Introduction
Mental health psychology is a field of psychology which deals with mental health and the factors that lead to its discrepancies such as mental illnesses and mental disorders. The field focuses on disorders that inhibit the optimal functioning of the brain and implementation of techniques which can be used to cure them. The field also highlights factors which can help attain the state of a perfect mental health and also the factors that lead to a mental disorder. Currently this field of psychology is the most popular one in the world.
History
Mental health psychology has always been the most prominent and dominant school of psychology but it was during the 20th century when this field of psychology actually bloomed. After the World War 2 there was a rapid increase in demand on mental health psychologists who could treat depression, anxiety and mental disorders in those patients who had returned from the war. The period after the war can be called as the most active period for mental health psychology. Using war veterans as case study, psychologists did most of their research. Many of the great books written on mental health, illness and psychology were written soon after or sometime after the war. However since mental health psychology emerged way before the World War, research books and textbooks written during that period can’t be denied either. The books written before the World War can be called as the pioneer books in mental health and psychology while those written after the war or during the mid or late 20th century portray a modern approach and better techniques that can be employed in this field.
Features
As said, the psychology of mental health is the most popular field of psychology. Hence there are many books and texts that have been written on this area. There are, however certain books on mental health psychology that are currently considered as the best. Five of those books are: "Spark" by John Ratey, "Get out of your mind and into your life" by Steve Hayes, "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse, "The feeling good handbook" by David burns and "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmund Bourne. Of these five books, the "Feeling Good Handbook" by David Burns is perhaps the most popular. This book covers the area of cognitive psychology and how certain techniques in that field can be used to cure certain mental disorders. The book, written in 1987, focuses on various communication and cognitive distortions and how our thinking process can affect our mental health. The idea of “we can change by the way we can think” implied in this book is used by psychotherapists to treat their patients who are suffering from personality disorders and depression.
Tips and comments
The best thing about this book is how simply it defines the human thought process. This book leaves a deep and profound effect on the readers. Many of the ideas that are represented in this book are currently being used in the field of mental health psychology. The book is also being used as a textbook in a majority of universities for students of mental health psychology.
