultural particularity. Different cultures have different beliefs about the meaning of mind and mind-body relationships, but it is accepted that brains are basically the same across the entire human species.

Since the mid-1990s, however, and at least within the GMH movement, the universality of disease has become dissociated from the globalization of nosologies and even from the global use of the very notion of “mental disorder.” Thus, noticing, for example, that in low- and middle-income countries “very few patients report feeling depressed” and that most interventions targeting depression avoid the use of the label, two major actors of GMH have advocated not just dimensional approaches to distress but the abandonment of prevalent international classifications in favor of new bottom-up taxonomies that would be elaborated independently of specialist perspectives (Jacob and Patel 2014; compare with Patel and Winston 1994).

Vidal, Fernando and Ortega, Francisco. Being Brains: Making the Cerebral Subject (Forms of Living)....

About the Movement

The Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH) is a virtual network of individuals and organisations that aim to improve services for people living with mental health problems and psychosocial disabilities worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where effective services are often scarce.

Two principles are fundamental to the Movement: scientific evidence and human rights.

The history of the MGMH began in 2007 with a Call for Action published in the first Lancet series on Global Mental Health. Through volunteerism and collaboration, the MGMH has gradually grown to a stage where members are able to share ideas, initiate activities and seek resources, often in partnership with other members.

Key Objectives of MGMH

  • Improve understanding of the causes of mental disorders
  • Advocate for access to affordable, accessible and effective treatments to improve the lives of people living with mental disorders across the globe
  • Advocate for improved availability, accessibility and quality of services for persons with mental disorders by scaling up services through the fundamental principles of scientific evidence and human rights
  • Promote a human rights, person-centred and recovery approach to mental health care and services

Learn more at the official website:

globalmentalhealth.org/about

CODE THERAPY - a mental health and technology documentary
You can find both articles mentioned by Vidal and Ortega below:

Jacob, K. Stanly, and Vikram Patel. 2014. “Classification of Mental Disorders: A Global Mental Healt...

Patel, Vikram, and Mark Winston. 1994. “‘Universality of Mental Illness’ Revisited: Assumptions, Art...

0 comments

Comment
No comments avaliable.

Author

Tags

Info

Published in 30/01/2019

Updated in 19/02/2021

All events in the topic Chap. 3: Cerebralizing Distress:


