Mental distress is not exclusive to any particular group but touches the lives of people in all societies and walks of life; one in four of us will be affected by it in our lifetime. Yet the field of mental health is complex fraught with differences in understanding and experience, variations in service provision, political agendas and professional discourses. This wide-ranging book explores a range of themes in the development of mental health policy and practice, in order to promote critical reflection and enhance understanding. Drawing on an international evidence base, it explores the historical, legal and socio-cultural dimensions of mental health, including: - Anti-discriminatory practice and the ethical tensions posed by legislation, particularly in relation to safeguarding and human rights - Trends and concerns in the field of child and adolescent mental health - The gender, ethnicity and age-related dimensions of mental ill-health - The challenges posed by dual diagnosis and faced by families and carers International Perspectives on Mental Health offers a multi-dimensional view of mental health and wellbeing, with the aim of opening up debate and inviting a more holistic conception of the field. It is required reading for students of mental health on professional and academic courses, as well as for practitioners in the health and social care field.