This course serves as an introduction to a wide range
of mental health topics beginning with definitions of normality and abnormality
with respect to human behavior, and including the concepts of stigma and
othering. The social and genetic bases for major mental illnesses such as
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression are also explored in
depth. Students explore definitions of mental illness and how the
existence of certain disorders remains a source of debate. Various perspectives
and treatments are included such as Freudian/psychoanalytic, cognitive
behavioral and psychopharmacology; mental health as a neglected global public
health issue will also be covered with an emphasis on application of concepts
to real world challenges at the individual, community and population levels