Mapping Personal Geographies in Psychosis: From Space to Place.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Urban Studies
• Environmental Psychology

Background:

• Urban environments are recognized risk factors for psychosis development.
• Individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis often exhibit avoidance of urban centers and social isolation.
• There is a growing need for mental health-supportive urban contexts to aid recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce novel tools for mapping the urban spaces experienced by individuals with psychosis.
• To integrate concepts of place attachment and systemic therapy in understanding spatial experiences.
• To explore how various factors shape individual spatial and place experiences in psychosis.

Main Methods:

• Development of the "place attachment diagram" to center emotional bonds.
• Introduction of the "life space network" to focus on spatial dimensions.
• Utilizing these tools to help service users map personally meaningful urban locations.

Main Results:

• The proposed tools facilitate the mapping of personally significant urban environments for individuals with psychosis.
• The study suggests a link between epidemiological risk factors, early attachment, and altered spatial experiences in psychosis.
• Psychotherapeutic interventions can transform impersonal urban "spaces" into personally meaningful "places".

Conclusions:

• The "spatial" dimension is crucial yet often overlooked in psychotherapy for psychosis.
• Mapping urban experiences can enhance feelings of familiarity, security, and opportunity for service users.
• Developing mentally healthy urban contexts is vital for supporting recovery in psychosis.