Working Group on
Geopsychiatry

Geopsychiatry

About

Geopsychiatry is an exciting developing field and subspeciality in psychiatry. The subject focuses on the interface between geopolitical events and psychiatry. It is well recognised that social determinants affect causation of mental illnesses and outcomes. Geopolitical determinants tend to influence social determinants in an increased globalised and inter-connected world.

The world is currently experiencing a number of geopolitical crises, many of which are transnational and are changing the cultural architecture of communities and their mental health footprints. From population growth to climate change, human-made and natural disasters and ongoing conflicts leading to mass migration and an increase in refugees and asylum seekers to the impact of droughts and floods, geopolitical factors are becoming increasingly important. In addition, conflict, populism, the erosion of human rights, inequalities, terror, and fragile security add to the global mental health burden and present the most fundamental global challenges. However, often their impact on mental health is not taken into account. For example, even when infectious diseases such as Covid-19, Sars, and Zika proliferate, the focus is typically on infection control and management rather than their impact on mental health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.  

Geopsychiatry is an exciting developing arena that welcomes scholars and interested individuals from different sectors, including health, environmental, human, social, economic, and political. It can help clarify the mental health causal chain and propose therapeutic and preventive macro- and individuallevel interventions. It is also potentially useful to help policymakers and international aid agencies
Terms of Remit
Working Group Leadership Team
Albert Persaud

Professor Albert Persaud


Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing’s College
London,United Kingdom
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Professor João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia

Assistant (Aux.) Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience
Medical School, Fundação do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil
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Working Group Activities and News
The below highlights some of the recent activities run by the Working Group on Geopsychiatry:

Webinar on “Geopolitical Determinants of Mental Health” held on 7th December 2022 In this webinar, we learn more about Geopsychiatry, an exciting new development focusing on the interface between geopolitical events and their impact on the practice of psychiatry across all ages and subspecialities. This webinar was run by the Royal Society of Public Health and supported by this Working Group