Troubled Persons Industries: The Expansion of Psychiatric Categories beyond Psychiatry

This book critiques the use of psychiatric labeling and narratives in institutional and social life, emphasizing the medial and individual practices of medicalization and their role in establishing and diffusing conceptions of mental (ab)normality. It explores the reconstruction of psychiatric narratives in various contexts, including public discourses and "troubled persons industries," and highlights the individualized roles of psychiatric diagnoses and experiences.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 345 pages
Publication date: 15 January 2023
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This book critically examines the widespread use of psychiatric labeling and psychiatric narratives in various aspects of institutional and social life across the globe. It adopts an interpretive sociology approach, highlighting the mediating and individual practices of medicalization and their significant role in shaping and disseminating conceptions of mental (ab)normality. A notable trend is the ongoing reconstruction of psychiatric narratives in diverse contexts, many of which no longer strictly adhere to the realm of psychiatry. On the one hand, psychiatric narratives have permeated contemporary public discourses and institutions through various forms of media, including advertising, news, and online platforms. On the other hand, professionals such as social workers, teachers, counselors, disability advisors, lawyers, nurses, and health insurance staff who engage with psychiatric narratives are increasingly serving as agents of the psychiatric discourse within the "troubled persons industries." Abstract academic categories are transformed into concrete aggrieved victims of these categorizations, while academic formulas are individualized into personal narratives. It appears that seeking support often necessitates being labeled.

The practice-oriented micro-sociological field with which this volume engages has only recently begun to participate in public and academic discussions on medicalization and the social role of psychiatry. Often, discussions on the evolution and expansion of official diagnoses within academia and society overlook the individualized roles of psychiatric diagnoses and the experiences of those involved and affected by these processes. This volume aims to rectify this oversight by highlighting and addressing these individual experiences.

In conclusion, this book offers a valuable contribution to the study of psychiatric labeling and narratives by exploring their pervasive presence in various institutional and social contexts worldwide. Through an interpretive sociology lens, it sheds light on the processes of medicalization, the construction of mental (ab)normality, and the individual experiences associated with these phenomena. By recognizing the multifaceted roles of psychiatric diagnoses and the experiences of those involved, this volume seeks to advance our understanding of the complex dynamics shaping our understanding and treatment of mental health.

Weight: 476g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030837471
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022