Feminist icon Phyllis Chesler's pioneering work, Women and Madness, remains startlingly relevant today, nearly fifty years since its first publication in 1972. With over 2.5 million copies sold, this landmark book is unanimously regarded as the definitive work on the subject of women's psychology. Now back in print, this completely revised and updated edition adds perspectives on eating disorders, postpartum depression, biological psychology, important feminist political findings, female genital mutilation, and more.

This book focuses on the complex patterning of mental disorder identified in men and women. The first part of the book examines the gendered landscape of mental disorder, key concepts and approaches, and the way in which gender is embedded in constructs of mental disorder. The second part considers theories of the causes of mental disorder and the extent to which the different causes can account for the gendered landscape of disorder. It concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of the analysis.

Nominated for the 2012 Distinguished Publication Award of the Association for Women in Psychology! Why are women more likely to be positioned or diagnosed as mad than men? If madness is a social construction, a gendered label, as many feminist critics would argue, how can we understand and explain women's prolonged misery and distress? In turn, can we prevent or treat women’s distress, in a non-pathologising women centred way? The Madness of Women addresses these questions through a rigorous exploration of the myths and realities of women's madness. Drawing on academic and clinical experience, including case studies and in-depth interviews, as well as on the now extensive critical literature in the field of mental health, Jane Ussher presents a critical multifactorial analysis of women's madness that both addresses the notion that madness is a myth, and yet acknowledges the reality and multiple causes of women's distress. Topics include: The genealogy of women’s madness – incarceration of difficult or deviant women Regulation through treatment Deconstrucing depression, PMS and borderline personality disorder Madness as a reasonable response to objectification and sexual violence Women’s narratives of resistance This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of psychology, gender studies, sociology, women's studies, cultural studies, counselling and nursing.

How do men make women crazy? The same way women make men crazy; through sabotaging intuition. When you know something is wrong in your heart, but choose to believe it is really okay, it makes you crazy. It may not always be intentional; in fact, most often it is done out of fear. In this book you will find a way out of the crazy-creating, intimacy-shattering, fearful behaviors that paralyze so many relationships today. Jami and Marla offer hope and wisdom in discovering how to move past the craziness and move in to a desire for deeper intimacy and love. Praise for Jami and Marlas How Men Make Woman Crazy (and Vice Versa) Jami and Marla have such heart and compassion for helping others. The concepts they share in this book are universal in their effectiveness and can work not only for married couples but for individuals as well who may want to get a better understanding of the relationships in their lives. We can honestly say without a doubt that our marriage has not only been salvaged, but we are discovering each other all over again in a new way! Deborah and Lincoln Thank you so much for your book. Simply amazing, and a blessing! I have come so far because of both of you. I cannot thank you enough for getting me through the hell and helping me find the true Jennifer. Now here I am happier than I ever thought. Wow. Jennifer We were one signature away from divorce for an entire year, but reading this book and following its concepts saved our marriage and has brought us to a new intimacy we never thought possible. Mark and Michelle

A Los Angeles Times columnist recounts her eighteen-month undercover stint as a man, a time during which she underwent considerable personal risks as she worked a sales job, joined a bowling league, frequented sex clubs, dated, and encountered firsthand the rigid codes and rituals of masculinity. 80,000 first printing.

The Oxford Textbook of Women and Mental Health brings a balanced understanding of different aspects of gender and mental health. Exploring issues covering psychological, social, and cultural aspects of mental health problems, it looks at epidemiological data that shows increased frequency in different clinical aspects of many psychiatric disorders, the biological and endocrinological concomitants of mental health, and eating disorders, perinatal psychiatric disorders, and the long term effects of abuse - helping readers to appreciate the societal, parental, and personal consequences of mental health problems. Part one is dedicated to fundamental aspects in women's mental health. It covers topics from women's health as a global issue to different medical psychological theories, giving an overview of gender in mental health. The second examines clinical aspects of women and mental health. In part three, special clinical topics such as PTSD, self-harm, menopause, violence and its management are investigated. Part four focuses on parental psychiatric disorders, clarifying how mental health and behavioural problems in children can be a marker or consequence of maternal distress. The final two parts look at the topics of women and disability, and legislation and policy. A book of exceptional scope and depth, it will be essential for all those health professionals involved in managing mental health problems in women