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It’s quite normal to feel worried or sad, but sometimes these feelings can take over us and the normal can become abnormal…

This programme begins by introducing two case studies: Alison who has depression and Karen who has an anxiety disorder. It then explores and compares the application of three key approaches to mental disorders

Part 1: Mental Disorder as a Disease of the Body

Are mental disorders diseases? What are the key assumptions of the biological model of mental disorder? What treatments does it offer and what are their strengths and limitations?

Part 2: Mental Disorder as a Disease of the Mind

Do the origins of some mental disorders lie in people’s life experiences? What are the key assumptions of the psychological model? What is cognitive behavioural therapy and does it work?

Part 3: Mental Disorder as a Social Construction

Are mental disorders socially defined? What are the key assumptions of a social constructionist approach? Are we in danger of ‘medicalising’ too many life problems by calling them ‘mental disorders’?