01/09/2007 (Circa)Can Neuroscience be integrated into the DSM-V?, by Steven HymanCan Neuroscience be integrated into the DSM-V?, by Steven Hyman
02/01/2011 (Circa)The Pharma-Psych NexusThe Pharma-Psych Nexus
01/01/1997 (Circa)01/01/2013 (Circa)Books by David HealyBooks by David Healy
01/12/1951 (Circa)Synthetization of ChlorpromazineSynthetization of Chlorpromazine
12/08/2014Is Evidence-based Psychiatry Ethical?, by Mona Gupta
03/01/2007 (Circa)Global Mental Health Movement (GMH)
01/01/2008 (Circa)Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP)
01/01/2002 (Circa)01/01/2013 (Circa)Globalization of PsychiatryGlobalization of Psychiatry
01/01/2001 (Circa)World Health ReportWorld Health Report
03/01/2005 (Circa)The bio-bio-bio model of madness, by John ReadThe bio-bio-bio model of madness, by John Read
01/03/2012 (Circa)The Epigenetics Revolution, by Nessa CareyThe Epigenetics Revolution, by Nessa Carey
01/01/2010 (Circa)Major Depressive Disorder: 2nd leading cause of disability worldwideMajor Depressive Disorder: 2nd leading cause of disability worldwide
01/01/2011 (Circa)The pharmaceutical industry's turn: from medication to geneticsThe pharmaceutical industry's turn: from medication to genetics
10/07/2014Most recent edition of the Handbook of DepressionMost recent edition of the Handbook of Depression
01/07/2000 (Circa)Nosologomania: A Disorder of Psychiatry, by Herman van PraagNosologomania: A Disorder of Psychiatry, by Herman van Praag
15/09/2014Melancholia: The Western Malady, by Matthew BellMelancholia: The Western Malady, by Matthew Bell
18/10/2005Can Brain Scans See Depression?, by Benedict CareyCan Brain Scans See Depression?, by Benedict Carey
03/01/2008 (Circa)Biological Vulnerability of Depression, by Nantel-Vivier and PihlBiological Vulnerability of Depression, by Nantel-Vivier and Pihl
02/01/2002 (Circa)Functional Neuroimaging of Depression, by Erk, Walter and SpitzerFunctional Neuroimaging of Depression, by Erk, Walter and Spitzer
01/02/2002 (Circa)Depression: Perspectives from Affective Neuroscience, by Davidson et al.Depression: Perspectives from Affective Neuroscience, by Davidson et al.
02/01/2014 (Circa)The Neurobiology of Meditation and Mindfulness, by Tobias EschThe Neurobiology of Meditation and Mindfulness, by Tobias Esch
20/09/2013Concentrating on Kindness, an article on Science MagConcentrating on Kindness, an article on Science Mag
02/01/2009 (Circa)Lack of evidence of causality in depressionLack of evidence of causality in depression
02/01/2013 (Circa)Classification of Depressive Disorders, by Philip J. CowenClassification of Depressive Disorders, by Philip J. Cowen
03/01/2013 (Circa)The search for treatment-specific biomarkersThe search for treatment-specific biomarkers
04/01/2013 (Circa)Hopes for diagnostic based on identified biomarkers
16/01/2001A Default Mode of Brain Function, by Raichle et al.A Default Mode of Brain Function, by Raichle et al.
03/01/1998 (Circa)Thoughts on Finding Myself Differently Brained, by Jane MeyerdingThoughts on Finding Myself Differently Brained, by Jane Meyerding
02/01/1999 (Circa)Why Can’t You Be Normal for Once in Your Life? by Judy SingerWhy Can’t You Be Normal for Once in Your Life? by Judy Singer
01/01/1998 (Circa)NeurodiversityNeurodiversity
01/01/1940 (Circa)01/01/1975 (Circa)Influence of psychoanalytic explanationsInfluence of psychoanalytic explanations
01/01/1960 (Circa)The Divided Self, by Ronald LaingThe Divided Self, by Ronald Laing
01/01/1967 (Circa)Psychiatry and Anti-Psychiatry, by David CooperPsychiatry and Anti-Psychiatry, by David Cooper
01/03/1973 (Circa)Mental Patients' UnionMental Patients' Union
01/01/1962 (Circa)National Autistic SocietyNational Autistic Society
01/01/1965 (Circa)Autism Society of AmericaAutism Society of America
01/01/1990 (Circa)The rise of Internet
01/01/1992 (Circa)01/01/1996 (Circa)Autism Network InternationalAutism Network International
01/01/1994 (Circa)National Alliance for Autism ResearchNational Alliance for Autism Research
03/01/1995 (Circa)Cure Autism Now FoundationCure Autism Now Foundation
18/11/2004Petition to the United Nations
02/01/1995 (Circa)Thinking in Pictures, by Temple GrandinThinking in Pictures, by Temple Grandin
01/01/2005 (Circa)Acceptance Versus Cure, by Sue RubinAcceptance Versus Cure, by Sue Rubin
18/07/2005First Autistic Pride DayFirst Autistic Pride Day
02/01/2005 (Circa)A Mother's Perspective, by Kit Weintraub
01/01/1999 (Circa)Why I Dislike 'Person First' Language, by Jim Sinclair
01/01/1995 (Circa)The Looping Effects of Human Kinds, by Ian HackingThe Looping Effects of Human Kinds, by Ian Hacking
02/01/2006 (Circa)On Our Own Terms: Emerging Autistic Culture, by Martijn DekkerOn Our Own Terms: Emerging Autistic Culture, by Martijn Dekker
01/01/1997 (Circa)Autism Genetic Resource ExchangeAutism Genetic Resource Exchange
01/01/2006 (Circa)Voices From The Spectrum, by Ariel and NaseefVoices From The Spectrum, by Ariel and Naseef
02/01/1998 (Circa)Institute for the Study of the Neurologically TypicalInstitute for the Study of the Neurologically Typical
25/08/2010AspergiaAspergia
01/01/2013 (Circa)The Book of Woe, by Gary GreenbergThe Book of Woe, by Gary Greenberg
10/03/2007Light and Dark: Correcting the Balance, by Judy SingerLight and Dark: Correcting the Balance, by Judy Singer